University of Bridgeport
School of Engineering
TCMG 620, Spring 2015
Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Neal A. Lewis, Ph.D.
Office: Tech 139
Phone: 203 - 576 - 4569
E-mail: lewisn@bridgeport.edu
Office Hours: Mondays and Tuesdays 11:00 – 1:00, Wednesdays 11:00 – Noon or
by appointment
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Course Description:
This course presents a coherent process for the formulation, implementation, and
assessment of technology strategy. This includes the technology life cycle of initiation,
growth, maturation, and decline of business innovation. Technology management and
innovation are studied within a strategic management perspective. Methods of
technology planning, aligning technology with business strategy for competitive
advantage, and strategic management for use in organizations that use a broad range of
technologies are discussed. Strategies for commercializing products and services, new
technology adoption, process innovation and business/technology transformation are
included.
Texts:
Betz, Frederick. Managing Technological Innovation, 3rd edition. Wiley, 2011. ISBN
978-0470547823. You need to have a copy of this text.
David, Fred R. and Forest R. David. Strategic Management, Concepts and Cases, 15th
Ed. Pearson, 2015. ISBN 978-013344479-7. You do not need to have a copy of
this text.
Recommended Reading:
Burgelman, R.A., Christensen, C. M., and Wheelwright, S.C. Strategic Management of
Technology and Innovation, 5th Edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2009. ISBN 978-0-07338154-1.
Course Objectives:
To understand and apply the
1. Key questions and detailed steps and processes involved in strategic planning and
execution.
2. Strategic thinking in management of technology and continuous evaluation of
strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities faced by an organization.
3. Life cycles of technology within organizations and the need to stimulate and
sustain innovation and creativity within organizations.
4. Management of interfaces among corporate, marketing, finance, production, and
interdisciplinary technology strategies.
5. Technical skills for technology evaluation, selection, and implementation.
6. Effective integration and alignment of technology in an organization.
7. Measurement of the impact of technology on the productivity and profitability of
an organization.
Team Project
Teams of 2-3 people will identify, organize, execute, and report on a major Team Project
as described below:
Contact an organization (business, not-for-profit, academic department, school
organization, or government agency) to find one that will allow your team to assist in
developing a strategic technology plan for the organization. Working with the
organization, apply the tools and techniques learned in the course to develop a strategic
plan for the organization.
Status reports (10 min.) on this effort will be required throughout the semester. A final
team written report and a formal oral presentation will be made near the end of the
semester. Each team will present its final report to the class and be prepared to answer
questions. Although some time is scheduled during class for the project, the scope of the
project will require team meetings outside of class time.
The project grade will be based as follows:
Quality, content, and thoroughness of the finished plan (70%)
- Heavily weighted by the likelihood the plan will be used
- Including writing and organization of the report
Team organization and performance (30%)
- Including quality of oral presentation and the internal cooperation of the
team
Since team organization and performance will be an element of the grade, a record of
team meetings should be recorded and submitted as an appendix to the final written
report.
I will ask each student to evaluate the participation and contribution of each team
member at the end of the course. This evaluation will be a part of each person’s project
grade.
Class Attendance, Participation, Punctuality and Cheating
Attendance at each class session is expected. Class lectures complement, but do not
duplicate, textbook information. Together the students and instructor will be creating a
learning organization. Students are expected to be on time for class. Attendance is taken
at the beginning of class, and late arrivals will be marked as absent. A significant portion
of your learning will accrue through the constructive and respectful exchange of each
other’s ideas (including mine) and search for alternative solutions. You must be actively
engaged in class discussions to improve your thinking and communication skills.
Cheating is absolutely unacceptable in any form. If I catch you cheating, I will warn
you once, with a zero for that assignment. The second offense will result in an “F” for
the course. Cheating means using the work of others as your own. Copying homework,
letting others copy your work, using papers from the Internet, any talking or looking
around during exams, and allowing others to look at your exam papers are examples of
cheating.
It is the student's responsibility to familiarize himself or herself with and adhere to the
standards set forth in the policies on cheating and plagiarism as defined in Chapters 2 and
5 of the Key to UB; http://www.bridgeport.edu/pages/2623.asp or the appropriate
graduate program handbook.
As a UB policy, it is expected that each student that attends one hour of classroom
instruction will require a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week
for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester.
Preparation, Deadlines and Late Policy
Read the reading assignment BEFORE the lecture. The lectures cannot cover all of the
text, and the exams will cover both. You are expected to read and understand all of the
assigned chapters, except those sections specifically identified as ok to skip.
Homework
During the semester, problems and case studies will be assigned as homework.
Assignments are to be completed and turned in by the due date shown on the syllabus or
assigned by the instructor. Late assignments will be accepted but will only receive half
credit. If you are going to be absent from any class, you must make arrangements to
obtain and return any homework.
All case studies will require a one- to two-page written summary that will be submitted
not later than the due date. Case studies will be presented by the project teams. The
people presenting the case study do not need to submit a written summary.
Class Contribution
Class contribution includes attendance, preparedness, participation, and contributing
meaningful questions, experiences and examples to enhance the learning opportunities of
your classmates. Be prepared to discuss the material, especially the case studies; it’s part
of your course grade.
Grading Policy: Final Grade for the course will be calculated as follows:
Major Team Project
30%
Mid-term Exam
25%
Homework
30%
Class Contribution
15%
Schedule, Spring 2015
Class
Date
Topics
Session 1
1/22
Introductions & Course Information
Technological Innovation
Strategic Management;
The Vision and Mission
Teams formed, Projects identified
Session 2
1/29
Readings/
Assignments
Due today
Betz chapter 1
David chapters 1 & 2
Session 3
2/5
The External and Internal Assessments
David chapters 3 & 4
Case: Netflix 2011
Session 4
2/12
Strategy Types and Strategy Analysis
Project Proposal Presentations, all Teams
David chapters 5 & 6
Session 5
2/19
Innovation and Economy
Betz chapter 2
Case: Under Armour
Betz chapter 3
Session 6
2/26
Session 7
3/5
Radical Innovation
Case Study: The Lab that
Ran Away from Xerox
Project Status Reports
Incl. outline of a strategic technology plan
Test preparation
Session 8
3/12
Midterm Exam
3/19
Spring Break – No Class
Betz chapters 8 & 9
Session 9
3/26
Technology Strategies
Session 10
4/2
Technology Maturity and Substitution
Session 11
4/9
Technology Inside the Firm
Betz chapters 5 &7
Technology Outside the Firm
Case: Which Kind of
Collaboration is Right for
You?
Session 12
4/16
Case: Developing and
Diffusing New Technology
Strategies
Moore’s Law and the
Technology S-Curve
Case: Bold Retreat: A New
Strategy for Old Technologies
Project Status Reports
Session 13
4/23
Selecting Programs and Managing Risk
Session 14
4/30
Final Project Presentations