Charles Steinberg was a graduate student when he first taught in the 1950s. But today, the retired Sony Electronics executive has returned to the classroom with decades of experience in entrepreneurial management to share with MBA students at UC Davis.

As executive-in-residence at the Graduate School of Management, Steinberg is teaching a 10-week course in entrepreneurship through the end of May and joins other top business leaders who have brought their real-world business savvy to the school over the last 10 years.

"Being able to tap into his many years of senior executive experience in technology industries has been an invaluable learning exercise for the aspiring entrepreneur," says Richard Hare, a master of business administration student in Steinberg's class. "You just can't learn this sort of stuff from books."

Steinberg, who is now an executive adviser to Sony's Strategic Venture Investments Group, served over 11 years as president of Sony's Broadcast and Professional Company and headed two subsidiaries: Sony Trans Com Inc. and Sony Cinema Products. During 25 years with Ampex Corp., he held the positions of president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board.

Steinberg says he aims to convey two fundamental points about entrepreneurship to students. First, that while entrepreneurship is most readily identified with small companies, entrepreneurial opportunities are part of larger corporations too. And secondly, that people -- the right leadership and talented employees -- are the key to successful ventures.

To help teach the course, Steinberg has called on nine guest lecturers -- venture capitalists and entrepreneurs drawn from different kinds of companies at different stages of development.