Publications

May–June 2014
Article

The Magic of Innovation

By: Stefan Thomke and Jason Randal

Why do certain product and service experiences seem to have that undeniable "wow" factor, while others disappoint customers? Perhaps there's no better place to turn to than the world of magic. Consider that leading magicians are constantly under pressure to come up... View Details

Keywords: Innovation Management; Innovation and Management

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May 2012
Background Note

Innovation Magic

By: Stefan Thomke and Jason Randal

Why do certain product and service experiences seem like magic, making them all but destined for success, while other items languish on store shelves? For a better understanding of that, perhaps there's no better place to turn to than the world of magic. Consider that... View Details

Keywords: Innovation; Product Differentiation; Experimentation; Personal Strategy ＆ Style; Innovation and Invention; Creativity; Service Operations; Product; Customer Satisfaction

15 Jul 2008
First Look

First Look: July 15, 2008

distributional issues, and the likely effects of reforms to tax provisions such as the AMT are considered. Download the paper from SSRN.com ($5): http://www.nber.org/papers/w14149 Inexperienced Investors and Bubbles Authors:Robin Greenwood and View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

April 30, 2012
Article

Innovators, Are You Applying the Wrong Lessons from Manufacturing?

By: Don Reinertsen and Stefan Thomke

Product developers can learn much from manufacturing, but many have gone too far in applying ideas that work in manufacturing to their realm. That’s because they have ignored some fundamental differences between the two disciplines. View Details

Keywords: Innovation; Manufacturing; Innovation and Invention; Product Development

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January 2014
Teaching Note

LEGO (A): The Crisis

By: Jan W. Rivkin and Stefan Thomke

October 2001 (Revised January 2002)
Case

Siemens AG: Global Development Strategy (B)

By: Stefan H. Thomke and Ashok Nimgade

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Global Strategy; Research and Development; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Product Development; Telecommunications Industry; Germany; Bangalore

November 2000 (Revised June 2010)
Case

Bush Boake Allen

By: Stefan H. Thomke and Ashok Nimgade

Bush Boake Allen, a flavor and fragrance firm, is considering strategic options that would integrate customers into its innovation process via a potentially disruptive Internet-based technology. As this approach could result in dramatic changes to the firm's business... View Details

Keywords: Customer Focus and Relationships; Disruptive Innovation; Technological Innovation; Management Teams; Product Design; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Conflict Management; Internet; Chemical Industry

September 1999
Background Note

Learning from Projects: Note on Conducting a Postmortem Analysis

By: Stefan H. Thomke and Steven Sinofsky

Describes how firms can learn from projects through postmortem analysis. Focuses on the step-by-step process of preparing and running a postmortem meeting as it is done at Microsoft and other software developers. View Details

Keywords: Conferences; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Projects; Software; Information Technology Industry

August 1998 (Revised July 2002)
Supplement

Innovation at 3M Corporation (B)

By: Stefan H. Thomke and Ashok Nimgade

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Manufacturing Industry

September 2008
Case

Pfizer Inc: Building an Innovation Center

By: Stefan H. Thomke and Ashok Nimgade

The case describes Pfizer's efforts to build and run an innovation center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As the center goes through different periods of leadership and strategic models, its relationship with the corporation and other research sites is explored. The case... View Details

Keywords: Innovation and Management; Innovation Strategy; Leadership; Organizational Culture; Research and Development; Pharmaceutical Industry; Cambridge