Publications
Publications
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- Faculty Publications (234)
- August 2001
- Background Note
Work Methods Design: Note on Time Standards
By: H. Kent Bowen
Looks at production design. Helps students observe and work with procedures and consider cost reduction ideas using a view of methods improvement. View Details
- April 2001 (Revised November 2001)
- Case
Supply Chain Management at World Co., Ltd.
By: Ananth Raman, Marshall L. Fisher and Anna Sheen McClelland
Describes a supply chain with very quick (i.e., two week) response times and allows students to explore how such short response times are achieved. Allows students to explore why other supply chains, with much longer response times, might not be able to replicate this... View Details
- June 2000 (Revised October 2017)
- Case
IDEO
By: Stefan Thomke and Ashok Nimgade
Describes IDEO, the world's leading product design firm, and its innovation culture and process. Emphasis is placed on the important role of prototyping and experimentation in general, and in the design of the very successful Palm V handheld computer in particular. A... View Details
- August 1999 (Revised September 1999)
- Case
Double Dealmaking in the Browser Wars (A)
Recounts two complex negotiations in which Netscape and Microsoft compete to win a browser contract with AOL--then later with KPMG. After reviewing the web and browser sectors, this case recounts AOL's dramatic negotiations with Netscape and with Microsoft over which... View Details
- July 1999
- Background Note
Comments on Standard Times and the Division of Labor
By: Roy D. Shapiro
A brief note on the origins and uses of standard times in production process flow diagrams and on the benefits and drawbacks of division of labor. A rewritten version of two earlier notes. View Details
- November 1998 (Revised February 1999)
- Case
Microsoft Office: Finding the Suite Spot
By: Stefan H. Thomke and Steven Sinofsky
Describes a key decision-making process within Microsoft's Office products division. At a time when the PC software business has a great deal of uncertainty, Microsoft's management has to make a key decision regarding the future of software suites. A strengthening of... View Details
Keywords: Decisions; Applications and Software; Strategic Planning; Organizational Design; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Product Development; Managerial Roles; Growth and Development Strategy; Risk and Uncertainty; Goals and Objectives; Digital Platforms; Innovation and Management; Computer Industry; Information Technology Industry
- November 1998 (Revised November 2001)
- Case
BMW AG: The Digital Car Project (A)
By: Stefan H. Thomke and Ashok Nimgade
Describes how the German automotive firm BMW is trying to reduce its development time by half with the aid of computer-aided technologies. To leverage these technologies fully in the very competitive automotive industry, BMW is faced with the challenge of changing its... View Details
- October 1997 (Revised September 2003)
- Case
Eli Lilly and Company: Drug Development Strategy (A)
By: Stefan H. Thomke, Ashok Nimgade and Paul Pospisil
Describes how Eli Lilly and Co. tries to accelerate its new drug development process with the aid of "combinatorial chemistry"--a rapidly emerging and revolutionary approach to preclinical drug discovery. The product manager of a potential blockbuster migraine drug... View Details
- October 1996 (Revised April 1997)
- Case
Team New Zealand (A)
By: Marco Iansiti and Alan D. MacCormack
The case describes the development process used by Team New Zealand to design their two yachts for the 1995 America's Cup. During development, the team makes extensive use of simulation and physical prototyping to improve the initial design concept. As they approach... View Details
- February 1996 (Revised August 1998)
- Exercise
Process Flow Design Exercise (C)
Provides detailed instructions for auditors to help them prepare for the factory demonstration day. Each audit position is described and a time line outlining responsibilities for the four phases of the simulation is provided. View Details
Keywords: Business Processes
- April 1995 (Revised September 1997)
- Case
Frito-Lay, Inc.: A Strategic Transition, 1987-1992 (Abridged)
A new CEO must take action to return the company to profitability, to clarify the vision, and then to build the infrastructure (human, capital, and information) needed to support the long-term change in strategy and organization. The case provides a rich description of... View Details
- September 1994 (Revised August 2003)
- Exercise
EXTEND Simulation Exercises in Process Analysis (C), Exercise Three
By: Roy D. Shapiro
Third set of exercises meant to be used with EXTEND, a simulation system created by Imagine That, Inc. of San Jose, California. These exercises allow students to investigate the impact of variable processing times on the performance of simple in-line processes.... View Details
Keywords: Business Processes
- June 1994 (Revised September 1994)
- Background Note
Commercializing Technology: Imaginative Understanding of User Needs
The transformation of technology into commercially successful products is a process fraught with risk and uncertainty, and increasing pressure on time to market is exacerbating the difficulties. This note first describes a study conducted by Hewlett-Packard to improve... View Details
- June 1994 (Revised March 1995)
- Background Note
New Product Commercialization: Common Mistakes
Addresses the common mistakes made in new product development and launch. Many times customers' and suppliers' perceptions of the degree of product/market innovation do not match. One of them may view the innovations as a "breakthrough," but the other may view it only... View Details
- April 1994 (Revised August 1996)
- Case
American Express (A)
By: Jay W. Lorsch
In January 1993, the American Express board met to decide who would succeed James D. Robinson, III as chairman and CEO. The board needed to act in the spotlight of intense media and investor scrutiny, and after leaks had revealed that there was a conflict among the... View Details
- September 1993 (Revised August 2011)
- Exercise
ExtendSim® Simulation Exercises in Process Analysis (A)
By: Roy D. Shapiro
First set of exercises meant to be used with ExtendSim, a simulation system created by Imagine That, Inc. of San Jose, California. These exercises allow students to investigate the impact of variable processing times on the performance of simple in-line processes.... View Details
- August 1993 (Revised April 1998)
- Case
Filene's Basement
By: David E. Bell and Dinny Starr
Filene's Basement is in the process of deciding where, and if, to locate two new stores in its new Chicago area of operations. The existing Chicago area stores have been performing well, however, management is concerned with over saturation of the market. At the time... View Details
- January 1992
- Case
Metreke Cards
Used to introduce the assembly line process to first-year MBA students. Three different variations of an assembly line process for packing greeting cards are presented for analysis. To choose among the three, the students must address issues of time standards,... View Details
- November 1990 (Revised May 1994)
- Case
Microsoft Corp.: Office Business Unit
By: Marco Iansiti
Describes the development of a new word processing software package, Word for Windows. The major focus is how the development process should be improved to reduce schedule slips and cost overruns. Some of the issues raised are: the use of schedules in managing... View Details
- July 1990
- Case
Ceramics Process Systems Corp. (B)
By: Kim B. Clark and Brent D. Barnett
Ceramics Process Systems (CPS) is an advanced ceramics company facing problems with lead time in product/process development, and late delivery of prototype parts to its customers. Engineering is confronted with difficult technical problems and multiple objectives... View Details