Questions of Product Innovation

A Question About The Case Study

2007-04-28T12:54:00.000+01:00

Student K asked us:

i was reading the case study of apple inc. and was trying to figure out where to fit this situation in the rosenhead matrix. i am between changing minds or influencing strategies. can u please answer this question. i dont believe it would be inappropriate given i ask it before the exams.

I'm very sorry - but it would be highly inappropriate for me or Gillian to enter into any discussion about the exam case study. We could potentially be giving away answers to the questions. Sorry - can't help! I suggest contact a course colleague and discuss with them. It's perfectly ok for you all to discuss the issues amongst yourselves (although not in the exam room once the exam has started, of course!)

Revision Materials

2007-04-25T14:54:00.000+01:00

As promised here are my slides and some examiners answers to a selection of old exam questions.

Update on 27th April: we now have Gillian's materials and we've added them to the link above also.

Good luck with your revision!

Referencing in the Exams

2007-04-02T08:43:00.000+01:00

Anonymous asked us:

Exam referencing: Hi, could you let us know what you expect for referencing in the exam. Do we have to remember any authors names we cite and the year the work was published? What if we take something from the lecture notes such as diagrams or numbers?

We don't expect you to provide detailed references nor citations under exam conditions, including authors and our own handouts. However, you should know who devised a particular framework or theory so, for example, if a question asks you about Distinctive Capabilities (Kay) or Nonaka and Takeuchi's Invention to Innovation framework - you know which framework / theory to discuss in your anwer (i.e. you pick the right one).

Exam Revision Session

2007-03-16T18:57:00.000Z

Hello Ladies and Gentleman!

We will be holding an exam revision session:

When?

Monday 23rd April 2007
Time: 1000 - 1200

Where?

Room 337, Rockefeller (formerly David Sachs Room), University Street

What will we do there?

Explain the outline of the exam - both under and post-graduate. Note: there is considerable overlap on some sections - so don't discount the 'other' section that you might think doesn't apply to you.
Practise some old exam questions with you.
Provide some exam hints and tips on how to Gain and how to Lose marks.
Answer any questions (apart from what's on the Paper - of course!) and go over any topics on request.

Past exam papers are all on the Management Studies Centre Web pages.

But we have provided a Direct Link to these from our Blog Home Page in the Links section (on the right bar).

See you there!

Jane & Gillian

Courseworks R Us

2007-02-08T16:20:00.000Z

Your Mod IV case study courseworks have been marked and are available at the Management Studies Centre Office (3rd floor) for you to collect. I've also included an individual feedback sheet for each of you, so please make sure you pick that up too.

When Is the Exam?

2007-02-05T17:15:00.000Z

Student B asked us:

I was a bit alarmed by something that I heard today - all fourth year courses are examined in March. Is this the case for product innovation in organisations?

Our exam will be in Term 3 - regardless of whether you are a 3rd year, 4th year or post-graduate student. We don't know the date yet. Registrars will contact you, usually towards the end of this term (Term 2), with the date, venue etc. Our revision session will be in the first week of Term 3. The office will e-mail you all with details nearer the time, and we'll also post a notice on this Blog.

How Do I Get My Coursework Back?

2007-02-05T07:45:00.000Z

Student X asked us:

I was just wondering when and where I could get to know the marks for the Market Research and Mod IV assignment on Product Innovation course.

All Management Studies Centre courseworks are audited by an internal examiner once they have been marked. This process is in your interests - as it is to ensure that the submissions have been marked fairly and consistently. As we are quite a large group this year, this will take a while.

The individual courseworks are currently with the internal examiner. As soon as they are ready for collection, the office will send everyone an e-mail to let you know that you can pick them up from there. We will also put a notice up on this Blog.

Line Spacing on Coursework

2007-01-13T11:26:00.000Z

Student C asked us:

I have a question regarding to the 'MOD IV' cousework. I did not notice that we should use a single space. I just use the 1.5 space. Will I lose marks because of this?

No, line spacing per se is not a marks issue on the coursework, although overall presentation might be (e.g. scruffy, untidy work will lose marks).

Please can everyone make sure that they read instructions carefully - it could be a marks issue in the exam if you don't provide the answer in a requested format.

Electronic Coursework

2007-01-12T09:27:00.000Z

Student S asked us:

i cant find any where to upload my work, as i assumed we should hand in a electronic copy of the work, i have attached my work -TVFE Product innovation in organisations, individual task on this email. (which is due in tomorrow)

An electronic copy of the coursework isn't required. This may be a requirement on certain courses but it isn't currently a general requirement for Management Centre courses (and so not needed for this one).

Class Participation Feedback

2007-01-11T08:21:00.000Z

Happy New Year to you all!

The feedback sheet with your mark for class participation will be available for you to collect from the Management Studies Centre on Friday 12th January when you go in to hand in your case study coursework.

Case Study Coursework - What Did John Bailey Do?

2006-12-28T17:23:00.000Z

Student B asked us:

First of all Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2007!
About the 1.b question. I think Jon Batley did not do to much because he trusted on the effort of their employees. In this sense I am not very sure what the question ask.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too!

I think you may have misunderstood the question. It isn't asking you what John Bailey actually did - it's asking you to come up with some ideas for what, if anything, he might have done that could have avoided / reduced the impact of the problems factors that you have highlighted in 1a.

I hope this clarifies

Class Participation Marks

2006-12-19T16:17:00.000Z

In the early part of next term we will give you feedback sheets with your class participation marks. The office will e-mail you when these are ready for collection and we'll also put a notice up on this Blog.

The marks aren't fully compiled yet. I don't know what the final ones say - these are with Gillian and she's away until the New Year.

We hope you all enjoyed the course as much as we did. Have a great Christmas break!

McMaths

2006-12-02T21:47:00.000Z

So - There are 40,312 COMBINATIONS of 8 McDonald's menu items. SO - How many COMBINATIONS of any EIGHT (8) items are there really - ???

Eerrmm...It's actually 256 - if you include not wanting to buy any of the Burger Bar offerings.

For your delight and entertainment Here is that day of fame in the Media.

And for your further entertainment - Here is that full Advertising Standards Authority ruling in all its glory!!

With those wonderful words that that our Advertising Standards Authority (Legal, Decent, Honest, Truthful) said about this ad:

"The advertisers said they were aware that some people might consider a double cheeseburger and milkshake to be the same permutation as a milkshake and double cheeseburger, but they believed that each permutation could be considered a different eating experience…”

Market Research Presentation

2006-11-22T18:26:00.000Z

You're welcome to use laptops on Friday but do test it beforehand (one group took 45 minutes to set up last time!). Otherwise the stone-age technology of overheads (like we use) is fine and if you have other means that work well (eg a three Act play??) that's also ok. remember you only have 10 minutes to present though!

Good luck for Friday.

Gillian

Pressure to Perform

2006-11-19T23:00:00.000Z

In class this week we discussed the success factors for a Radical Innovation, and how - despite its distractors - how a data storage device project was proceeding well - against the odds.

Here is that infamous slide from that group who talked about 'Pressure to Perform / Work' in such an innovative way.

This picture brings a whole new meaning to the old adage "I've got to deliver this... my manager's on my back..."

Thanks Giorgio for offering such a profound and meaningful corporate message through your artwork.

Gold In Panda's Dung

2006-11-19T11:20:00.000Z

You've got to hand it to Chiang Mai zoo in Thailand - they are very creative and innovative.

Not only flushable toilets for elephants but also a very profitable enterprise selling souvenirs made from paper that has been recycled from the zoo's pandas' dung.

Thanks Ayush for sending us this item.

Feedback From Students

2006-11-15T14:30:00.000Z

The Management Studies Centre holds a student /staff consultative meeting twice each year.

The first (for courses this term) is to be held next week:

Wednesday 22 November: 11:30am Room 337 Rockefeller Building.

We need a student representative from this course to attend and represent the views of students who are doing the course.

Please can you think about whether you would like to volunteer to be the course rep (this is Cv-able from your point of view) - and we'll finalise this on Friday.

Also - if you have any feedback or items that you'd like discussed at the meeting, as well as letting the course rep know - you can also e-mail the Management Centre directly. Please e-mail Michelle Braithwaite on zara.thompson@ucl.ac.uk

(I know - the name and e-mail address are different - it's the right e-mail address, I promise).

The Travails of Sony

2006-11-01T13:34:00.000Z

Following on from the rootkit - here is a commentary on Sony's strategy on Peter's Blog.

If you don't already know PJA - you should bookmark his Blogs and view them regularly. A great source of news, views and arguments. While you're there, turn on your speakers and have a look at The Accountant Dance. Wonderful!

OK Peter? Unmarked notes only please. Brown envelope preferred.

The Sony Rootkit

2006-10-30T08:07:00.000Z

The issue of the Sony Rootkit was raised in class last Friday. Read the Auntie news item here and the boing boing roundup here.

Class Photos

2006-10-16T17:54:00.000+01:00

If we don't have a photo of you - please bring one to class this coming Friday (20th October) - preferably of your face and with your name written on the back.

This will help us to know who you are for your class participation marks.

See you Friday!

AEP Case Study

2006-10-12T07:02:00.000+01:00

There is a typo on the title of the header sheet for the AEP case study - it says it's Session 4.

It isn't. It's Session 2 (as it says in the main text, and as I announced in class last week).

The discussion of this case study will be this coming Friday, 13 October.

Who Owns the Ass?

2006-10-11T08:30:00.000+01:00

We've got your photos developed - around two-thirds of them came out.

Some - it looks like the flash didn't go off when it should have. Those of you whose photos didn't work - we'll have to ask you to bring one in for us (for speed).

Who owns the ass?

Is this how we should recognise your contribution to class discussion?

See you all on Friday.

Coursework Header Sheet

2006-10-07T13:23:00.000+01:00

In answer to the question raised in class yesterday - there is an electronic version of a coursework header sheet on the Management Studies Centre website.

See here.

What Does Your Brand Name Say About You?

2006-09-26T22:18:00.000+01:00

Hello everybody. Welcome to our Product Innovation course Blogsite. Please do debate and contribute to our posts and discussions. We welcome your views!

Today's post is about brand name connotations.

A Brand name is a key asset of an innovative company. But - What does your brand name say about you (or your products)?

Here's a little test.

In July 2006, a business trade journal rang up the customer service Helpline for a well known branded product. The journalist was posing as a customer asking questions about the product.

Your Task:
What brand do you think the journalist called? Why do you think it's the brand you have named? Please post your answers on-line as Comments on this Post.

Here's how the conversation went...

Brand: Good afternoon, [brand name], How can I help?

Journalist: I read that 8,000 litres of [brand name] leaked into a river, killing loads of fish, and I want to know if it's dangerous for humans.

Brand: Not at all. They've actually relaunched it and the ingredients have changed, so it's a lot better for you now than a lot of fruit drinks are.

Journalist: How has it changed?

Brand: Let me check. Sorry to keep you. [Journalist has to hold for a while] All that has changed is that it has less sugar.

Journalist: I also saw that it turned the river bright orange. What gives it that colouring? Is it artificial?

Brand: Yes.

Journalist: It's not going to turn my insides orange then.

Brand: No. As I said, it's one of the best fruit drinks for you now in the supermarket.

Journalist: What are the ingredients?

Brand: This is for the [names a flavour variant]: water; fruit juice and concentrate; orange; mandarin; lime and grapefruit; sugar; glucose; fructose syrup; citric acid; preservatives; polyphosphate; potassium sorbate; thickener; guar gum; vitamins pro-vitamin A, B1, B6 and C; modified starch and natural flavourings.

Journalist: You said this was one of the healthiest drinks on the market?

Brand: Yes, because it contains the least amount of sugar now.

Journalist: But it has loads of added ingredients, so it can't be that healthy.

Brand: Well it's down to the individual if they want to drink it.

Journalist: But compared with pure orange juice, it's not better.

Brand: Well, yes.

Journalist: Yes it is or yes it isn't?

Brand: No, it's obviously not.

Journalist: How much vitamin C is in the product?

Brand: For 100 ml it has 30g and for 200 ml it has 60g. If you want more information, you can go onto our website at [then gives a website address which is incorrect].

Task for Product Innovation students:
What is the brand? And why did you think it was that brand? Please post your answers as Comments to this post.

Welcome to our Blog

2006-07-12T13:53:00.000+01:00

This is the blog for UCL's Product Innovation in Organisations Course (MAST4001 / G003).

Answers to students' questions, general course notices etc. will be published here. Please feel free to comment and contribute.