Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

Technology & Operations Strategy

2019-20: PGP Term IV Sessions: 20
Credits: 3
Anshuman Tripathy
A-Block 2nd Floor, extn. 3043
atripathy@iimb.ac.in

Following is the outline that was followed in Term IV,

2018-19.

For Term IV, 2019-20, there will be

a) Upto 4 case changes (bringing a few contemporary
topics in)
b) Upto 15% change in evaluation components (I am
exploring bringing in another simulation if possible)

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 Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
Technology & Operations Strategy
2018-19: PGP Term IV Sessions: 20
Credits: 3
Anshuman Tripathy
A-Block 2nd Floor, extn. 3043
atripathy@iimb.ac.in

Academic Intern: Niyati Trivedi niyati.trivedi@iimb.ac.in

Course Objective: This course builds on foundations from earlier courses in Operations,
Microeconomics, and Strategic Management, to suggest ways to (a) formulate and implement
operations strategy, (b) use operations strategy as a competitive tool, and (c) recognize and
appreciate the relationship amongst operations and other functions. The course will use the case
study method of pedagogy.

The course is suitable for those with interests in operations and strategy, particularly those
seeking careers in (a) management consulting, (b) general management, (c) private equity
management, (d) entre- and intra-preneurship, and (e) operations. The choice and the variety in
the cases reflect various scenarios that executives face while dealing with management issues,
particularly those involving operations: product/process choices, flexibility in systems, agility in
responding to market needs, capacity planning, product development, choice of technology, etc.

By enrolling in this course, you stand on a honour code that you will
i) not access any material, either web, electronic, or hands-down, for preparing for the
sessions, unless the faculty has asked you to do so
ii) not provide your materials for this course (course-pack, notes, discussion points, case write-
ups, etc.) to fellow students, etc., nor upload any material on any electronic medium
iii) you will complete honestly any and every course/instructor feedback form that is
administered at the end of the course, and during the course

I believe that you are taking this course due to a genuine interest in learning the topic and going
through the gruelling process of case analysis. My focus would be in creating a sense of
inquisitiveness in you. None of these will be served if the honour code is not followed. By taking
the course and yet not adhering to the honour code above would not reflect well on you as a
person, for which you are the sole judge.

Book
Cachon & Terwiesch, “Matching Supply with Demand”, McGraw Hill India Edition, 3rd edition,
2018

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This is the marque book in Operations Management covering concepts in the most brilliant
manner. You may need to refer to the book occasionally for certain concepts.

Evaluation

• Individual Assignments (Case Analysis) 25%

Each student needs to submit two write-ups. The write-ups would be from different modules.
Cases will be allocated by the Instructor/ Academic Intern during the second week (after all
registrations are completed). You will have to do the write-ups of the cases assigned. There
is no change allowed for any reason whatsoever.

The write-ups should not exceed two pages (single spaced, 12 size font), and upto three more
pages of supporting exhibits. The write-ups (in Word, no PDFs acceptable) need to be
uploaded by the 7am of the day of the class, in the Moodle site (please ensure that you
`submit’ and do not leave it in `draft’ mode; I will not be able to see it else and it will be
termed as not submitted). Email submissions will not be accepted. There is never any
problem with Moodle (specially in uploading the files); please upload in advance rather than
try to beat the clock at the last moment. In addition, a hard copy of the write-up only (back-
to-back printout only, please include your name in the header, please do not use a page to
name the case and provide author details) needs to be submitted to the Academic Intern at
the start of the class. Any deviation to this will entail a penalty in the marks awarded.

The write-up should be guided by (and address the major/key) questions outlined for the
case, associated readings for the case, and course materials covered (please provide
appropriate references in footnotes only). It should be comprehensive and contain key issues
and recommendations for the resolution of the problem being discussed. Though a protagonist
may be identified in many of the cases, you could also take the position of an external consultant
hired to address the case issues. The questions for the case will be uploaded at the Moodle
site. Many of the cases are very popular and have uploaded write-ups in the web. Similarly
some of you may have accessed write-ups from prior batches. It is in your own best interest
to attempt and provide your own write-ups. It will be very sad if you access any of these
write-ups even for reference; it won’t be a good reflection of your character.

In addition, you should be ready with a 4~5 slide presentation for the case, providing a
relevant introduction (upto 2 slides) followed by the contents of your write-up. This ppt (not
PDF version) also needs to accompany the Moodle submission (no hard copy needs to be
submitted). The ppt should clearly state your position and answers to the various questions
posed in the case, and your adopted strategy. Given the limitation of the size of files that can
be uploaded in Moodle, please prepare your word and ppt files accordingly.

• Group Project 30%

A group project (4~6 students/group: we will review this in class during the second week) will
be an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the concepts covered in the course.
It will comprise of a paper of maximum 7 pages (3 additional pages of exhibits allowed, all

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 pages single spaced, 12 size font) and a corresponding presentation of upto 7 slides (we will
modify this based on the number of teams). Each group will be required to do a presentation
and be prepared to answer questions on the presentation. Evaluation of the project would
also include peer review and comments by your fellow classmates.. The presentation will be
during the end-term slot (this is currently scheduled for 19-August, Sunday, 8am onwards).

The group will do a comparison study of the technology and operations strategy (across the
value chain) followed by a pair of competing organizations: examine the criticalness of
operations in the selected organizations’ competitiveness, assess their respective strategies,
and give the group’s assessment and opinion on their appropriateness and strengths going
forward. The group may compare public/private, large/small, Indian/MNC companies and
use public and private data (it is important to cite all sources) using the various methods,
models, frameworks, theory, etc. covered in class. Given that there are no exams in this
course, the project is also the best self-assessment that you may do on your
learning/understanding of the course. A list of group projects done in the previous years will
be shared. The same firms or industries cannot be repeated.

Once the final composition of the class is known, the faculty will identify the respective
groups. Further details regarding the project and the group compositions will be uploaded in
Moodle by the end of the second week of classes.

• Class Participation (Individual) 30%

The success of the class (your understanding of Technology and Operations Strategy) is largely
determined and influenced by the quality and depth of discussions. To facilitate class
participation, students will occupy assigned seating from the first day of classes. You need to
have printed name-tags (in sufficiently large font size to be readable in the assigned
classroom) in front of you. While there is no attendance policy for this course, since there
are no exams, the only way for learning is through thorough preparation for the classes and
relevant participation (contributing to the discussions and having the ability to respect other’s
views) during classes. Further, the student has to be present in class on the days that his/her
write-up is being discussed else no credit will be given for the assignment. Quality, rather
than quantity, accompanied by mature contributions will be the sole criteria for judging
participation (though a certain amount of the later is a prerequisite towards delivering the
former). Merely asking a doubt or clarification does not qualify for class participation credits,
nor does answering case facts. Constantly disturbing the class will affect negatively.

• Peer Review of Projects (Individual) 10%

Project presentations would be scheduled during the end-term slot. You would do a peer
review of the projects done by your fellow classmates, doing a critical assessment based on
the various concepts, strategies, methodologies, tools, etc. followed in the class. Attendance
during project presentations is compulsory; there is no back up option for missing this
session.

• Simulation Game (Individual) 5%

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 We will have the Backbay Simulation Game (played individually). Performance in the game
will contribute to the grade.

Session Plan:

(Refer Moodle for complete set of reading material for each session. This will keep getting
updated as we progress.)

Session Date Topic, Cases & Study Materials

Module 1: Introduction to Operations Strategy & Value Chain
1 4-Jun What is Operations Strategy?
A: 10:00 Case: McDonald’s Corporation (Abridged) (HBS 9-603-041)
B: 11:45 Read: Hammer: Deep Change, How Operational Innovation Can
Transform Your Company (HBR, April 2004)
Hayes & Upton: Operations-Based Strategy (CMR, 1998)
Hayes: Strategic Planning – Forward in Reverse? (HBR, Oct 2006)
2 5-Jun What is a Supply Chain? Best Practices in Supply Chain
A: 10:00 Case: Seven-Eleven Japan Co. (Kellogg KEL 026)
B: 11:45 Read: Lee: The Triple-A Supply Chain (HBR, Oct 2004)
Simchi-Levi, Clayton & Raven: When One Size Does Not Fit All
(MIT SMR, Winter 2013) , access at
http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/when-one-size-does-not-fit-all/
3 11-Jun Best Practices in Product Development
A: 10:00 Case: We’ve Got Rhythm! Medtronic Corporation’s Cardiac Pacemaker
B: 11:45 Business (HBS 9-698-004)
Read: Wheelwright & Clark: Creating Project Plans to Focus Product
Development (HBR, Mar-Apr 1992)
Adler, Mandelbaum, Nguyen & Schwerer: Getting the Most Out of
Your Product Development Process (HBR, Mar-Apr 1996)
4 12-Jun What is a Value Chain? Growing along the Value Chain: Putting
A: 10:00 Operations and Strategy together
B: 11:45 Case: Ecco A/S – Global Value Chain Management (Ivey 908M14)
Read: Pil & Holweg: Evolving from Value Chain to Value Grid
(MIT SMR, 2006)

We will bring the discussions of the last 3 sessions together to identify

what is a value chain.
5 18-Jun Value Chain Dynamics
A: 10:00 Read: Chapters 1-3, Womack, Jones & Roos: The Machine that Changed
B: 11:45 the World (Harper Perennial): available in Reference
Section in the Library
The Businessman of the Century Henry Ford Alfred P Sloan Tom
Watson Jr Bill Gates (Fortune, Nov 22 1999)
Lessons from Toyota’s Long Drive (HBR, July-Aug 2007)

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Module 2: Operations Systems
6 19-Jun Growing the Firm: Manufacturing to Branding (Vertical
A: 10:00 Integration)
B: 11:45 Case: Flextronics International, Ltd. (HBS 9-604-063)
Read: Arrunada & Vazquez: When Your Contract Manufacturer Becomes
Your Competitor (HBR, Sept 2006)
Pisano & Verganti: Which kind of Collaboration is Right for You
(HBR, Dec 2008)
7 25-Jun Acquisition and Fit
A: 10:00 Case: BYD Company, Ltd. (HBS 9-606-139)
B: 11:45

Module 3: Strategic Decisions in Operations & Competing through Operations

8 26-Jun Investment in Process Technologies

A: 10:00 Case: ITT Automotive: Global Manufacturing Strategy 1994
B: 11:45 (HBS 9-695-002)
Read: Szulanski & Winter: Getting It Right the Second Time (HBR, 2002)

Concurrent Engineering & Prototyping

Case: BMW: The 7-Series Project (A) (HBS 9-692-083)
Read: Erhun, Concalves & Hopman: Art of Managing New Product
Transitions (MIT SMR, 2007)
9 2-Jul Competing through Quality
A: 10:00 Cases: i) Delamere Vineyard (HBS 9-698-051)
B: 11:45 ii) Steinway & Sons (HBS 9-682-025)
Read: Garvin: Competing on the Eight Dimensions of Quality
(HBR, Nov-Dec 1987)

Module 4: Looking Forward (Trends in Operations Management)

10 3-Jul Industry Transformations (Service Industry)
A: 10:00 Case: Fasten: Challenging Uber and Lyft with a New Business Model
B: 11:45 (HBS 9-616-062)
11 16-Jul Digitalization (Industry 4.0)
A: 10:00 Case: GE and the Industrial Internet (HBS 9-614-032)
B: 11:45

Module 5: Technology Strategy

12 17-Jul What is Technological Innovation
A: 10:00 New Technological (Product) Innovation
B: 11:45 Case: Amagi: Creating Value in the TV Broadcasting Industry
(IMB 525)
13 23-Jul Innovation in Process Technology
A: 10:00 Case: 3D Printing at Imaginarium: If You Can Think It, We Can Build It
B: 11:45 (IIMB 589)

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 14 24-Jul Disruptive Technologies
A: 10:00 Case: Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation
B: 11:45 (HBS 9-697-020)
Read: Bower & Christensen: Disruptive Technologies Catching the Wave
(HBR, Jan-Feb 1995)
15 30-Jul Establishing Standards and Dominant Design
A: 10:00 Simulation Game: Platform Wars: Simulating the Battle for Video Game
B: 11:45 Supremacy
Case: Sony’s Battle for Video Game Supremacy (MIT SMR 07-046)
(optional read): Adobe Systems, Inc. (HBS 9-801-199)
Read: Shapiro & Varian: The Art of Standards War (CMR, 1999)
Utterback: Dominant Designs and the Survival of Firms (Ch 2 in
Mastering the Dynamics of Innovation)
16 31-Jul Organizing for Innovation in Firms
A: 10:00 Case: Managing Innovation at Nypro, Inc. (A) (HBS 9-696-061)
B: 11:45 Read: Drucker: The Discipline of Innovation (HBR, Aug 2002)

Module 6: Design & Product Development Strategy

17 6-Aug What is a Design Strategy?
A: 10:00 Case: Ducati Corse: The Making of a Grand Prix Motorcycle
B: 11:45 (HBS 9-605-090)
18 7-Aug Managing Portfolios in Product Development
A: 10:00 Case: Le Petit Chef (HBS 9-602-080)
B: 11:45
19 13-Aug Research and Development Organizations
A: 10:00 Case: GlaxoSmithKline: Reorganizing Drug Discovery (A) (HBS 9-605-074)
B: 11:45

20 14-Aug Wyeth Pharma.: Spurring Scientific Creativity with Metrics

A: 10:00 (HBS 9-607-008)
B: 11:45
9-Aug (Thursday) 21:00-22:30 Backbay Simulation
The game will be online, so you will need to play with your respective logins.
19-Aug-2018 8:00am onwards
Project Presentations & Peer Review
This will be held in an examination kind of setting, so appropriate behaviour is expected. It
could go on for quite a few hours depending on the number of teams.

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