How Great Companies Get Extraordinary Performance from Ordinary People s1

Managing Knowledge and Innovation MBA 808: I4 in India

Syllabus Winter 2012

Instructor Information Course information Office Hours Shad Morris Days: M W 3:30 – 5:30pm [email protected] 6:00 – 8:20pm by appointment Room

Course Description

The development of a truly global market in products, services, capital, and even labor is changing the basic terms of competition for many firms and industries. Although firms, and the industries that they make up, have operated around the globe for many years, they are becoming increasingly integrated yet differentiated, with tightly linked but different activities in various locations rather than replicating themselves from place to place.

This course is designed to introduce the fundamental elements needed to lead innovation in an intensive, international, in-market, immersion (I4) in India. The purpose of the course is to provide you with both analytical and practical skills for dealing with organizational challenges particular to operating in a global environment.

Course Objectives

My goals for this course are to help you  Develop cross-cultural skills and understanding of doing business in emerging markets and particularly in India  Better understand how to manage knowledge and innovation in emerging markets  Understand the obstacles in global strategy formulation and execution

1 Course Reading Materials

Required Materials Mondays will be case based, interspersed with outside speakers and field visits. Wednesdays will be dedicated to language, culture, and project work. The primary reading material for each session will be available from Harvard Business Press online or handed out in class.

Course Requirements This class is a four credit hour free elective within the MBA program and an elective for the international business area of emphasis. The course involves preparatory work in the winter quarter with a field trip during the spring break. After the field trip groups are responsible for turning in a completed consulting report to me and to the client. The course grades will be based on the following:

Participation (based on peer reports and instructor's discretion) 20% Homework 20% Language and Culture Assignments 10% Consulting Project 50% (draft report = 20%, final report = 15%, presentation = 15%)

Class Participation Each student is required to be an active participant in class discussions. Your participation grade will reflect my assessment of your total contribution to the learning environment. This includes not only the frequency of your contributions in class, but also their quality. Quality includes, among other things: (1) sound, rigorous, and insightful diagnosis (e.g. sharpening of key issues, depth and relevance of analysis); (2) ability to draw on course materials and your own experience productively; (3) ability to advance or sharpen in-class discussion and debate, willingness to take risky or unpopular points of view, use of logic, precision, and evidence in making arguments; (4) professionalism of your conduct (attendance, punctuality, preparedness, and showing respect to all class members and their class contributions). Unexcused absences and lack of preparation will be counted heavily against your grade.

Class participation will be judged in two parts:

a) Group participation—individuals in each project group will evaluate one another at the end of the quarter. This will be based on group contribution and collegiality (10%). The evaluation sheets are attached to this syllabus. b) Individual participation and discussion (10%)

Homework In addition to weekly discussions in class, you are also required to complete the assigned homework. Each homework assignment is due on the date stated in the syllabus.

The write-up will be evaluated according to how well you have demonstrated your mastery of the course material to that point. This includes the application of appropriate conceptual materials; the effective use of evidence to develop your arguments; explicit assumptions and

2 clear logical inferences; and a coherent and integrated analysis and assessment. The written work must be clear and well-organized. You have a 4-5 page (double-spaced) limit per assignment.

Group Project You will conduct a consulting project. Each group will prepare a written consulting report before leaving for Brazil. This write-up should be no more than 15 pages of text (graphs and figures are not included in page count). The first draft of the write-up is due March 7 th. You will also be required to give a 15 minute presentation of the report on March 7th and in Brazil to your respective client. The presentation should highlight (1) background information on the organization, (2) specific objectives of the organization, (3) problem the organization is facing, (4) obstacles and opportunities the organization is facing and how it is unique to Brazil, and (5) proposed recommendations or steps to solve the problem.

Upon returning from Brazil, each group will revise and rewrite the consulting report as well as turn in an assessment of fellow group members ( Due: April 10 th , 12:00 a.m.).

Group grades will be based on the quality of the written report and presentation. Further details on the paper and the presentation will be discussed later in the course.

3 COURSE CALENDAR TOPIC Introduction Innovation’s Holy Grail

Innovation in Case: Tata Nano 1 Emerging Reading: Indian Reading: Innovation’s Markets Business Rising (India Holy Grail Way) Reading: Innovation blowback Building the Team Building the Team (Part 2)

Case: Infosys or Accenture Acquiring 2 Reading: Race for Reading: The Other Local Assets Talent Side of Innovation (p. 1- Reading: Holistic 100) Management of Employees (India Way)

Formalizing the Process Run the Experiment

Creating Zensar: The Future of Case: MindTree 3 Value through Vision Communities (A) Reading: The Other Local Assets Reading: Creative Value Side of Innovation (p. Proposition (India Way) 101-162)

Merging company with country Standardization vs. Improvisation culture Capturing 4 Value through Case: Schindler India Case: Pepsi-Basix Local Assets Reading: Improvisation Partnerhip and Adaptability

Scaling knowledge Engaging Employees

Globalizing Reading: Holistic 5 Case: World Bank or Local Assets Engagement with Carlyle Group Employees (India Way) Reading:

Scaling up Scaling Vision

4 Reading: Broad Globalizing Case: Hindustan 6 Mission and Purpose Local Assets II Unilever (The India Way)

Monday, Feb 14 Wednesday, Feb 16

7 Project Work Project Work Project Work

Monday Feb 21 Wednesday, Feb 23

Monday, Feb 28 Wednesday, Mar 02

Presentations Presentations

Project Presentations (Feedback 10 Presentations Presentations from Panel) (Feedback from Panel) *Draft Report due*

5 Case Session Questions

Jan 3 Case: World Bank: The Global Finance Company in Search of Efficient and Locally Effective Knowledge Management

Assignment Questions: 1. How should GFC organize their knowledge structure and strategy? 2. What steps should they take to implement this strategy? What are the likely consequences? 3. How do they incentivize so many geographically dispersed and culturally diverse individuals?

Feb 14 Case: Silvio Napoli at Schindler India

Assignment Questions: 1. Was Silvio the right choice for general manager of Schinder’s India operations? 2. As Luc Bonnard how would you evaluate Silvio’s first seven months as general manager of the Indian company? What advice would you offer? 3. What advice would you give to Silvio regarding his decision on the nonstandard glass wall elevator that has been ordered?

** I reserve the right to make changes to the exercises and/or topics as needed

6 Peer Evaluation

The peer evaluation is an opportunity for you to assess the contribution of each of your group members. Your answers to this evaluation will not be shared with any other team member.

1. Are you concerned about any other group member’s evaluation of you? Explain.

2. For each category, please rate each group member on a scale of 1 (very low) – 5 (very high), reflecting their contribution to each activity. Member name Contribution to Preparation for Contributes in group analysis presentations group meetings

3. On a scale of 1 (very bad experience) - 5 (very good experience), how would you evaluate your overall “team experience” in this class? _____

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