Download THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
MBA PROGRAM
NEW PRODUCT AND SERVICE INNOVATION MANAGEMENT
(preliminary version dated 10/21/2015; subject to major changes until 3/18/2016)
Course Number:
Pre-requisite:
Term:
Classroom:
In-Class Hours:
Online Class Hours:
Course Ends On:
Instructor:
Office:
E-mail:
MKTG 5230
MKTG 5115 or (MKTG 5181 and MKTG 5182)
Spring 2016
TBA (Hartford Campus)
Apr 1 (5:00pm to 8:00pm), Apr 2 (9:00am to 5:00pm)
Apr 8 (5:00pm to 8:00pm), Apr 9 (9:00am to 5:00pm)
Apr 22 (5:00pm to 8:00pm), Apr 23 (9:00am to 5:00pm)
Mar 21 through March 31 (10 hours asynchronous)
May 7, 2016
Dr. Girish Punj
Professor of Marketing
BUSN 351 (Storrs Campus)
[email protected]
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
This course provides a framework and analytical tools for managing innovation based on best
practices and research evidence. Students will learn how to enhance opportunities for innovation,
how to identify ideas to pursue, how to integrate marketing and R&D in new product/service
development, how to forecast sales, how to accelerate the new product process from design to
commercialization, and how to make product investment decisions in both mature and emerging
technologies under conditions of uncertainty. This course is directed at students preparing for
positions in product management, product development and innovation, and consulting.
REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS:
The course materials listed below are available for online purchase and electronic delivery from
Harvard Business School Publishing through the two web links shown below. In an effort to
reduce costs, printed versions of the course materials will not be available for sale through the
MBA Shop (UConn Coop) on the Hartford Campus.
Harvard Business Review Articles (HBR):
Collective Genius
Using the Crowd as an Innovation Partner
Big-Bang Disruption
Surviving Disruption
Digital-Physical Mashups
Digital Ubiquity
Transient Advantage
Build an Innovation Engine in 90 Days
Four Ways to Reinvent Service Delivery
Service Blueprinting: A Practical Technique for Service Innovation
The New Patterns of Innovation
Harvard Business School Case (HBS):
Google Inc. in 2014 (Abridged)
Register and Purchase the 11 HBR Articles and the 1 HBS Case at the following web link:
Strategic Innovation Simulation: Back Bay Battery:
Register and Purchase the Simulation at the following web link:
Readings on Current Topics:
Readings on a wide range of topics that relate to new product development that have been
reported in the business press will be used to supplement the above course materials. The
readings cover 18 topics (see list below) and typically describe industry practices and trends
relating to the management of innovation.
What is Innovation? (Definitions & Trends)
History of Innovation and R&D
Generating New Product Ideas (Traditional Methods)
Generating New Product Ideas (Web-based Methods)
Nature of Innovation (Airplane Manufacturers)
Nature of Innovation (Alternative Fuel Cars)
Identifying Consumer Needs (Market Research & “Thick” Data)
Defining Markets (Kellogg)
Defining Markets (Procter & Gamble)
Product Concept Development (Home Appliances)
Product Concept Development (Emergent Technologies)
Prototype Development
Product Design & Positioning (Wrist Watches)
Product Design & Positioning (Television Sets)
Commercializing New Products (Pharmaceutical Industry)
Commercializing New Products (Walt Disney)
Innovation Environments (Patents & Licensing)
Innovation Environments (Government Regulation)
The specific articles that comprise a topic (e.g., Prototype Development) have been collated
together and posted on HuskyCT in a single PDF file. Thus, you will find 18 PDF files posted on
HuskyCT, one corresponding to each of the 18 topics listed above.
Taken together, the course materials are intended to give you an in-depth exposure to the
management of innovation and the formulation of a new product introduction strategy.
Specifically, the Harvard Business Review (HBR) articles are intended to provide you with
theories, concepts and best practices that relate to new product development. The Simulation and
the Harvard Business School Case (HBS) are intended to provide you an opportunity to apply
these theories and concepts. The Readings on Current Topics are intended to provide you
exposure to current company and industry practices relating to the management of innovation.
TEXTBOOKS ON NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Recommended:
Karl T. Ulrich and Steven D. Eppinger (2011)
Product Design and Development (5th edition)
McGraw-Hill Irwin ($180)
Others:
C. Merle Crawford and C. Anthony DiBenedetto (2014)
New Products Management (11th edition)
McGraw-Hill Irwin ($206)
Paul Trott (2011)
Innovation Management and New Product Development (5th edition
Prentice-Hall ($95)
Robert G. Cooper (2011)
Winning at New Products: Creating Value Through Innovation (4thedition)
Basic Books ($18)
TEAM FORMATION
Three of the assignments are team-based while the others are individual-based. For one of the
team-based assignments (see Current Topic Presentation in next section) you will work in 2
person sub-teams. For the other two team-based assignments (see Economy Class Airline Seat
Design Assignment and HBR Article Presentation in next section) you will be part of 4 person
team.
For administrative convenience, each 4 person team will be formed by merging two 2 person
sub-teams. To facilitate the team formation process, first form your 2 person sub-team. In other
words, select a classmate for you with whom you would be working with on the Current Topic
Presentation (see description in next section). Then, and only then, seek out another 2 person
sub-team to form your 4 person team for the Economy Class Airline Seat Design Assignment
and HBR Article Presentation
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:
Current Topic Presentation (Sub-team based)
Each sub-team (consisting of two students) will present a pre-assigned topic selected from
Readings on Current Topics being used in the course (see list of 18 topics on page 2 of the
syllabus). The specific articles that comprise a topic (e.g., Prototype Development) have been
collated together and posted on HuskyCT in a single PDF file. Thus, you will find 18 PDF files
posted on HuskyCT, one corresponding to each of the 18 topics listed above.
The class session during which a particular Current Topic is scheduled for presentation is listed
in the “Schedule of Activities” section of the course outline. Current Topics will be assigned to
sub-teams (consisting of two students) using a first-come, first-served basis.
Please sign-up for the Current Topic Presentation using the discussion board that has been set up
for this purpose on our HuskyCT course website. While signing-up for your Current Topic
please make sure that it has not been already selected by another sub-team and list the names of
both sub-team members. Current Topic assignments to sub-teams will be finalized during the
first class meeting on April 1, 2016.
[Deliverable: A 4-6 slide presentation to be made in class in about 6-8 minutes on the day the
current topic reading is scheduled to be presented and discussed in class. Please provide me with
a printed copy of your slides immediately prior to your presentation and send me an electronic
copy after it is over]
Economy Class Airline Seat Design Assignment (Team-based) (purpose: to understand
human capacity for creative thinking)
Each team (consisting of four students) will design an economy class airline seat that updates the
design of economy class seats currently in use, with a particular emphasis on seating comfort
(e.g., legroom). In addition to seating comfort, your seat design should include four new product
features that will satisfy economy class airline customer needs that are not currently being met
by most airlines as indicated in the three background articles that have been posted on HuskyCT
as a single PDF file titled “Background Readings on Economy Class Airline Seats.” No
additional research beyond the background readings provided is necessary or desirable--and
neither do you have the time to do it.
[Deliverable: A 2-4 page written report (double-spaced using a 12 point font) along with a hand
or computer-drawn sketch (free sketching software is available at
http://www.sketchup.com/intl/en/index.html) due at the beginning of class on April 8, 2016]
HBR Article Presentation (Team-based) (purpose: to learn important theories, concepts and
best practices relating to innovation and new product development)
Each team (consisting of four students) will present a pre-assigned article selected from the
Harvard Business Review articles being used in the course (see list of 11 articles on page 1 of the
syllabus). The class sessions during which particular HBR articles are scheduled for presentation
are listed in the “Schedule of Activities” section of the course outline. HBR Articles will be
assigned to teams (consisting of four students) using a first-come, first-served basis.
Please sign-up for your HBR Article Presentation using the discussion board that has been set up
for this purpose on our HuskyCT course website. While signing-up for your HBR Article
presentation, please list the names of all four team members. HBR article presentation
assignments will be finalized during the first class meeting on April 1, 2016.
[Deliverable: An 8-12 slide presentation to be made in class in about 12-16 minutes on the day
the pre-assigned HBR article is scheduled to be presented and discussed in class. Please provide
me with a printed copy of your slides immediately prior to your presentation and send me an
electronic copy after it is over]
Simulation Exercise (Individual-based): (purpose: to learn how to formulate a product
innovation strategy)
Each student will play a web-based pricing simulation exercise that is intended to provide a realworld learning experience on how to make product investment decisions in both mature and
emerging technologies under conditions of uncertainty
[Deliverable: A 6-8 page write-up (double-spaced using a 12 point font) sent to me electronically
as a single WORD or PDF file by 11:59pm on April 30, 2016]
HBS Case Write-Up on “Google Inc. in 2014” (Individual-based) (purpose: to apply theories
and concepts relating to innovation and new product development to a practical business
situation)
Each student will analyze the HBR Case “Google Inc. in 2014” and prepare a written report. The
assignment involves proposing a re-designed strategy that would enable the company to
transform its business to be more in tune with consumer needs and better respond to competition.
[Deliverable: A 6-8 page write-up (double-spaced using a 12 point font) sent to me electronically
as a single WORD or PDF file by 11:59pm on May 7, 2016]
Class Participation
Due to the intensive nature of the course, you are expected to attend all classes and actively
engage in all in-class activities and discussions. For students seeking to enhance their class
participation grade, selected from-the-podium (i.e., facing the class) participation opportunities
will be available. Unexplained absence from class could adversely affect your class participation
grade.
EVALUATION:
The evaluation system is designed to encourage advance reading of all assigned material, regular
attendance in class, well prepared presentations and active participation in class discussions. The
course assignments will be weighted as follows in determining your course grade:
Individual-based work:
Simulation Exercise
HBS Case Write-up
Class Participation
25 percent
25 percent
7.5 percent
Team-team based work
Economy Class Seat Design Assignment
7.5 percent
Current Topic Presentation (by 2 person sub-team) 15 percent
HBR Article Presentation
20 percent
Letter grades will not be assigned to individual course components, because it would not be
meaningful to do so (note: no mathematical operations can be performed on alphabetical
symbols). Instead, numerical scores will be assigned to each component. The numerical scores
for each component will typically range from a high of 93-95 (denotes A/A+ level work) to a
low of 85-87 (denotes B/B+ level work), with the potential of dropping down to 78-80 (denotes
C+/B- work) for inferior submissions.
The numerical scores for each component will be summed (based on the above component
weights) to calculate an overall numerical score. Next, a frequency distribution of the overall
numerical scores for the class will be computed. The course grade (i.e., letter grade) will then be
based on the individual student’s numerical score and the statistical properties (i.e., mean, min,
max, standard deviation) of the frequency distribution of numerical scores for the class.
SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES:
L=Lecture
CTP=Current Topics Presentation
HBRP=HBR article Presentation
Date
Activities
27 Mar (pm) Introduction to the course
L: New Product Development Fundamentals
28 Mar (am) L: New Product Development Fundamentals (cont’d)
CTP: What is Innovation? (Definitions & Trends)
CTP: History of Innovation and R&D
28 Mar (pm) L: Generating and Evaluating New Product Ideas
L: Managing Creativity
CTP: Generating New Product Ideas (Traditional Methods)
CTP: Generating New Product Ideas (Web-based Methods)
Simulation Exercise: Introductory Scenario opens for play
In-class time for Simulation
10 Apr (pm)
Discussion of Simulation Exercise (led by student volunteers)
Discussion of Economy Class Airline Seat Design Assignment
(led by student volunteers)
CTP: Nature of Innovation (Airplane Manufacturers)
HBRP on “Collective Genius”
HBRP on “Using the Crowd as an Innovation Partner”
CTP: Nature of Innovation (Alternative Fuel Cars)
11 Apr (am)
L: Defining Markets and Identifying Customer Needs
CTP: Identifying Consumer Needs (Market Research & “Thick” Data)
CTP: Defining Markets (Kellogg)
CTP: Defining Markets (Procter & Gamble)
HBRP on Big-Bang Disruption
HBRP on “Surviving Disruption”
11 Apr (pm)
L: Concept Selection and Testing
HBRP on “Digital-Physical Mashups”
HBRP on “Digital Ubiquity”
CTP: Product Concept Development (Home Appliances)
CTP: Product Concept Development (Emergent Technologies)
CTP: Prototype Development
In-class time for Simulation
24 Apr (pm)
Discussion of Simulation Exercise (led by student volunteers)
L: Product Design and Positioning
HBRP on “Transient Advantage”
HBRP on “Build an Innovation Engine in 90 Days”
CTP: Product Design & Positioning (Wrist Watches)
CTP: Product Design & Positioning (Television Sets)
25 Apr (am) HBRP on “Four Ways to Reinvent Service Delivery”
HBRP on “Service Blueprinting: A Practical Technique…”
L: Product Development Economics and Managing Projects
CTP: Commercializing New Products (Pharmaceutical Industry)
CTP: Commercializing New Products (Walt Disney)
25 Apr (pm) HBRP on “The New Patterns of Innovation”
CTP: Innovation Environments (Patents & Licensing)
CTP: Innovation Environments (Government Regulation)
Discussion of the Simulation Exercise & Case Write-Up deliverables
Course Evaluation (official UCONN and on www.ratemyprofessors.com)
In-class time for Simulation
COURSE POLICIES:
Professional Integrity: Students in this course are expected to abide by the highest standards of
ethics and personal integrity, and to adhere to all university policies regarding academic honesty.
Academic misconduct can result in a failing grade for the course. A student who knowingly
assists another student in committing an act of academic misconduct shall be equally accountable
for the violation. Issues of academic misconduct are covered in The Student Code, Part IV:
Student Conduct Policies and in Appendix A. (see http://community.uconn.edu/the-studentcode/)
Special Needs: If you are a student who needs academic accommodations due to a disability or
for a religious observance, please contact me at your earliest convenience so that appropriate
accommodations can be made.
Conflict with Course Dates: You may not concurrently enroll in any other course for which
there is a conflict with the scheduled course dates for this course. You may not enroll in the
course if you are participating in a university event (e.g., a case competition) or work assignment
that requires you to miss multiple class sessions.
DETAILS ON THE CURRENT TOPIC PRESENTATION
Each sub-team (consisting of 2 students) is responsible for presenting a Current Topic reading to
the class and acting as discussion leaders. The specific articles that comprise a topic (e.g.,
Prototype Development) have been collated together and posted on HuskyCT in a single PDF
file. Thus, you will find 18 PDF files posted on HuskyCT, one corresponding to each of the 18
topics listed above.
The purpose of the Current Topics readings is to gain exposure to events and issues relating to
the management of innovation and new product development that have recently been reported in
the business press. In rare instances, it may be necessary to do a limited amount of online
research (60 minutes maximum) to update the content of the readings that constitute a particular
topic or to provide additional background information.
What is Innovation? (Definitions & Trends)
History of Innovation and R&D
Generating New Product Ideas (Traditional Methods)
Generating New Product Ideas (Web-based Methods)
Nature of Innovation (Airplane Manufacturers)
Nature of Innovation (Alternative Fuel Cars)
Identifying Consumer Needs (Market Research & “Thick” Data)
Defining Markets (Kellogg)
Defining Markets (Procter & Gamble)
Product Concept Development (Home Appliances)
Product Concept Development (Emergent Technologies)
Prototype Development
Product Design & Positioning (Wrist Watches)
Product Design & Positioning (Television Sets)
Commercializing New Products (Pharmaceutical Industry)
Commercializing New Products (Walt Disney)
Innovation Environments (Patents & Licensing)
Innovation Environments (Government Regulation)
Deliverable: A 4-6 slide presentation to be made in class in about 6-8 minutes on the day the
current topic reading is scheduled to be presented and discussed in class. Please provide me with
a printed copy of your slides immediately prior to your presentation and send me an electronic
copy after it is over
Grading Criteria: While making your Current Topic presentation, attempt to relate the business
practices and examples depicted in the articles to theories and concepts being covered in the
course. Treat the 4-5 articles included under a Current Topic as a set. Try to consolidate their
content while preparing your presentation--instead of discussing them one at a time. Draw
attention to the key facts and examples mentioned in the articles using attention-getting visuals.
Highlight the business practices mentioned that you believe would be of interest to the class and
stimulate class discussion.
DETAILS ON THE HBR ARTICLE PRESENTATIONS
The purpose of the HBR article presentations is to learn important theories, concepts and best
practices relating to new product development and the management of innovation. The articles
have been selected to highlight product development decisions and scenarios that are normally
encountered by firms. The typical HBR article presentation should draw attention to the key
ideas mentioned in the article and the examples used to reinforce them. It should provide a basis
for class discussion. A recommended format for these presentations is given below. No
additional research on the companies or organizations mentioned in the article is needed.
RECOMMENDED SLIDE TITLES & SEQUENCE:
The Innovation or Product Development Situation or Issue or Problem (1 slide):
Relevant HBR Article Facts (3-5 slides): Present a summary of key points in the HBR article.
Communicate the general content and tone of the article to the audience. Emphasize those facts
which you believe are particularly relevant for class discussion.
Recommendations in the Article (3-5 slides): Highlight the recommendations made by the
authors in the article. Relate them to new product development and the management of
innovation.
Discussion Questions (1 slide): List three thoughtfully worded questions that you believe
provide a basis for evaluating the recommendations made in the article Form opinions on the
questions you select, but do not reveal them till you have heard from the rest of the class.
Deliverable: An 8-12 slide presentation to be made in class in about 12-16 minutes on the day
the pre-assigned HBR article is scheduled to be presented and discussed in class. Please provide
me with a printed copy of your slides immediately prior to your presentation and send me an
electronic copy after your presentation is over
Grading Criteria: In presenting and discussing the HBR articles your goal is to highlight the
business practices and concepts mentioned in the articles by drawing attention to key facts and
examples mentioned in the article. Present the article in a single unified manner, preferably using
only 1-2 team members as presenters. If you use all team members as presenters, please make
sure that the presentation is well-integrated and the transitions from one presenter to the next are
seamless (i.e., rather than appearing like separate presentations that have be patched together).
Attempt to relate the HBR article to other course content—but only to the extent it “fits” with
such content (i.e., please do not force-fit the article to other course material being covered).
DETAILS ON THE SIMULATION EXERCISE
The purpose of the simulation is to apply innovation and product development concepts to a realworld scenario that involves making R&D allocation decisions for two different technologies in
three different market segments over eight simulated years. One of these technologies is a
“sustaining” technology while the other is a “disruptive” technology.
This online simulation enables you to assume the role of a business unit manager at Back Bay
Battery Company which faces the dilemma of balancing a portfolio of investment strategies
across products in the rechargeable battery category. You have to manage R&D investment
tradeoffs between sustaining investment in the unit's existing battery business versus investing in
a new, potentially disruptive battery technology. You must also decide which market
opportunities to pursue, each of which offers differing short- and long-term payoff prospects.
You manage the investment portfolios over eight simulated years. During this period you will
have to address a number of challenges including timing and level of investment across both
mature and new businesses, choices regarding market opportunities and inherent product
performance characteristics, requirements to meet constraining financial objectives and constant
trade-offs between investment options.
Helpful Hints:
The best way to approach investments in both the disruptive (Ultracapacitors) and sustaining
(NiMH) technology is to seek to balance the twin goals of maintaining a healthy level of
cumulative profit (so that funds are available to the company to invest in the disruptive
technology) while also attempting to grow the disruptive technology (because that is where the
future profit for the company is going to come from). If you focus too much in the first goal you
will do poorly on the second, and vice-versa. Hence the objective is to pay attention to both goals
and use a thoughtful approach to how the investments in the two technologies are to be made
over the course of the simulation period.
Grading
The grade for the simulation will be partly (50 percent) based on a subjective (i.e., qualitative)
assessment of the strategy you used for the simulation in terms of its soundness, consistency in
execution, and other aspects that are indicative of a thoughtful approach to your decisions, and
partly (50 percent) on an objective (i.e., quantitative) assessment of the your performance on key
financial metrics.
To facilitate the qualitative assessment, please describe the rationale for the decisions made
during Scenario A (Introductory Scenario) and a post-hoc (i.e., after the fact) analysis of the
results you obtained. Remember to clearly articulate the strategy you used, the reasons for it, the
extent to which the results obtained differ from the planned strategy, and an after-the-fact
analysis of why that may have happened. For the quantitative assessment, please report the
following information from you income statements: (a) the level of cumulative profit, and (b) the
trend in revenue and contribution margin growth for ultracapacitors.
The maximum number of runs you can make in the simulation is limited to 20. You are required
to make a minimum of 10 runs. It is recommended that you base your simulation report on a
coherent set of runs that show consistent results between the above minimum and maximum
limits.
Use a first-person narrative style of writing. Organize your write-up using headings and subheadings. It is okay to cut-and-paste charts and tables from your simulation runs to illustrate your
investment strategy. But, please be highly selective while so doing.
Points to Ponder:
Best opportunities for new products are not visible early on. New applications can appear
unattractive, but often represent the best long-term opportunities. Timing and level of R&D
spending is difficult to gauge. Assessing emerging market opportunities is difficult using
standard approaches.
Balancing dual requirements for simultaneously investing in core business and innovation is
challenging. Constraining financial criteria and an organization's impatience for growth can
make innovation difficult.
[Deliverable: 6-8 page write-up (double-spaced using a 12 point font) sent to me electronically as
a single WORD or PDF file by 11:59pm on April 30, 2016]
DETAILS ON THE HBS CASE WRITE-UP
The purpose of the assignment is to analyze the case “Google Inc. in 2014” (as of the publication
date on the case) and propose a strategy that would enable the company to transform its business
to be more in tune with the technological needs of the market and be better positioned against its
competition.
The specific task is to analyze the facts (including exhibits) and events presented in the case and
relate them to concepts and theories you have been exposed to during the course while
evaluating Google’s current strategy and to recommend a redesigned strategy that would enable
the company to better respond to the mobile device revolution. Be selective in your coverage of
concepts and theories, focusing only on those which you believe are of high relevance to the
current situation of the company (as described in the case).
Helpful Hints:
Use a third-person narrative style of writing. Organize your write-up using headings and subheadings (and sub-sub-headings if needed).
No additional research is necessary or desirable. Base your analysis only on the facts and events
depicted in the case.
Use evidence-based arguments in doing your analysis, setting aside (for the moment) your own
personal views relating to the product category (hence the third-person writing style).
Specific Questions to Answer:
What Factors Were Behind Google’s Early Success?
Is Search a Winner-Take-All Business?
What Could Google Afford to Bid for AOL’s Search Traffic?
Should Google Pursue Portal Software and/or E-Commerce Opportunities?
Is Google’s Unique Organization a Strength of a Liability?
[Deliverable: A 6-8 page write-up (double-spaced using a 12 point font) sent to me electronically
as a single WORD or PDF file by 11:59pm on May 7, 2016]