Vanguard University - MGMT 470 - Syllabus
Description
MGNT 470 Managing Technology and Innovation in a Global Market
Today’s marketplace has progressed from a labor-based to a knowledge-driven society.
Organizations’ business strategies are increasingly dependent on the ability to manage the
complexities of technology development and/or application of technology in a rapidly changing,
globally competitive environment. Consequently, today’s leaders must be adept at both innovation
and change dynamics. This course teaches students the fundamentals of technology management
from the business strategy perspective. Students will examine the processes of the most innovative
businesses, learn how to think innovatively themselves, gain a global perspective on technology
development trends and clusters, and gain practical experience through a market simulation
project.
Students are encouraged to bring a notebook computer to class with internet access via
Vanguard’s service (not everyone needs to have a notebook, just one student per team in-class).
Please see Page 7 for a listing of the readings and website pages where you can purchase the
course materials (it’s cheap and easy).
Course Outline
Prior to first class, students must read the following short articles:
1. Peter Drucker’s article titled “Discipline of Innovation”
2. Clayton Christensen’s website
http://www.claytonchristensen.com/disruptive_innovation.html
a. Read the page, listen to the video, take notes
3. Then read the article from Clayton Christensen
a. “Reinventing Your Business Model”
Be prepared to discuss in the first class session your observation of one industry that has
experienced a Disruptive Innovation within the past 10 years (not an assignment, just a discussion).
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Week 1 – Feb 21
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6:00 to 7:00 Technology Review’s 2012 top 50 most innovative companies.
o Why are these businesses different?
o What are the drivers of innovation?
o How do their long term financial results compare to US averages?
o Technology Market Forecasts from 2013 Consumer Electronics Show
o What major trends in technology development do you see?
7:00 to 7:15 Break
7:15 to 8:15
o Class discussion on Drucker and Christensen articles.
8:15 to 8:30 Break
8:30 to 9:45
o Introduce Market-Simulation game (see page 6 for how to access the website)
1. Form teams
2. Go thru website and game process
3. Teams make initial decisions (enter into simulation game later)
Between Week 1 and 2 Assignment
 Complete Q1 (Sunday February 24 by midnight) and Q2 (Wednesday February 27 by
midnight) simulation game decisions. Don’t worry; these decisions are relatively simple and
straightforward. You won’t need a lot of time. Be prepared to discuss in class.
o Instructor available for advice via phone or email
 Assignment 1: Reflect on what are the most important things a business is doing to
successfully develop technology. Research another business of the student’s choice/interest
(not your employer) from the Top 50 Most Innovative Companies list. Evaluate the likelihood
of their future competitive success in developing and commercializing their technology.
What do they do well? Why are they successful? What are their strengths/weaknesses.
Utilize additional information sources. 2 pages – no more, no less (double spaced). 100
points. Due at the start of Week 2.
2
Week 2 – Feb 28
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6:00 to 7:00 Video of panel of 4 “Next Generation of Innovators” (from 2012 Consumer
Electronics Show). Take notes on what they have learned to be entrepreneurs, how they
started, how they run their companies, etc.
1. Bump
2. ZocDoc
3. Rockmeit
4. Iam+
7:00 to 7:15 Break
7:15 to 8:15
o Small Group Discussions and Sharing
1. Share list from above, put into categories.
2. What are the skills, behaviors, attitudes of “innovative leaders”?
3. Given this list, what are your strengths and weaknesses as a potential “innovative
leader”? What can you do to improve/change?
8:15 to 8:30 Break
8:30 to 9:45
o Simulation game teams meet and discuss Q3 decisions
Between Week 2 and 3 Assignment
 Complete Q3 (Sunday March 3 by midnight) and Q4 (Wednesday March 6 by midnight)
simulation game decisions. You will need about 1-2 hours of team collaboration time to
make key decisions (phone, email, Skype or meeting). Be prepared to discuss in class.
o Instructor available for advice via phone or email
 Assignment 2: Evaluate your own employer (past or present) on their ability to develop
technology for business success.
o Include key concepts from weeks 1 and 2
o What is done well? What can be done different/better? Why?
o 2 pages – no more, no less (double spaced). 100 points. Due at start of Week 3.
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Week 3 – Mar 7
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6:00 to 7:00
o Case Study (sent via email, read in advance, in-class activity to assess process
description and flow): How Honda Innovates
7:00 to 7:15 Break
7:15 to 8:15
o Case Study (in-class activity to brainstorm ideas): Golf Industry and Social Media How can social media be used to attract more golfers? Huh?
1. Review Brainstorming methods and rules
8:15 to 8:30 Break
8:30 to 9:45
o Simulation game teams meet and discuss Q5 decisions
Between Week 3 and 4 Assignment
 Complete Q5 (Wednesday 13 by midnight) simulation game decisions. You will need about
1.5 to 2.5 hours of team collaboration time (phone, email, Skype or meeting). Be prepared to
discuss in class.
o Instructor available for advice via phone or email
 Assignment: Complete your own case study – Apple Computer, 2005 – What would you do
next?
o 2 pages – no more, no less (double spaced). 100 points. Due at start of Week 4.
4
Week 4 – Mar 14
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6:00 to 7:00 Presentation on Global technology trends
o Who is developing what technologies for comparative advantage?
o What does it mean for US businesses?
o Watch two videos and discuss:
1. Where Good Ideas Come From
2. Abundance Is In Our Future
3. What did you learn that “stands out” to you? What key principles of
technology management did you hear? What does it mean to you and our
society? What ideas do you have?
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7:00 to 7:15 Break
7:15 to 8:15
o Simulation game teams meet and discuss Q6 decisions
8:15 to 8:30 Break
8:30 to 9:45
o Simulation game teams meet and discuss Q6 decisions
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Between Week 4 and 5 Assignment
 Complete Q6 (Monday March 24 by midnight) simulation game decisions. You will need 2
hours of team collaboration time (phone, email, Skype or meeting).
o Instructor available for advice via phone or email
 Assignment:
o Research a country of your choice. What are their strengths and weaknesses in
technology development? What is their current role in business and technology
development? What do you project will be their potential role? What is required for
the country to become a more significant player in development of one of their
current “technology clusters”?
o 2 pages – no more, no less (double spaced). 100 points. Due at start of Week 5.
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No class Mar 21
Week 5 – Mar 28
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6:00 to 7:00 Simulation team presentations. 30 minutes per team:
o What was your business strategy?
o Why did you achieve the results obtained based on share position?
o What were the competitive strengths and weaknesses of the products and
technology you developed?
o How did the team work? What went well? What could have been better?
o What principles of technology development do you observe in this process?
7:00 to 7:15 Break
7:15 to 9:15
o Continue team presentations.
o Presentation Assessment (200 points) will be based on the quality of your team’s:
1. Argument and logic (how well do you understand the results? Team
participation in making the presentation?)
2. PowerPoint presentation document (5 to 7 slides and match to excellent
PowerPoint practices). A couple of sources to review for how to develop a
good presentation are:
 Engaging by Design (PDF to be emailed)
 http://blogs.hbr.org/video/2011/03/create-an-effectivepresentati.html (good but some parts are not relevant to this project)
3. Questions that you ask other teams and your answers to their questions
4. Teamwork and collaboration during the term
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Course Assessment
Assignment
Points Possible
Due at Beginning of Class
1 – Reflect and research
another business
2 – Evaluate your employer
100
Feb 28
100
Mar 7
3 – Apple Computer Case
Study
4 – Research a country of
your choice
5 – Simulation Game
presentation
100
Mar 14
100
Mar 28
200
Mar 28
90-100%
80-89%
70-79%
60-69%
<60%
A
B
C
D
F
Student Materials Purchase List
1. Harvard Business Review – PDF download of articles and case studies
a. Discipline of Innovation – Peter Drucker - $6.95
i. http://hbr.org/product/the-discipline-of-innovation/an/R0208F-PDF-ENG
b. Reinventing Your Business Model – Clayton Christensen - $6.95
i. http://hbr.org/product/reinventing-your-business-model/an/R0812C-PDFENG
c. Apple Computer, 2005 - $6.95
i. http://hbr.org/product/apple-computer-2005/an/705469-PDFENG?N=4294958507&Ntt=apple
2. Market Simulation Game
a. Click here to learn about the simulation game we will be playing http://marketplace-simulation.com/products/introduction-business-strategy.php
b. I will be setting up the game about 1 week prior to the start of class. In the first
session of class, you can purchase a Student License to begin the simulation. Cost is
approximately $35 per student. Please come prepared with a credit card for the
purchase. It will be done at this web page (but you will need the Game ID number
first):
https://web.marketplace-simulation.com/home4/purchase/purchase.php
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