Stevens Institute of Technology
Howe School of Technology Management
Syllabus
EMT 798
Integration & Application of
Technology Management
Semester: 2014
Instructor Name & Contact Information:
Allen Ginsberg
Tel: 201-941-0206
Fax: 201-216-8355
aginsberg@nj.rr.com
Day of Week/Time: Apr.11 – May 17
Fri 4:00-9:00; Sat 8:30-5:00
Office Hours:
Class Website:
Capsim.com
Course Description
This course is the capstone of the MSTM program. It includes lectures that demonstrate
the theory and techniques of cross-functional decision-making in the management of
technology. In addition to the application of technical skills, the students work
collaboratively in managing their teams, developing strategy and making operating
decisions in the simulated environment.
The course utilizes the Capstone™ business simulation which gives a well-balanced basic
coverage of business with approximately the same degree of emphasis on marketing, R &
D, manufacturing, labor relations, and finance. The simulation requires participants to
spend scheduled class time and time outside of class to prepare for critical business
decisions. Each decision round represents one year of operation, giving the simulation a
truly strategic element. The products in the simulated environment are electronic sensors.
Each company starts with a portfolio of five different types of sensor. Sensors can be
discontinued, new ones added and the product technology for each type of sensor (e.g.,
performance, size, quality, age) can be modified by participants.
The simulation utilizes realistically designed corporate reports, which provide each team
with feedback over each year’s period in the market. The simulation also produces a
scoreboard to assist in evaluating team performance according to specified metrics. The
scoreboard permits each company to specify the weighting of key measures of
performance according to the corporate goals of each company.
The course culminates with presentations by each team wherein the participant teams are
asked to critique and explain their performance over the eight years of simulation, and to
present a proposed long-range plan for the future of their simulated company based in the
position of their company in the market and what they have learned about the market
during the previous eight years.
Pre-requisites: All courses comprising the MSTM program
Course Objectives
EMT 798 falls under Integrated Business Simulation, one of the six strategic themes
encompassing MSTM program.


Strategy – Business & Technology
Global Business & Markets



Functional Business Management

Leadership & Teaming
Innovation - Creativity & Design
Thinking
Integrated Business Simulation
The course is designed to integrate the knowledge developed in other courses via a
business simulation. It aims to develop each student’s strategic and decision-making skills
from the perspective of senior management running an organization. It is designed to
expose students to the operational complexities when making decisions simultaneously in
the various functional disciplines in an integrated environment, providing them with an
intensive and in-depth opportunity to apply the coursework taken earlier in the program in
two ways through:
a) Participation in a web-based business simulation - As a member of a small executive
team, you will take over the management of a company for a period of several years,
making all the strategic and operational decisions normally required of top management.
b) Analysis and discussion of Strategic Management cases. Integrative cases will be
analyzed in both in-class discussions and through written assignments.
EMT 798 thus serves to integrate the curriculum of the entire MSTM program.
Additional learning objectives include the development of:
Oral and Written Communication. This is achieved through a variety of short and long
written assignments, quizzes and oral presentations for both the simulation and the cases.
Teamwork. Teamwork is central to the semester-long business simulation.
Critical Thinking Skills. Student involvement in the business simulation and the case
analyses fosters and develops critical thinking. The simulation and cases require the use of a
variety of quantitative skills including financial analysis, accounting statements and some
statistical knowledge.
Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility. Issues of ethics and corporate social
responsibility will be discussed during case analyses and decision making in the business
simulation.
Global Business. The implications and methods of transfer pricing are discussed and
illustrated in the context of Capstone discussions.
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Course Outcomes
After taking this course, the student will be able to:
1. Formulate an effective strategy for a complicated high technology business in a
highly competitive environment.
2. Implement a strategic plan by making sound tactical decisions in all functional areas
of the simulated company using financial and operating results data.
3. Perform effectively in a multi-functional management team.
4. Prepare a realistic business plan for a company based on current condition, past
performance and the existing competitive situation.
5. Critically analyze the company performance and adapt strategy and tactics to conform
to that analysis.
6. Prepare and present to a company board of directors a professional presentation of
past business results and future plans.
Pedagogy
The course consists principally of team decision making in simulated business
competition against other teams in the class. In the first four years of operation, each
team is given a strategy by the instructor and is encouraged to implement that strategy in
the most effective way. The bulk of the course consists of eight years of competition
where each team chooses its own strategy and tactical plan. Each team prepares its
mission statement, goals and objectives and chooses the weighted combination of metrics
by which they wish the performance of their business to be judged.
At the completion of each year, all teams are provided with detailed results which are
thoroughly debriefed by the instructor. Student participation is encouraged, and coaching
by the instructors is carried out as necessary. Strong emphasis is placed on integration of
the multi-functional aspects of the decision making.
Towards the end of the course, students complete four years of Comp-XM®, in which
each student competes independently against three computer “teams,” and then answers a
set of queries custom designed for each round and each student, allowing an assessment
of individual performance. Important: Each student will need a laptop computer
configured to access the wireless network at Stevens for this exercise.
At the conclusion of the eight-year simulation, each team prepares a written report
critiquing the company’s performance and presents this to a Board of faculty members
representing the Board of Directors of the simulated company. The team also presents
their strategic plan for the next five years of operations (if the company were to continue
to be managed by the team). Both of these issues are to be based on actual eight years
results and the operational and financial position at the end of the eight years. Selected
topics not simulated in the Capstone, such as transfer pricing in global companies, are
covered in lectures and discussions.
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Required Text(s)
Capstone® Team Member Guide – An updated 2014 version
(Both available for viewing and/or downloading at Capsim.com Web site to all
participants).
Assignments
Each team is required to submit:




A mission statement, objectives and goals and tactical plan for both the four year
and eight year simulations.
A Team Charter detailing the imperatives for the functioning of their team (e.g.,
rules, roles, meeting conduct, etc.).
A written, detailed report and critique of their performance over the eight years
including mistakes made and lessons learned.
The content of their final Board of Directors presentation.
Course Grading
Item
Team Behavior & Development via participation in Planning and
Feedback
Grade
Percent
10%
Company Business Results (8-year simulation)
30%
Individual Results on Comp-XM
30%
Demonstration of course learning elements via Strategic Plans,
Team Charter and Board of Director Presentation
Total Grade
30%
100%
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Ethical Conduct
The following statement is printed in the Stevens Graduate Catalog and applies to all
students taking Stevens courses, on and off campus.
“Cheating during in-class tests or take-home examinations or homework is, of course,
illegal and immoral. A Graduate Academic Evaluation Board exists to investigate
academic improprieties, conduct hearings, and determine any necessary actions. The
term ‘academic impropriety’ is meant to include, but is not limited to, cheating on
homework, during in-class or take home examinations and plagiarism.“
Consequences of academic impropriety are severe, ranging from receiving an “F” in a
course, to a warning from the Dean of the Graduate School, which becomes a part of the
permanent student record, to expulsion.
Reference:
The Graduate Student Handbook, Academic Year 2003-2004 Stevens
Institute of Technology, page 10.
Consistent with the above statements, all homework exercises, tests and exams that are
designated as individual assignments MUST contain the following signed statement
before they can be accepted for grading.
____________________________________________________________________
I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on
this assignment/examination. I further pledge that I have not copied any material from a
book, article, the Internet or any other source except where I have expressly cited the
source.
Signature ________________
Date: _____________
Please note that assignments in this class may be submitted to www.turnitin.com, a webbased anti-plagiarism system, for an evaluation of their originality.
Course/Teacher Evaluation
Continuous improvement can only occur with feedback based on comprehensive and appropriate
surveys. Your feedback is an important contributor to decisions to modify course
content/pedagogy which is why we strive for 100% class participation in the survey.
All course teacher evaluations are conducted on-line. You will receive an e-mail one week prior
to the end of the course informing you that the survey site (https://www.stevens.edu/assess) is
open along with instructions for accessing the site. Login using your Campus (email) username
and password. This is the same username and password you use for access to Moodle. Simply
click on the course that you wish to evaluate and enter the information. All responses are strictly
anonymous. We especially encourage you to clarify your position on any of the questions and
give explicit feedbacks on your overall evaluations in the section at the end of the formal survey
that allows for written comments. We ask that you submit your survey prior to end of the
examination period.
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Course Schedule
Session #
Dates
#1
April 11
Friday
(4:00 – 9:00)
#2
April 12
Saturday
(8:30-5:00)
Week of April
22 - 26
#3
April 25
Friday
[Virtual]
#4
April 26
Saturday
(8:30-5:00)
Week of April
28 – May 3
#5
May 2
Friday Virtual]
#6
May 3
Saturday
(8:30-5:00)
Content
Course intro, objectives and conduct
Review Capstone® & Financial Statements
Introduce Labor Negotiations
Dinner
Team organization/behavior/decision processes/charter/Peer Feedback
[P. Dominick]
Live Demo and Q & A
Team deliberations – Year 1P (Practice)--------------------------------------------Submit Year 1P-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Debrief Year 1P results ------------------------------------------------------------------Lunch-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Team deliberations – Year 2P
Submit Year 2P-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Debrief Year 2P
Begin working on Team Organization and Charter - due Friday, April 27 to
P. Dominick by e-mail
Continue working on Team Organization and Charter
Work on developing Mission/Strategy and Success Measures for the 8-yr
simulation
Team deliberations - Year 1. Decisions due by Fri. April 27 by 9pm
Submit Year 1 – by 9pm----------------------------------------------------------------Submit Team Organization and Charter [E-mail to P.Dominick].
Submit Mission/Strategy [E-mail to AG].
Debrief Year 1----------------------------------------------------------------------------Team deliberations - Year 2.
Submit Year 2. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------Lunch
Debrief Year 2 results.--------------------------------------------------------------------Team deliberations -Year 3.
Submit Year 3. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------Debrief Year 3 results.--------------------------------------------------------------------Team deliberations -Year 4.
Decisions due Friday May 4by Noon.
Submit Year 4 – by Noon.----------------------------------------------------------------Debrief Year 4 results – via Wimba.-------------------------------------------------------------Start Year 5 (Decisions due by Sat. May 5 by 10:30)
Submit Year 5.------------------------------------------------------------------------------Debrief Year 5 results.--------------------------------------------------------------------Team deliberations - Year 6.
Time
4.00pm
6.00pm
7:00pm
8;30am
11:00am
11:15am
12:00pm
4:00pm
9.00pm
8.30am
Noon
1.00pm
4:15pm
4:30pm
Noon
6:00pm
10:30am
10:45am
Noon
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Lunch
Submit Year 6. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------Debrief Year 6 results.---------------------------------------------------------------------
Week of May
5-10
#7
May 9
Friday
[Virtual]
#8
May 10
Saturday
(8:30-5:00)
Week of May
12-17
#9
May 17
Saturday
(9:00-5:00)
4:15pm
4:30pm
Team deliberations – Year 7.
Submit Year 7 by Noon, Friday May 11
Read Comp-XM®
Outline Board Presentation
Submit Year 7 – by Noon.----------------------------------------------------------------Debrief Year 7 results via Wimba.--------------------------------------------------------Submit Year 8-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Debrief Year 8 results.---------------------------------------------------------------------Intro to Comp XM----------------------------------------------------------------------------Do Year 1 Comp-XM® and Year 2 Comp-XM® [BRING LAPTOP!] ----------Lunch
Course/Instructor Evaluation
Noon
6:30pm
10:30pm
8:30am
9:00am
10:00am
Noon
Do Year 3 Comp-XM® and Year 4 Comp-XM® and final Board Query
Prepare Board presentations
Final date to submit Peer Feedback – May 18
Board Presentations (8 teams @ 25minutes each + Q&A). ------------------
9:00am
Lunch, Class Picture & Exit Survey
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