Professor M. Tushman
Columbia University Graduate School of Business
This course will focus on the management of technology-based innovation. We examine how industries are transformed by new technologies, how managerial action can shape product class evolution, and how managerial competencies can affect the innovation performance of their firms. As the management of innovation requires the creative synthesis of several functional areas, this course integrates literature from: strategy and policy, organization behavior, operations, marketing and R&D. We also consider a host of organizational issues including business and technology strategy, structures, cultures, processes, human resource competencies and executive team characteristics that are associated with successful strategic innovation. Because innovation always also involves organization change, we also focus on the pragmatics of managing change.
Grading:
Grades will be based on a group innovation audit (see enclosure) [50%], individual class participation [25 percent], and a final exam [25 percent]. Class participation requires thoughtful discussion of the materials assigned for each class.
Texts and Materials:
Tushman, M. and C. O'Reilly. Winning Through Innovation: A Practical Guide to Leading Organizational Change and Renewal. Harvard Business School Press, 1997.
Case/readings packet.
January 22 Introduction and Overview
January 27 Strategic Innovation and Change: A Context
Read: Glasmeier, p. 24
January 29 On Problem Definition and Root Cause Analysis: Managing Statics and Dynamics
February 3
[Client Preferences due]
February 5 Commitment, Politics and NIH
Read:
Pfeffer, J., p. 217
Katz, R., p. 183
Barton, D.L., p. 253
February 10 Cases: EMI and the CT Scanner (A) and (B)
February 12 Technology and Business Strategy
February 17 Case: Cray Research
February 19 Strategic Innovation and Organization Evolution
Read:
Cooper and Smith, p. 141
Tushman and O'Reilly, Chapter 7
February 24 Executive Leadership and Key Roles (5:30-8:30)
February 26 Executive Leadership and Managing Innovation
Video: Portland String Quartet
March 3 Organization Culture, Innovation and Critical Roles
Read:
DeMeyer, p. 319
Tushman and O'Reilly, Chapters 5, 6
[Work on Group Process -- "10,000 Mile Check-Up"]
March 5 Middle Managers and Innovation
Read: Nonaka, p. 494
March 10 Managing R&D Settings
Read:
Seely Brown, p. 342
Westney and Sakakibara, p. 331
Gladstein and Caldwell, p. 433
[Preliminary Diagnosis and Project Group Issues]
March 12 NO CLASS
March 24 Marketing in the Innovation Process
Read:
Lynn, et al., p. 353
Herstatt and Von Hippel, p. 376
March 26 Operations in the Innovation Process
Read: Adler, p. 385
Kano, p. 402
Tyre and Orlikowski, p. 53
March 31 PROJECT WORKSHOP
April 2 Managing Linkages
Read:
Clark and Wheelwright, p. 419
Bartlett, and Ghoshal, p. 452
Nonaka, p. 443
April 7 Internal Venturing
Read:
Roberts and Berry, p. 541
Doz and Hamel, p. 556
April 9 Managing Innovation and Change
Read: Tushman and O'Reilly, Chapter 9
April 14-16 STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
April 21 Managing Strategic Innovation and Change
[PROJECTS DUE]
A crucial part of our course is an innovation audit. Student teams will conduct an audit of a firm's or business unit's innovation performance. The teams must identify a client and, with this client define an innovation problem (e.g., long product cycle times, losing key members of his/her staff, customer dissatisfaction with new products/services). Having defined a problem of interest to your client, the student team then must gather data on the roots of this problem. These data must be gathered both within the firm and across functional areas as well as from clients and/or customers. Given your diagnosis, the student team must then present a set of interventions (both what to do and how to proceed) to the client.
1. Clarify who the client is. What is his/her position in the organization?
2. What is the problem you are working on? Why is it a problem? How important is the problem? How long has it been a problem for your client and his/her system?
3. What are the fundamental roots of these problems? Please clarify the task requirements, and pay particular attention to organizational, cultural, human resource, strategic, and executive leadership issues in your diagnosis.
4. Given your diagnosis, what do you recommend to your client? What should he/she do, how should he/she proceed? In case your client has dealt with the problem successfully, what could he/she have done differently to obtain better results or to avoid unintended negative effects of the intervention?
5. Each project must have a methods section describing how you generated your data, who you interviewed, as well as any other sources used.
6. Each group project should have a one-page summary where your key observations, suggestions, and themes are succinctly discussed.
Processes and Deadlines
There will be several intermediate checkpoints to help you monitor the advancement of your project. You should submit your group's initial client preferences by February 3. The reason for this early deadline is to make sure that groups do not overlap. On February 17 please submit a one-page note describing who your client is, where they are in their organizations, and his/her innovation problem. On March 10, please submit a brief (2-3 page) diagnosis of your client's problem. This note should also include data problems and issues (both project and group) your group has yet to resolve. I will hold a project workshop with interested students on March 31. This workshop will be targeted to issues raised in your March 10 note. Projects are due on April 21. Projects must be no longer than 15 pages, excluding exhibits. Less is more!
Dates to Remember