IXP Course: India/Singapore; Assembling Global Innovation Strategies

Course Number 6020

Professor Vicki Sato
Professor Willy Shih
Several on-campus meetings during the Fall and Winter Terms
Program fee & travel costs (see details on financial aid eligibility)
January Term travel
3.0 credits applied toward Winter term requirements
Enrollment: limited to 12 students

Career Focus

This course is intended for future general managers in science and technology intensive businesses who seek first hand exposure to companies constructing global R&D strategies. The primary focus of this course will be conducting part of a firm's R&D in Asia, addressing questions such as: Is adding R&D in the region about accessing local market knowledge, harnessing low cost talent, or some combination? How hard is it to appropriate returns from R&D investments, and how does one think about spillovers and the creation of future competition? How does the Asia strategy mesh with the R&D strategy in the rest of the company?

Course Content and Organization

The course organization builds upon the lessons from our 2010-2011 course that was conducted in Shanghai, China. There will be three phases:

1. During the second half of the Fall term, we will meet for four two-hour sessions (timing of these sessions to be determined). During these class meetings, we will read background notes and papers and prepare cases to cover three main topics: (a) Absorptive capacity and technological learning and capability development in firms, (c) the motivation and structure of industrial research, and (b) intellectual property and appropriability.
2. During the January term, students will accompany the faculty on a field study trip to India and Singapore. We will visit a range of companies and institutions, with an emphasis on pharmaceuticals and technology. Students will participate in plenary visits to all of the companies to get a broad overview. During subsequent days, students will be divided into teams of two to three, paired with one of the faculty, and assigned to a company. Each team will then begin field interviews to prepare a case. Students will have a research protocol as we seek to understand specific issues within each organization. Each team will spend time at its assigned company, as well as work and debrief time during which they can prepare transcripts and follow-on questions. We anticipate that students will spend a total of approximately two days on site at a company divided into two to three sessions.
3. Following their return to Boston, students will complete the writing of their cases during the first half of the Winter Semester and we will obtain sign-offs from the companies. We will close the course with one session to review the finished cases.

Prerequisites

Students with an ambition to move into a science-based or technology intensive business will benefit most from this course. Prior experience in pharmaceuticals, biotech, or technology is helpful. Students who took AGIS in 2010-11 found The Coming of Managerial Capitalism to be quite complementary. Commercializing Science and Building and Sustaining a Successful Enterprise are two complimentary courses as well.

Course Credit and Fees

Students who successfully complete AGIS will earn three course credits, which will be posted in the Winter term. HBS will provide in-country logistics for IXPs (including accommodations, select meals, and local travel) but students will need to contribute a fee of $2,500 towards defraying a part of these costs. In addition, students are responsible for their air travel to Bangalore, from Bangalore to Singapore, and from Singapore to Boston. Students who have applied for financial aid may submit for additional financial support to participate in this IXP.Please see the Financial Aid website for more information on financial support for IXP courses.

Please see the IXP website for information regarding student accommodations on IXP courses.