Marketing in The World of Hi-Tech & Innovation (MWHTI) : Prakash Bagri
Marketing in The World of Hi-Tech & Innovation (MWHTI) : Prakash Bagri
Marketing in The World of Hi-Tech & Innovation (MWHTI) : Prakash Bagri
Innovation (MWHTI)
Course Outline 2018-20 PGP Term IV, IIM
Bangalore
Prakash Bagri
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Background
The high technology (hi-tech) world is characterized by a chaotic environment in which the
products, players and users are constantly changing. Profitable and well-differentiated products
segments could suddenly face commoditization pressures at the entry segment, or even
disruptive technologies at the high end eating into their business. Technology innovation could
lead to blurring of boundaries between different product segments. Newer distribution or
ownership models could lead to need for re-education of consumers and integration of
services. Even the role of different players in distribution chain could evolve as each tries to
move up in value with increasing deliverables.
This constant churn and ever-changing industry dynamics has fundamental implications for
marketing. Today’s technology marketers face challenges across the marketing mix, starting
with the need to provide clear differentiation, positioning, better integration across offerings
and newer and more effective ways of providing value to the customer.
Despite such complexities, the hi-tech world continues to provide exciting and newer business
opportunities. Whereas in traditional and mature markets a new entrant or small player is
unlikely to compete effectively with established leaders, the hi-tech world offers tremendous
prospects for innovation and entrepreneurship, both for established companies as well as new
players.
Such opportunities are pursued by multiple aspirants with exciting new technologies, and the
winner is usually the one with the strongest market model. Success amidst this dynamic and
turbulent environment calls for diverse skills, an understanding of a wide range of capabilities
and an approach beyond the traditional gamut of marketing management.
Given the dynamic environments and fast paced nature of hi-tech industries, they provide
great context for appreciating long-term business strategy in general and for managing and
marketing innovation in particular.
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Course Overview
“Marketing in the World of Hi-Tech & Innovation (MWHTI)” is intended to address some of
the earlier outlined challenges and consequent marketing dynamics.
This course will focus on the application of basic business framework in the hi-tech context
while including those concepts unique to this world. It will build understanding on specifics of
high technology business and its difference from regular businesses. It will subsequently
introduce tools and techniques for more effectively developing strategic market models and
marketing plans for hi-tech products and services. The focus will be in guiding business persons
and marketers on how to adapt, modify and prioritize the basic tenets of marketing, while
incorporating the unique and specific hi-tech aspects.
Given the context, the course will not focus on some adjacent topics. Specifically, it will not
focus on (1) how to employ technology as a marketing tool (digital marketing), (2) identifying
“hot technologies” of today or the future, (3) overall organizational technology strategy and (4)
organizational culture and climate in technology companies. Nonetheless, some of these
subjects will find mention or will appear in discussions, without being the key concern for the
sessions.
The course will attempt to explore a range and diversity of industries and contexts within hi-
tech, but based on the available and published pedagogy, a significant focus will emerge on
information technology. However, given their specific characteristics these illustrations and
lessons will be very relevant to all new age businesses and industries and those that are now
emerging or just starting-up.
This course is intended for students preparing for a sustained career in the hi-tech industry or
for those planning to join start-ups or to become entrepreneurs. Students seeking roles in
sales, marketing and business or product development in hardware or software, newer &
emerging technologies, around the internet as well as in companies providing B2B or B2C
services & solutions will find the tenets of this course relevant for their career goals.
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Course Text & Readings
The following book will serve as the primary text for the course:
The course pack distributed along with contains a wide selection of readings which are being
provided as a precursor to class discussions.
Recommended readings are outlined in the Session Plan, with supplementary bibliography
appended as Annexure I. Readings should be completed prior to the respective sessions. Class
material will supplement the texts and will be made available after sessions.
Additionally, a selection of global media articles and thought-leader perspectives are curated
by the instructor on Flipboard as follows.
http://flip.it/X0ufj
Students are welcome to subscribe, contribute and interact therein, if they wish to stay abreast
of current developments and cross-link those with course learnings.
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Course Objectives
This course will explore the following with reference to hi-tech and innovation businesses:
This course will use a mixture of different learning and teaching techniques including lectures,
real-life examples, expert opinions, case discussions and articles from academic and business
journals along with and project work.
The students will be graded as follows on each of the segments for the final evaluation:
A document titled Achieving the Course Objectives will be provided with this Course Outline.
It details expectations (including time-lines, submission guidelines and grading particulars)
around each of the components of Class lectures, articles & readings, case analysis and group
project work. Students are advised to review the same and seek clarifications during the
initial sessions itself.
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Session Plan (Indicative)
3 Technology Cycles Performance Provided etc by Christensen The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Tech Cause
Technology S Curves & Life Cycle Reinventing Your Business Model by Great Firms to Fail by Christensen
Dominant Design & Industry Standards Johnson, Christensen & Kagermann
Competitive Volatility & Business Models Anderson, P., & Tushman, M. L. (1990). Technological
discontinuities & dominant designs: A cyclical model of tech
change. Administrative science quarterly, 604-33.
4 Strategic Market Planning - I Mohr, Ch 2 Value Migration: How to Think Several Moves
Competitive Advantage in Technology How to Anticipate Value Migration by Ahead of the Competition by Slywotzky
Value Migration Slywotzky Case Discussion Questions (Group Discussion*)
Strategic Planning Models Overview # Case of the Profitless PC continued 4. With which of the experts’ analysis do you agree?
(Expert Commentary) by Dubinsky, Keeley, 5. Are there learnings from the case relevant for some other tech
Ward, Quesnelle, Pifer & Moore# industries?
# Will be handed over in Class after Session 1 (Not to be included in Course Binder)
Session plan above is indicative and subject to change. They will be continuously updated as the course progresses, including reshuffling if required.
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Session Coverage (Student Activity) Compulsory Readings Suggested Readings
5 **Case Discussion (Group Presentation) Study Questions:
1. Examine the major shifts in Netflix’s strategy, and causes for the same.
2. Did Netflix do the same jobs for consumers as Blockbuster did? How did it evolve over time?
Netflix
3. Compare Blockbuster & Netflix’s value networks and business models. How does it affect their respective strategies?
by Willy Shih, Stephen P. Kaufman, David Spinola 4. Of the options available in front of Hastings, which one would you recommend and why?
HBR Case Study ( 2007)
6 Strategic Market Planning –II From value chain to value network by Innovator's Solution: Creating and Sustaining
Deliberate vs. Emergent Strategy Formation Peppard & Rylander Successful Growth by Clayton M. Christensen, Michael
Strategic Fit & Value Network E. Raynor
Strategic Dissonance Burgelman, R. A., & Grove, A. S. (1996). Strategic
dissonance. California management review, 38(2), 8-28.
7 Partnerships & Alliances Mohr, Ch 5 The Death of Competition: Leadership and
Role of Business Ecosystem Ecosystem Advantage: How to successfully Strategy in the Age of Business Ecosystems by James
Types of partnerships & alliances etc. by Williamson & De Meyer F. Moore
Co-optition Art of Standards Wars by Shapiro & Varian
The Right Game: Use Game Theory etc by
Brandenburger & Nalebuff
8 Understanding Technology Customers – I Mohr, Ch 7 Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-
Diffusion of Innovation Models Technology Products to Mainstream Customers by
Technology Adoption Life Cycle Geoffrey A. Moore
Crossing the Chasm Diffusion of Innovations by Everett M. Rogers
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Session Coverage (Student Activity) Compulsory Readings Suggested Readings
9 **Case Discussion (Group Presentation) Study Questions:
1. Analyse Second Life’s position w.r.t. it’s industry and it’s ecosystem.
2. What strategic options does Second Life have? How can it Cross the Chasm into the mainstream?
Linden Lab: Crossing the Chasm
3. Propose a comprehensive Bowling Alley approach to market development including choice of beachhead segment as well
by Thomas R. Eisenmann; Alison Berkley Wagonfeld as whole product development.
HBS, 2009
10 Understanding Technology Customers - II Living on the Fault Line by Moore Inside the Tornado: Marketing Strategies from
Technology Adoption Life Cycle (contd/-) Silicon Valley's Cutting Edge by Geoffrey A. Moore
Rogers Five Factors (Product Differences)
Bass Model of Diffusion
11 Technology Business Models & Multi-Sided Markets Every Product’s a Platform by Sviokla & Paoni What Airbnb, Uber, and Alibaba Have in Common by Libert,
Strategies for Two-Sided Markets by Beck, Fenley & Wind
Business Models Perspective Eisenmann, Parker & Van Alstyne
Two-sided Market Characteristics Staged Solution to the Catch-22 by Hagiu &
Eisenmann
Factors to Success
12 Linking Customer Approach to Product Development Mohr, Ch 6 Chandrasekaran, D., & Tellis, G. J. (2007). A critical
Design Thinking review of marketing research on diffusion of new products.
Research Techniques In Review of marketing research (pp. 39-80). Emerald Group
Feature Fatigue Publishing Limited.
Thompson, D. V., Hamilton, R. W., & Rust, R. T. (2005).
Feature fatigue: When product capabilities become too
much of a good thing. Journal of marketing research, 42(4),
431-442.
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Session Coverage (Student Activity) Compulsory Readings Suggested Readings
13 Technology Asset Management Mohr, Ch 7 Product Strategy for High Technology Companies by
Technology Mapping Building the Foundation: Product Michael E. Mcgrath
Modularity Platform Strategy by McGrath
Platforms & Derivatives Managing in an Age of Modularity by
Baldwin & Clark
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Session Coverage (Student Activity) Compulsory Readings Suggested Readings
17 **Case Discussion (Group Presentation) Study Questions:
1. What factors accounted for i-mode’s overwhelming success in Japan?
2. Describe the i-mode value proposition from the perspective of the various parties in its value network.
NTT DoCoMo: Marketing i-mode, 3. Describe i-mode’s customer base. How has it changed over time?
by Youngme Moon 4. How did i-mode ensure business profitability?
Harvard Business School, 2002 5. What are the prospects for DoCoMo’s 3G(FOMA) service? How would you market it?
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PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
20 & COURSE WRAP UP
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Annexure: Recommended Readings
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Annexure I: Recommended Readings continued
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