The case describes an attempt to Steve Gundrum, President and CEO Mattson, to improve the innovative capacity of the firm. Mattson, located in Silicon Valley, California, is an independent developer of new products for the food and beverage industry. Mattson creates, develops and brings to market new beverages, snacks, frozen foods, and many other food and beverage products as a contractor for major industry producers. Gundrum believes there is an opportunity to improve its innovation system through software companies are rushing around. To test new methods of product development, Gundrum creates competition – to develop a better cookie – and commissions for three teams: one using the traditional hierarchical team structure, Mattson using open source (OS) development and use of a third Extreme Programming (XP). The Mattson Delta (A), (B) and (C) cases project explain what happened. Learning Objectives: The study and discussion of this case can help students understand more deeply the importance of the composition and structure of the team in the innovation process. It also shows the power to reach across the boundaries of the industry to find new ideas, not only of products but also for business processes and structure as well. The main findings of this case are: 1) the structure and management team can make a big difference in creativity and productivity. 2) Troubleshooting (internal production of new answers to problems) and finding solution (external scanning solutions to existing problems) can each be useful in different situations and at different stages of the innovation lifecycle . 3) Managers have many choices when choosing a team structure. In addition, the case is a good language to talk about the structure of the team. 4) Prototypes can be applied not only to new products, but new structures and process innovation.
by
David Robertson,
Robert J. Crawford
Source: IMD
3 pages.
Date Posted: November 22, 2006. Prod #: IMD312-PDF-ENG
Mattson Project Delta (B) Case Solution
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