MGT 353: Creativity and Innovation
Fall, 2014
Lecturer: Bernhard Schroeder
Office : Gateway Center, 1502
Phone: (619) 594-0560 Email: bschroeder@mail.sdsu.edu
Office Hours: Weds 3-3:45pm and by appointment
Location: Gateway Center, 1502
Course meeting time and place: Wednesday, 4:00pm-6:40pm EBA-339
Course Overview: To really understand the how creativity and innovation play such important roles in the development of new products or
services and how to develop a powerful company culture. This course is meant to expose you, teach you and immerse you in a new ways of
thinking via readings, exercises and assignments in such a way that you are impacted forever. Be prepared to bring it in this challenging and
innovative course.
Course Learning Outcomes:
1. Learn and be able to explain and utilize creativity and problem solving techniques, team brainstorming processes, and environmental
impact on creativity in organizations.
2. Describe the creativity and innovation process, including the innovation value chain, the role of champions, and commercializing an
innovation.
3. Explain the process involved in managing creativity or innovation effectively and apply this knowledge to your own/teams creative idea or
innovation.
4. Learn several organizational framework tools and practices that facilitate creativity and innovation.
5. Create and utilize case study analysis skills (specifically, identifying critical issues in case studies and applying course material to case
studies).
Required Texts:
The Myths of Innovation, Scott Berkun, O’Reilly Media
Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques (2nd Edition), Michael Michalko, Ten Speed Press
Course Reader: MGT 353 Creativity & Innovation Course Reader (contains three case studies) SDSU Bookstore
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Grading Assignments
Type
Elevator Pitch
I
Creativity Online Tests
I
Steve Jobs Paper
I
Pixar case
I
Myths of Innov. Papers (3) I
Thinker Toys Top 3
I
10
10
30
40
120
40
Litmus case
Cirque du Soleil case
Observation Lab
Team Paper/Presentation
50
50
50
100
G
G
G
G
Total Points
(I = Individual, G= Group)
500
Take Creativity Tests
http://www.testmycreativity.com
http://testyourself.psychtests.com/testid/3178
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Assignments and Format
For all of the following, please use 11 point Ariel font, double-spaced.
Individual
- Myths of Innovation Papers (3): Answer the questions completely (see questions in Blackboard)
- Thinker Toys: 3-4 pages on top three learnings from this book
- Pixar Case Paper: 2-3 pages on top three learning’s from the case (see Course Reader)
- Steve Jobs Paper: Innovative or Creative? 3-4 pages, make and defend your point of view with examples and research.
Group
- Litmus Case Paper (Group): 5-7 pages, provide simple summary of problem, answer the questions, provide your point of view
o Read the case. Answer the questions and provide your point of view as regards a potential solution.
o What is the overall problem?
o How can the manager motivate Grady to complete the project?
o What can he learn from Grady’s logs?
o What is a potential solution?
-
Cirque du Soleil Case Paper Group): 7-10 pages, read the case and answer the questions; assume time period is 1980’s to present.
o How would you assess the attractiveness of the circus industry in the mid 1980’s?
o Would you encourage a newcomer to enter this marketplace?
o Use Porters Five Forces model, analyze the industry and create a summary table looking at big league and little league
markets.
o What were the factors the traditional circus companies competed on?
o What do you like or dislike about the traditional circus?
o Using Blue Ocean Strategy, and considering Cirque du Soleil today, what elements of the circus were kept? Which ones were
downplayed and which ones were played up?
o Which elements were totally eliminated? Which elements were newly created?
o How did Cirque du Soleil grow the industry, increase revenues and increase profits?
-
Observation Lab: 7-8 pages on lessons learned (possible improvements, enhancements, problem solving, creativity, etc.) from
observing customer transactions, store environments, mall patterns, people patterns, customer services, sales, etc.
Final Team Project Paper: 9-10 page paper on an idea, problem and solution, opportunity which has clear definition, marketplace
research, competitive analysis, creativity and innovation tools used, and recommended solution.
Final Team Project Presentation: 10 minute presentation, whole team is involved, cannot use PowerPoint or Prezzi…be creative and
innovative…
-
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Class Date
Topic
Reading/Homework Assignment
August 27, 2014
Orientation, review course
Chapter 1, Thinker Toys
September 3, 2014
Power of teams, IDEO video
Ten Faces of Innovation
Chapter 1, 2, 3, Myths of Innovation
Self assessment tests
http://www.testmycreativity.com/
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/creativity-quiz.htm
September 10, 2014
Pitch an Idea, (creativity videos)
Chapter 2, Thinker Toys, Myths Chap.1, 2,3 paper due
Self assessment tests due
September 17, 2014
Guest speaker, environment, culture
Chapter , 3 Thinker Toys, Pixar Case
September 24, 2014
Brainstorming, brainstorm videos (2)
Chapters 4,5,6 Myths of Innovation, Ind. Pixar Case due
October 1, 2014
Creativity & Problem solving
Chap. 4 & 9 Thinker Toys, Myths 4,5,6 paper due
October 8, 2014
Tedx video, Creativity grid
Chap 7,8,9, 10 Myths of Innovation, Litmus Case
October 15, 2014
Group ideas pitch
Chapter 8 Thinker Toys, Myths Chap 7-10 paper due
October 22, 2014
Finalize group ideas, Porters five forces
Group Case Litmus Paper Due
October 29, 2014
Guest Speaker, exercise
Cirque du Soliel Case (Group), Myths Chap. 11-14 read
November 5, 2014
Innovation vs Creativity discussion
Steve Jobs, Innovative or Creative? (Ind)
November 12, 2014
Blue Ocean strategy, Tedx Video
Cirque du Soliel case paper due (group)
November 19, 2014
Creativity vs Innovation, Jobs paper, video Steve Jobs paper due (Ind)
November 26, 2014
Video, Myths of innovation
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Thniker Toys 3 learnings due (I), Observation Lab (G) due
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December 3, 2014
Team Presentations
No Powerpoint
December 10, 2014
Team Presentations
No PowerPoint Team papers due ( 10-12 pages)
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