Ethical Conduct - Stevens Institute of Technology

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Stevens Institute of Technology
Howe School of Technology Management
Syllabus
MGT 671A
Technology and Innovation Management
Fall 2014
Thursday, 6:15 pm–8:45 pm
Babbio 210
Yan Chen, Ph.D.
Office: Babbio 625
Tel: 201-216-8540
Fax: 201-216-5385
yan.chen@stevens.edu
Office Hours:
Thursday, 4:00 pm–6:00 pm or
by appointment
Course & Web Address:
http://www.stevens.edu/moodle
Overview
In many industries, technological innovation is now the single most important driver of
competitive success. Many firms now rely on products developed within the prior three to
five years for a large portion of their sales and profits. The subject of technology and
innovation management is approached here as a strategic process. We will explore key
topics in technology and innovation management such as the industry dynamics of
technological innovation, the formulation of technological innovation strategy, and the
implementation of technological innovation strategy. We will strive to go beyond simply
learning concepts, although understanding major concepts is critically important for
technology and innovation management. Throughout the course, key conceptual
frameworks are linked to applications in a variety of industry and case settings.
Learning Goals
After completing this course, students are expected to be able to:

Interpret the industry dynamics of technological innovation, including the sources
of innovation, the types of innovation, standards battles, and market entry timing

Understand the major issues in formulating technological innovation strategy,
including the strategic direction of a firm, the selection of innovation projects,
collaboration strategies, and the protection of intellectual property

Understand the major factors affecting the implementation of technological
innovation strategy, including organizational structure, new product development
process, team structure, and deployment strategy
Additional learning objectives include the development of:

Written and oral communications skills: The study memos will be used to assess
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written skills and the case presentations will be used to assess presentation skills.

Team skills: The case presentation and discussion will involve student teams.

Strategic thinking: An understanding of how technological innovation can support
business strategy.
Pedagogy
The course will employ lectures, class discussion, in-class individual and team
assignments, and individual and team homework and projects.
Required Text
Melissa Schilling (2012). Strategic Management of Technological Innovation (Fourth
Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 978-0078029233
Articles
Brynjolfsson, E., & McAfee, A. (2012). Winning the Race with Ever-Smarter Machines.
MIT Sloan Management Review, 53(2), 53-60.
Huston, L., & Sakkab, N. (2006). Connect and Develop: Inside Procter & Gamble's New
Model for Innovation. Harvard Business Review, 84(3), 58-66.
Bower, J. L., & Christensen, C. M. (1995). Disruptive Technologies: Catching the Wave.
Harvard Business Review, 73(1), 43-53.
Gawer, A., & Cusumano, M. A. (2008). How Companies Become Platform Leaders. MIT
Sloan Management Review, 49(2), 28-35.
Suarez, F. F., Grodal, S., & Gotsopoulos, A. (2014). Perfect Timing? Dominant Category,
Dominant Design, and the Window of Opportunity for Firm Entry. Strategic Management
Journal. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smj.2225/pdf
Groenveld, P. (2007). Roadmapping Integrates Business and Technology. ResearchTechnology Management, 50(6), 49-58.
Nagji, B., & Tuff, G. (2012). Managing Your Innovation Portfolio. Harvard Business
Review, 90(5), 66-74.
Pisano, G. P., & Verganti, R. (2008). Which Kind of Collaboration Is Right for You?
Harvard Business Review, 86(12), 78-86.
Rivette, K. G., & Kline, D. (2000). Discovering New Value in Intellectual
Property. Harvard Business Review, 78(1), 54-66.
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O'Reilly, C. A., & Tushman, M. L. (2004). The Ambidextrous Organization. Harvard
Business Review, 82(4), 74-83.
Blank, S. (2013). Why the Lean Start-Up Changes Everything. Harvard Business Review,
91(5), 63-72.
Christensen, C. M., & Overdorf, M. (2000). Meeting the Challenge of Disruptive Change.
Harvard Business Review, 78(2), 66-77.
Gourville, J. T. (2006). Eager Sellers and Stony Buyers: Understanding the Psychology of
New-Product Adoption. Harvard Business Review, 84(6), 99-106.
Assignments
1. Class participation and professionalism (100 points, 20%):
(1) How to participate? For each reading, I have posed several preparation questions. The
best way to ensure your readiness for each class is by completing the readings and
preparing answers to the preparation questions. During class discussion, I will alternate
between asking for volunteers and calling on individuals. You can contribute in many
ways. You may, for example, offer insights or observations, ask questions, politely
disagree with me or another student (i.e., you can disagree with an idea without
discrediting the speaker), help others articulate their points of view, or follow up on a
fellow student’s comments with further insights or evidence. There are usually many
valid ways of looking at any issue we study, so don’t worry about being “wrong.” You
may be bringing a whole new perspective and insight into the discussion!
(2) How to be professional? In this course, professionalism refers to regular class
attendance, contributing positively and significantly to class discussions, and being
courteous to both your fellow classmates and the instructor. Negative in-class behavior
(e.g., lateness, chatting, leaving class, texting, inappropriate use of electronic device, etc.)
will have a negative impact on your grade. Also, please note that personal computers are
allowed in class with the understanding that they are used for class productivity only (e.g.,
note taking, fact checking, and concept clarification). All other electronic devices are to
be turned off (or at least muted) during class.
2. Case presentation and discussion:
(1) Case presentation (50 points, 10%): Our textbook includes 12 opening cases. Each
team will present one of the opening cases. Each Team can consist of 1 to 3 students. The
case presentation should cover basic company background, answer each preparation
question (see the detailed schedule below), provide updates on the company, and reply to
questions and comments from other students. Please send your slides to me by email
before the class. Please use the following email subject line: Week #_Case Presentation
(e.g., Week 2_Case Presentation); attach your slides to the email using the same name.
Please also make sure to put the names of all team members on the first slide.
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(2) Case discussion (50 points, 10%): Each team will respond to the presentation of
another team. The discussion can take the form of questions and comments concerning
the specific details of the analysis and recommendations. In addition to asking oral
questions during class, each discussion team will submit a typed list of four questions
along with tentative answers to those questions. Each answer should be three to four
sentences in length. Submit your questions and answers to me by email before the
beginning of the next class. Please use the following email subject line: Week #_Case
Discussion (e.g., Week 2_Case Discussion); attach your file to the email using the same
name. Please also make sure to put the names of all team members on the top of the file.
3. Two study memos (50 points × 2, 20%):
(1) Pick any 2 classes to write a memo. The study memos should answer the preparation
questions for the textbook chapter (normally 3 questions) and those for the article
(another 3 questions). You should also discuss the link between the book chapter and the
assigned article.
(2) Once you pick a specific class to write a memo, you should submit a brief one-page or
two-page memo before the class begins. Send your memo to my email with the following
email subject line: Your Name_Study Memo_Class Topic (e.g., Yan Chen_Study
Memo_Sources of Innovation); attach your memo to the email using the same name.
Please also make sure to put your name on the top of the memo.
4. Midterm exam (100 points, 20%):
(1) The midterm exam covers textbook Chapters 1–7. It includes 25 multiple choice
questions and 5 short essay questions.
(2) Each multiple choice question has one correct answer and is worth 2 points.
(3) All essay questions are selected from the preparation questions for textbook chapters.
Each essay question is worth 10 points.
(4) It is a closed-book exam. However, students are allowed to bring a note card, which
can be two-sided and can be as large as a standard 8.5"×11" letter size paper.
(5) Review questions for the exam will be posted on the course website about one week
before the exam.
5. Final exam (100 points, 20%):
(1) The final exam covers textbook Chapters 8–13. It includes 25 multiple choice
questions and 5 short essay questions.
(2) Each multiple choice question has one correct answer and is worth 2 points.
(3) All essay questions are selected from the preparation questions for textbook chapters.
Each essay question is worth 10 points.
(4) It is a closed-book exam. However, students are allowed to bring a note card, which
can be two-sided and can be as large as a standard 8.5"×11" letter size paper.
(5) Review questions for the exam will be posted on the course website about one week
before the exam.
6. Extra credits (up to 50 points)
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You can earn extra credits if you write more than two study memos. Each additional
study memo can earn up to 25 extra points; students can earn up to 50 points.
Each assignment’s weight in the final grade is as follows:
Class participation and professionalism
One case presentation and one case discussion
Two study memos
Midterm exam
Final exam
Total
Extra credits
100
100
100
100
100
500
50
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
100%
Grading scale:
Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
Percentage
93–100%
90–92%
88–89%
83–87%
80–82%
78–79%
73–77%
70–72%
68–69%
63–67%
60–62%
0–59%
Points
465–500
450–464
440–449
415–439
400–414
390–399
365–389
350–364
340–349
315–339
300–314
0–299
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.
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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 web-based
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 and
pedagogy.
All course teacher evaluations are conducted on-line. You will receive an email 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 username and
password. 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 which allows for written comments. We ask that you
submit your survey prior to the close of the examination period.
Course Schedule
1. Introduction
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Readings:
1. Textbook Chapter 1 Introduction
2. Brynjolfsson, E., & McAfee, A. (2012). Winning the Race with Ever-Smarter
Machines. MIT Sloan Management Review, 53(2), 53-60.
Preparation questions
For the textbook chapter:
1. Why is innovation important for firms?
2. What are some advantages of technological innovation? Disadvantages?
3. Why do you think so many innovation projects fail to generate an economic return?
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For the article:
1. What is exponential growth, and what are its strategic implications?
2. What is digitalization, and what are its strategic implications?
3. What is combinatorial innovation, and what are its strategic implications?
2. Sources of Innovation
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Readings:
1. Textbook Chapter 2 Sources of Innovation
2. Huston, L., & Sakkab, N. (2006). Connect and Develop: Inside Procter & Gamble's
New Model for Innovation. Harvard Business Review, 84(3), 58-66.
Preparation questions:
For the opening case:
1. What factors do you think enable Iddan, an engineer with no medical background, to
pioneer the development of wireless endoscopy?
2. To what degree would you characterize Given's development of the camera pill as
"science-push" versus "demand-pull"?
3. What were the advantages and disadvantages of Iddan and Meron collaborating with
Dr. Swain's team?
For the textbook chapter:
1. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of (a) individuals as innovators,
(b) firms as innovators, (c) universities as innovators, (d) government institutions as
innovators, (e) nonprofit organizations as innovators?
2. To what degree do you think the creativity of a firm is a function of the creativity of
individuals, versus the structure, routines, incentives, and culture of the firm? Provide an
example of a firm that does a particularly good job at nurturing and leveraging the
creativity of its individuals.
3. The use of collaborative research agreements is increasing around the world. What are
some reasons collaborative research is becoming more prevalent?
For the article:
1. What is the "connect and develop" (C&D) method? What are C&D's advantages and
disadvantages?
2. Why does P&G use both proprietary network and open network to seek out new ideas?
3. What are the roles of research and development (R&D) in P&G's C&D?
3. Types and Patterns of Innovation
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Readings:
1. Textbook Chapter 3 Types and Patterns of Innovation
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2. Bower, J. L., & Christensen, C. M. (1995). Disruptive Technologies: Catching the
Wave. Harvard Business Review, 73(1), 43-53.
Preparation questions
For the opening case:
1. Is the Tata Nano a radical innovation or an incremental innovation? Competence
enhancing or destroying innovation? Is it a component or an architectural innovation?
2. What factors do you think influence the rate at which consumers adopt the Tata Nano?
3. Do you think that the Tata Nano will be successful?
For the textbook chapter:
1. What are some reasons that established firms might resist adopting a new technology?
2. What are some reasons that both technology improvement and technology diffusion
exhibit s-shape curves?
3. What factors might influence the length of technology cycles in an industry? In what
industries would you expect to see particularly short technology cycles? In what
industries would you expect to see particularly long technology cycles?
For the article:
1. Why did disruption happen so repeatedly in the disk drive industry? Why weren’t
subsequent companies able to learn the important historical lessons about the threat of
disruptive technologies?
2. Where do you see disruptive technologies threatening successful, established
companies today?
3. If you were running the leading company in one of the industries you identified in
answering #2 above, what strategy would you use to counter the disruptive threat? If you
wanted to enter the industry, what strategy does this research imply you should use?
4. Standards Battles and Design Dominance
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Readings:
1. Textbook Chapter 4 Standards Battles and Design Dominance
2. Gawer, A., & Cusumano, M. A. (2008). How Companies Become Platform Leaders.
MIT Sloan Management Review, 49(2), 28-35.
Preparation questions
For the opening case:
1. What factors do you think influenced whether (1) consumers, (2) retailers, or (3) movie
producers supported Blu-ray versus HD-DVD?
2. Why do you think Toshiba and Sony would not cooperate to produce a common
standard?
3. Does having a single video format standard benefit or hurt consumers? Does it benefit
or hurt consumer electronics producers? Does it benefit or hurt movie producers?
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For the textbook chapter:
1. What are some of the sources of increasing returns to adoption?
2. What are some of the ways a firm can try to increase the overall value of its technology
and its likelihood of becoming the dominant design?
3. Are dominant designs good for consumers? Competitors? Complementers? Suppliers?
For the article:
1. What are the differences between a product and an industry platform?
2. What is coring, and how can it be successful?
3. What is tipping, and how can it be successful?
5. Timing of Entry
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Readings:
1. Textbook Chapter 5 Timing of Entry
2. Suarez, F. F., Grodal, S., & Gotsopoulos, A. (2014). Perfect Timing? Dominant
Category, Dominant Design, and the Window of Opportunity for Firm Entry. Strategic
Management Journal. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smj.2225/pdf
Preparation questions
For the opening case:
1. Why did the first social networking sites fail? Is there anything they could have done to
survive?
2. Are there significant switching costs that lock users into a particular social networking
site?
3. Do you think Google+ can overtake Facebook? Why or why not?
For the textbook chapter:
1. What are some advantages of entering a market early? Are there any advantages of
entering a market late?
2. What factors might make some industries harder to pioneer than others?
3. Are there industries in which there is no penalty for late entry?
For the article:
1. What is a product category? How does the number of product categories evolve in an
industry life cycle?
2. What is a dominant category? What are the major roles of a dominant category in an
emerging industry?
3. When does a window of opportunity for market entry open? When does it close? When
is the best timing for market entry?
6. Defining the Organization's Strategic Direction
Thursday, October 2, 2014
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Readings:
1. Textbook Chapter 6 Defining the Organization's Strategic Direction
2. Groenveld, P. (2007). Roadmapping Integrates Business and Technology. ResearchTechnology Management, 50(6), 49-58.
Preparation questions
For the opening case:
1. How does Genzyme's focus on orphan drugs affect the degree of competition it faces?
How does it affect the bargaining power of customers?
2. How does focusing on orphan drugs affect the types of resources and capabilities a
biotech firm needs to be successful?
3. What recommendations would you offer Genzyme for the future?
For the textbook chapter:
1. What is the difference between a strength, a competitive advantage, and a sustainable
competitive advantage?
2. Why is it necessary to perform an external and internal analysis before the firm can
identify its true core competencies?
3. How is the idea of "strategic intent" different from models of strategy that emphasize
achieving a fit between the firm's strategies and its current strengths, weakness,
opportunities, and threats (SWOT)?
For the article:
1. What is roadmapping?
2. What are the benefits of roadmapping?
3. Do you think roadmapping helps firms close their resource and capability gaps and
realize their strategic intents?
7. Choosing Innovation Projects
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Readings:
1. Textbook Chapter 7 Choosing Innovation Projects
2. Nagji, B., & Tuff, G. (2012). Managing Your Innovation Portfolio. Harvard Business
Review, 90(5), 66-74.
Preparation questions
For the opening case:
1. Why is it difficult for Bug Labs to use NPV or IRR in its development project
decisions? What are the advantages and disadvantages of Bug Labs' use of qualitative
screening questions to make project decisions?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of focusing on the demands of current
customers?
3. How are Bug Labs' project selection choices influenced by its strategy of focusing on
the "long tail"?
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For the textbook chapter:
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of discounted case flow methods such as
NPV and IRR?
2. Why might a firm use both qualitative and quantitative assessments of a project?
3. Will different methods of evaluating a project typically yield the same conclusions
about whether to fund its development? Why or why not?
For the article:
1. What is an innovation portfolio? How to allocate resources to different innovation
activities in an innovation portfolio?
2. Is there a golden ratio? Does the golden ratio vary across firms and industries?
3. How to manage transformational innovation?
8. Midterm Exam
Thursday, October 16, 2014, 6:15pm–8:45pm
9. Collaboration Strategies
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Readings:
1. Textbook Chapter 8 Collaboration Strategies
2. Pisano, G. P., & Verganti, R. (2008). Which Kind of Collaboration Is Right for You?
Harvard Business Review, 86(12), 78-86.
Preparation questions
For the opening case:
1. What were the advantages and disadvantages of Dyesol's venture with Tata Steel and
with Pilkington?
2. Should Dyesol form licensing agreements (or other types of alliances) with other
firms?
3. What mechanisms do you believe should be in place to help ensure that Dyesol's
objectives (and those of its partners) are met in its collaborative relationships?
For the textbook chapter:
1. What are some advantages and disadvantages of collaborating on a development
project?
2. How does the mode of collaborating (e.g., strategic alliance, joint venture, licensing,
outsourcing, collaborative research organization) influence the success of a collaboration?
3. If a firm decides it is in its best interest to collaborate on a development project, how
would you recommend the firm to choose a partner, a collaboration mode, and
governance structure for the relationship?
For the article:
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1. What are the two basic issues that executives should consider when deciding how to
collaborate on a given innovation project
2. When will closed network be effective? When will open network be effective?
3. When will hierarchical governance be desirable? When will flat structure be desirable?
10. Protecting Innovation
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Readings:
1. Textbook Chapter 9 Protecting Innovation
2. Rivette, K. G., & Kline, D. (2000). Discovering New Value in Intellectual Property.
Harvard Business Review, 78(1), 54-66.
Preparation questions
For the opening case:
1. What industry conditions led to the revolution in music distribution described above?
Which stakeholders stand to benefit most (or least) from this revolution?
2. What are the reasons that make iTunes successful? What will determine how long the
success of iTunes endures?
3. Will music streaming disrupt music sales?
For the textbook chapter:
1. What are the differences between patents, copyrights, and trademarks?
2. What factors should a firm that considers marketing its innovation in multiple
countries use in formulating its protection strategy?
3. Identify a situation in which none of the legal protection mechanisms discussed
(patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets) will prove useful.
For the article:
1. How do patents enable a firm to establish a proprietary market advantage?
2. How do patents improve financial performance?
3. How do patents enhance competitiveness?
11. Organizing for Innovation
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Readings:
1. Textbook Chapter 10 Organizing for Innovation
2. O'Reilly, C. A., & Tushman, M. L. (2004). The Ambidextrous Organization. Harvard
Business Review, 82(4), 74-83.
Preparation questions
For the opening case:
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1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the creative side of Google being run as
a flexible and flat "technocracy"?
2. What do you believe the challenges are in having very different structure and controls
for Google's creative side versus the other parts of the company?
3. Some analysts have argued that Google's free-form structure and the 20 percent time to
work on personal projects is only possible because Google's prior success has created
financial slack in the company. Do you agree with this? Would Google be able to
continue this management style if it had closer competitors?
For the textbook chapter:
1. What are some advantages and disadvantages of having formalized procedures for
improving the effectiveness and efficiency of innovation?
2. What factors should a firm consider when deciding how centralized its R&D activities
should be? Should firms employ both centralized and decentralized R&D activities?
3. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the transnational approach
advocated by Barlett and Ghoshal?
For the article:
1. Why once successful company may have difficulties in exploring the future and
creating discontinuous innovations?
2. What is an ambidextrous organization? How does it help firms balance the tension
between exploitation and exploration?
3. Why should emerging business be managed differently from existing business?
12. Managing the New Product Development Process
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Readings:
1. Textbook Chapter 11 Managing the New Product Development Process
2. Blank, S. (2013). Why the Lean Start-Up Changes Everything. Harvard Business
Review, 91(5), 63-72.
Preparation questions
For the opening case:
1. How do frog's activities affect its ability to (a) maximize the fit with customer needs,
(b) minimize development cycle time, and (c) control development costs?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of involving customers fairly early in the
design process?
3. Would frog's approach be more suitable for some kinds of development projects than
others? If so, what kinds would it be appropriate or inappropriate for?
For the textbook chapter:
1. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of a parallel development process?
What obstacles might a firm face in attempting to adopt a parallel process?
2. What kinds of people make good project champions? How can a firm ensure that it
gets the benefits of championing while minimizing the risks?
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3. What are the benefits and costs of involving customers and suppliers in the
development process?
For the article:
1. What are the reasons that the process of innovation may differ from the process of
execution?
2. What are the three key principles of the lean method? Why does the lean method differ
from traditional method?
3. Do you think that large corporations can use the lean method to manage innovation?
Why or why not?
13. Managing New Product Development Teams
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Readings:
1. Textbook Chapter 12 Managing New Product Development Teams
2. Christensen, C. M., & Overdorf, M. (2000). Meeting the Challenge of Disruptive
Change. Harvard Business Review, 78(2), 66-77.
Preparation questions
For the opening case:
1. How would you characterize Skullcandy's new product development team structure?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having Skullcandy’s employees serve on
several project teams simultaneously?
3. If you were advising the top management of Skullcandy about new product
development processes, what recommendations would you make?
For the textbook chapter:
1. What are the tradeoffs in choosing a team's size and level of diversity?
2. How can managers ensure that a team reaps the advantages of diversity while
overcoming the challenges that team diversity raises?
3. What are some advantages and disadvantages of collocation? For what types of
projects are virtual teams inappropriate?
For the article:
1. Where do capabilities reside? How do capabilities migrate as organizations evolve?
2. What are the possible ways for organizations to create new capabilities?
3. How to fit team structures to innovation tasks?
14. Thanksgiving Recess, No Class
Wednesday, November 26, 2014 – Sunday, November 30, 2014
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15. Crafting a Deployment Strategy
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Readings:
1. Textbook Chapter 13 Crafting a Deployment Strategy
2. Gourville, J. T. (2006). Eager Sellers and Stony Buyers: Understanding the Psychology
of New-Product Adoption. Harvard Business Review, 84(6), 99-106.
Preparation questions
For the opening case:
1. Why did Nintendo choose not to make its early video game consoles backward
compatible? What were the advantages and disadvantages of this strategy?
2. What strengths and weaknesses did Sony have when it entered the video game market
in 1995? What strengths and weaknesses did Microsoft have when it entered the video
game market in 2001?
3. In what ways did Nintendo's Wii break with the norms of competition in the video
game industry? How defensible was its position?
For the textbook chapter:
1. Identify one or more circumstances when a company might wish to delay introducing
its product.
2. What factors will (or should) influence a firm's pricing strategy?
3. How can firms tailor their marketing plans to different adopter categories?
For the article:
1. Why does the "9x effect" exist?
2. What are the reasons that customers may resist innovations that involve behavioral
changes?
3. What are the possible strategies for facilitating adoption?
16. Final Exam
Thursday, December 11, 2014, 6:15pm–8:45pm
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