New Product Development and Innovation

New Product Development and Innovation

J. E. Cairnes School of

Business & Economics

E. Wallace | NPD and Innovation Page 1 of 4

New Product Development and Innovation

- Course Outline -

Objective / This course explores innovation from a business management perspective. The purpose of innovation is to create new business. It requires change in the way we think, or the way we act. In the past, notable innovations included the steam engine and the light bulb. Today, consider the influence of mobile phones, or eBay, or Intel chip technologies, or products such as the iPod on consumers’ lives. This course explores how new knowledge is generated and accelerated, and how businesses – their architecture, operating functions, and their people achieve successful commercial exploitation of these products and services.
Lecturer(s) / Name / Office / Ext / E-mail
Dr. Elaine Wallace / Room 302 Cairnes School / 2603 /
Times / Day / Time / Venue
Lectures / Tuesday / 11-1pm / CA 001 Cairnes Building
Overall Learning Outcomes / Upon completion of this course, students will have achieved the following:
Knowledge based outcomes:

A comprehensive understanding of the importance of innovation.
An understanding of innovation as a management process.
An insight into the influences on innovation.
An understanding of the role of technology in innovation.
An exploration of the organisational knowledge base and the learning organisation.
An understanding of the concept of New Product Development and Service Innovation.
An insight into NPD theories and strategies, and the research required to support NPD.
A comprehensive understanding of the role and process of packaging development in NPD.

Skills based outcomes:

An ability to use online Wiki technologies to present data and work in groups through online media and presentations.
An insight into literature searches and reviews, and a full understanding of accessing material through the library databases.
An ability to synthesise material from the core text, select the key points, and explain the material to others.
An ability to present recommendations, which are feasible and grounded in theory.
Experience of working to specific deadlines.
Greater experience in presentation skills, both through the use of audiovisual media and oral presentation.
An ability to ‘pitch’ ideas to a critical panel.

Format / This course comprises one two-hour lecture across 12 weeks.
Programme / MSc in Marketing
Assessment / The grade will be calculated as follows:

40% Group Project
10% Class participation
50% Written Exam

40% Group Project:
This assignment challenges you to develop a new product.
The productcan be:

A completely new innovation,
Asubstantially revised format of an existing product, or
A relaunch of a product which has been discontinued and which you would like to ‘resurrect’.

Using Wiki technology and working in groups of 4, teams will develop their product, which will be assessed by a panel of experts at the end of term.
The marks allocated for the assignment are as follows:
Total Marks 40%

Wiki 30%
Presentation 10%

Wiki (30%):
Each team will be provided with a wiki template which will be visible to the team and the course lecturer only.
Working in groups of 4, teams will work on three wiki topics, each of which will be worth 10% of total marks. Topics will be provided in class.
For each topic, the Wiki assignment will follow the same format:
Wiki HeadingUse the topic name (provided in class) as the page title.
Discussion 1,000 words: relating the product to the relevant theory from your text, and to the broader academic literature.
Recommendations 200 words: applying the theory to 3 recommendations for the product, in relation to the topic.
Each Wiki assignment should be presented as a separate Wiki page.
As there are three topics, you will have three pages on completion of the Wiki.
The three pages should be prefaced by a general page which introduces your group, your product (don’t forget to give your product a name!), and presents FIVE reasons why you have chosen to launch the product.
Each topic will carry 10 marks. Marks will be awarded for:

The use of theory to underlie analysis, and a demonstration that theory is understood. Any material must be cited using guidelines allocated in class.
The depth of evaluation of theory in relation to your product.
The quality and feasibility of recommendations made.

A final mark for all topics & the presentation will be provided on Blackboard at the end of term.
Presentation (10%):
Each group will have 10 minutes to present their product launch to a panel of experts.
The presentations MUST comprise the following three slides ONLY:

An introduction to the group and to the product.
A rationale for its launch, outlining its USPs, including any evidence from relevant market testing or consumer research.
Suggested packaging and product presentation (mock samples can be used for illustration).

All members of each group will be required to participate in the presentation, to a panel of experts.
Presentations will be timed, and presentations will be recorded.
Business attire is required for all presenters.
A questions and answers session will follow each presentation.
Presentations will also be awarded marks, based on two criteria:
Style (20%):The clarity and professionalism of the slides and the presenters.
Substance (80%):The quality of information presented and the quality of the answers during the Q&A session.
Wiki Deadline:
Wikis must be completed by 20th November at 5pm. After this time, Wikis will be closed and you will not have access to your Wiki.
Presentation Deadline:
Presentations will take place on 24th November.
A running order for presentations will be provided in class.
Candidates are required to email their presentations to Elaine Wallace by 5pm on 23rd November.
Please use PowerPoint for presentations, and title your email “NPD Presentation _ Product Name”
Additional material such as packaging design or samples should be included by the group on the day of the presentation.
10% Class Participation
Class participation marks will be allocated on an individual basis, according to the student’s knowledge of the topic, and involvement in class discussion.
50% Written Examination
All candidates are required to complete a written examination. The exam will be two hours in duration and candidates will be required to answer three questions. All questions will carry equal marks. Candidates must pass the written examination to be awarded marks for assignments/class participation.
Note: A minimum of 35% is required in the final written examination before marks for continuous assessment can be included in the determination of the overall mark for the subject.
Workload / Credit weighting: 5 ECT
Lecture hours: 24
Assignment work and independent study: 99
Examination: 2
Total Student Effort: 125 Hours
Course Readings / Required Reading:
Core Text: Trott, Paul (2008) Innovation Management and New Product Development. London: FT Prentice Hall (4th Edition).
Due to the timely nature of innovation, it is preferable that students would purchase this book new from the University bookshop.
Students are expected to read assigned course material in advance of class.

Reading Schedule:

Each week, a group of 3 will be required to make a 20-minutePowerPoint presentation addressing the questions assigned in the chapter case study.

Date / Discussion / Readings
Part 1: Foundations for Services Marketing
September 8 / Ch 1 Innovation Management: An Introduction
Ch 2 Economics and Market Adoption
September 15 / Ch 3 Managing Innovation within Firms
Case: Gore-Tex
Part 2: Managing Technology and Knowledge
September 22 / Ch 6 Managing Organisational Knowledge
Case: The Cork Industry
September29 / Ch 7 Strategic Alliances and Networks
Case: The Hollywood Film Industry
October 6 / Ch 8 Management of Research and Development
Case: Pfizer’s Viagra
Part 3: New Product Development
October 13 / Ch 11 Product and Brand Strategy
Case: Wheelchair Design
October 20 / Ch 12 New Product Development
Case: Launching Innocent Smoothies
October 27 / Ch 13 Packaging and Product Development
Case: Halfords Motor Oil
November 3 / Ch 14 New Service Innovation
Case: Developing new services at eBay
November 10 / Ch 15 Market Research and its influence on NPD
Case: Dyson, Hoover
November 17 / Ch 16 Managing the NPD Process & Course Review
Case: 3M
November 24 / Group Presentations
Course Material / A course web is available at

E. Wallace | NPD and Innovation Page 1 of 4