SVKM’s
NARSEE MONJEE INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Program: MBA Trimester: V
Course: Product Strategy Code:
Teaching Scheme Evaluation Scheme
Classroom Practical/ Tutorial Credit Continuous Term End
Session Group Work s Evaluation Examination
(TEE)
20 3 60% 40%
Course Rationale:
Product development and management is getting more and more challenging with ever accelerating
time to market, competitors who seem to anticipate every move, and ever shortening lifecycle,
leading organisations to rethink their product strategies and make it central to their overall corporate
strategy. Over last several years, product development efforts have seen unusually high new product
failure. Digital technologies have given rise to a vast potential for product and service innovation and
are creating a new paradigm by pushing convergence of physical and digital world redefining
traditional products. The role of product management has changed in the context of hyper
competition and market disruptions form a pure analytical number cruncher to one who is a creative
thinker while retaining his analytical capabilities.
Course Objectives:
1. Understand key parameters of success in developing products in highly competitive environment
2. Deep understanding of product strategy framework
3. Learn how to manage transition through various stages of product lifecycle
4. Sensitize students to cross functional role of the product manager in product development
5. Learn how to develop and manage products in the world of technologically savvy consumer
through co-creation – the design thinking way.
Learning Outcomes:
On the completion of the course students will be able to
1. Understand how cross functional teams are formed their role in managing across various stages
of development.
2. Use practical tools that allow them to maximize the value of their current and future products
3. Formulate a business plan for new product initiative.
Prerequisite:
Essentially for those opting for marketing specialization and with at least B+ grade in Strategy
and Marketing course in their first year.
Pedagogy:
Since the Course entails new concepts and innovation as themes, stress will be on high interaction
among the participants and sharing of real life examples by the instructor. The course would be
delivered by a combination of;
Textbooks and reference books
Study Plan Folder
Class discussions based on real life examples
Cases from both global and Indian context
Project work and market research
Reading would be largely based on Research Articles, Cases of successful product, selected
1
Reference Books, Reviews etc.
Textbook:
Product Strategy and Management, 2e, Michael Baker Hart, Pearson, 2008.
Reference Books:
The Art of Product Management, Rich Mironov, Createspace, 2008.
New Product Management, C. Merle Crawford, McGraw, 2014.
Innovators Dilemma, Clayton M. Christensen, Harvard Business Press, 2016.
Design Thinking: Process and Methods Manual, Robert Curedale, Design Community College,
2013.
Crossing the Chasm, 3e, Geoffrey A. Moore, Collins Publishing, 2014.
Product Management, 2e, Edgar A. Pessemier, Wiley, 1982.
Journals:
Journal of Marketing; HBR
Links to websites:
Students are encouraged to regularly go through HBR website.
Evaluation Scheme:
Class assignments 20%
Project work and Market Research 20%
Midterm (based on case study) 20%
Term-End Exam 40%
Total 100%
Session Plan:
Topic Learning Outcomes Pedagogical Tool Textbook
Chapters &
Readings
Introduction to Develop vision for the Case : Text Book:
Product Strategy product development Enterprise Rent- Chapters
The product program aligned to the A- Car 1&2
decisions in the corporate strategy. #KEL612-PDF-
21st century Discuss why new and ENG
established products fail Published 2011
Understand how to Revised 2016
manage the process from HBS
concept to creation, testing
and successful launch.
Building Sustainable Understand short product Case : Text Book:
Product Line lifecycles and how to Diffusion of Web- Chapters 3,
extend the lifecycle in a Based Product 4
dynamic environment. Innovation
Diffusion of innovation #CMR347-PDF-
and challenges faced in the ENG
various stages of adoption, Published 2006
particularly noticed in HBS
technology products.
2
5-6 Product Understand how to leverage Case Study : Textbook :
Architecture resources to get into new Dell Computer: Chapter 6
Importance of products faster than Inspiron Product
Resources and competitors. Development
capabilities in Stanford
product decisions Business
The Design thinking Understanding the role of Case : Reading:
as a Strategy for customer in product Design Thinking Ref. Book
product Development development by and Innovation at (Sl. No. 4)
contextualizing product to Apple #609066-
their business. PDF-ENG
Discuss habit forming Published
products that transform the HBS
way product is
conceptualized and sold.
11-12 Class Assignment Case :
Case Analysis IDEO Product
(Group Work) Development
#600143-PDF-
ENG
Published 2000
Revised 2017
HBS
13-14 Building Digital Develop a digital innovation Lecture Reading:
Products strategy – a framework for Value
Challenges and diagnosing and improving Proposition
opportunities digital products and services. Design by
Yves Piguers
15-16 Managing products Understand the process of Lecture
across Cultures in internationalization of
global Environment products.
Discuss cultural influence
on product strategy
17-18 Pricing New Products Discuss pricing of new Lecture Reading:
products. Article:
Understand impact of Pricing
ecosystem pressures, Policies for
competition and demand New
on pricing Products
#76604-
PDF-ENG
Published
1976
HBS
19-20 Review of Final Field work
Assignment