COURSE NUMBER: EWMBA267-1

 

COURSE TITLE: Design and Marketing New Products

 

INSTRUCTOR: Bill Pearce william_pearce@haas.berkeley.edu 

 

OFFICE HOURS:  TBD

 

CLASS WEB PAGE LOCATION:  http://bspace.berkeley.edu

 

MEETING DAY(S)/TIME: Mondays 6:00-9:30pm

 

PREREQUISITE(S): EWMBA206

 

CLASS FORMAT: Mix of case discussions, lectures, guest speakers, and group/individual projects.

 

REQUIRED READINGS: Cases, Course Reader.

 

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE: The final grade will be based on:                    

1.                Five case memos: 30%

2.                Class participation: 20%

3.                Individual Project: 10%

4.                Group Project: 40%

 

ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES:

This course is designed for students interested in careers in Innovation in either B2B or B2C verticals.

 

Introduction: Theory + Experience = Career Advantage

 

Peter Drucker once said, “The business enterprise has two and only these two basic functions: marketing and innovation.” The development of new products and services is perhaps the most significant activity within a firm. It also one of the most risky - many years and millions of dollars are spent developing products that on average fail far more often than they succeed. The best companies, on the other hand, manage to bring out successful new products or services year after year. This course examines the strategies, processes and methods used by these companies, and the cutting-edge tools and techniques used for new-product development. Readings and guest speakers from both product and services will be used to develop understanding and mastery.

 

To address these dynamics the course will be a semester-long immersion in the roles and responsibilities of an innovation manager.  You will learn to identify, diagnose and enact solutions to innovation problems.  At the end of the course, you will be able to:

 

1.                   Identify new market space opportunities;

2.                   Evaluate qualitative and quantitative research and turn into actionable decisions;

3.                   Learn how to write concept briefs that provide a basis to evaluate new product ideas;

4.                   Master how to work effectively with outside agencies to create effective and efficient innovation ideas, marketing materials and investment levels.

5.                   Evaluate ideas with pre-market forecasting

6.                   Develop long-range business plans to meet both strategic and financial objectives of a new product launch.

 

Class Participation / Attendance: You are responsible for the material in each case or project.  Given the meeting schedule each class is a full week of activity. Missing class without an excuse will negatively impact your grade.  20% of your grade will occur in class, between comments and in-class exercises.

 

I will both cold and warm call students.  I believe firmly in E.B. White’s posit “Effective communication is clear and concise.”  Quality is rewarded; quantity without substance admonished.  Students should structure comments for a senior manager audience.  Be prepared to convince your classmates of the merits of your proposals.  If you believe in your position defend it.

  

Team Project (Final):I will assign groups of students an “Innovation Team” and a business project.   Team selection will be totally random, akin to the business world.   Each group will be scored based on the insightfulness and creativity.  EWMBA 267 is a BILD course; the project will be based on real world companies and issues.  It will also require to you work outside of class as a team on your assigned company.

 

Case Memos: Each student will be required to submit five one page case memos.   Memos will be graded on a 1-6 scale.  If you receive a five no further action is required; anything below a five will be given back for correction or clarification in-class for resubmission and regarding.  Memos are due by 6:00 the day before class.  

 

Required Texts: Readings available on Study.net and provided as texts.  Read and analyze readings prior to class for which they are assigned. For each case think out, and be prepared to defend, a plan of action for how you would proceed.  Chapters and concepts covered in the assigned texts will be integral in the final projects

 

Please download and read the class learning objectives (Excel file) for a week-by-week layout of the Learning Objectives.

 

I look forward to a spirited exchange in the classroom that will be educational for both of us.

 

Bill Pearce

 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: Bill Pearce is a Lecturer at the Haas School of Business. Before joining UC Berkeley in 2011 he received his MBA from Cornell University. Bill is a veteran marketing practitioner having held senior marketing positions at P&G and Campbell Soup. Additionally, Bill served as CMO for Taco Bell and Del Monte Foods. Bill is on the Board of Directors at Ooma, Rich Relevance and SpendGo. He is an Advisory Board member of Technorati Media, Virtual Fan Network and several other firms in the Digital marketing sector.