MANAGEMENT FOR
SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

 Offered jointly through the School of Natural Sciences and the School of Engineering

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SPRING 2015

NSCI 610 - ENGI 610 - Management for Science and Engineering

Tuesday /Thursday 6:00 to 7:30 PM

and Saturday, TBA
LOCATION: Dell Butcher Hall 180
 
Course Handouts
TEAMS

In today's business economy a significant number of technical students are pursuing careers in technology entrepreneurial firms. The Weiss School of Natural Science and the George R. Brown School of Engineering offer an extensive curriculum in engineering and science and students graduating from these programs are extremely well grounded in their technical field of specialization. Unfortunately, these students have no access to managerial concepts associated with new venture creation despite their strong interests in this area.

To help prepare engineering and science students for careers in entrepreneurial organizations Weiss School of Natural Science and the George R. Brown School of Engineering are pleased to offer the following entrepreneurial management curriculum focusing on providing an introduction to entrepreneurship for technical students at Rice University. The program consists of two courses held sequentially within an academic year. The courses are team taught in modular format by management faculty, entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurial service providers.
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Coordinators:

Dr. Harry Wilkinson (Resume) Professor Andrew R. Barron

hewilkinson@sbcglobal.net

Department of Chemistry
  Butcher Hall
  arb@rice.edu
  (713) 348-5610

Office Hours: Individual module instructors will assign office hours.

General Reference: How to Give a Talk

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Course Syllabus

Course objectives

This course is for science and engineering graduate students who want to understand the basics of management in new and/or small technology based businesses. The concepts covered will provide an overview of management particularly relevant to students who are interested in careers in technology or entrepreneurial ventures. The students are expected to contribute in class.

Course outcomes

The student is expected to be able to understand and apply the concepts taught in class.

Grade policies

Grade scheme is provided below.

Absence policies

Students who miss class sessions will have points deducted from their final participation grades. Students who will miss class for "legitimate" reasons can avoid having points deducted from their final participation grade by informing the module instructor and the course coordinator(s) before class or in the case of unavoidable absence as soon after class as practicable.

List of required texts

http://cnx.org/contents/5e9177d7-9998-43d0-9b98-91a369c6a371@8.1/Project_Management. Additional reading is provided via Owl Space via the Class Web site.

Special materials required for the class

No computers, tablets, or cell phones to be used in class.

Number of required examinations and papers

No final exam is required; however, several group based presentations are required.

Course work and Honor Code

Assignments should be done by individuals unless specified as being a group project by the instructor.

Students with disabilities

Any student with a disability that requires accommodation should contact both the course instructor and Disability Support Services in the Allen Center.

The information contained in the course syllabus, other than the absence policies, may be subject to change with reasonable advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.

The major topics include:  

Organizational Behavior and Leadership:  Nine single sessions plus one double session, a Saturday class.   (Dr. Harry Wilkinson, hewilkinson@sbcglobal.net)   This module is intended to give students the tools needed to begin the long term process of acquiring and maintaining the interpersonal skills required for leadership in technology oriented organizations.  

High Technology Organizations.   One session. (Dr. Harry Wilkinson and Mr. Charles R. Gregg). This module is intended to give students an overview of the various types of legal organizations appropriate for High Technology enterprises and the pros and cons of each and the various organizational types they may encounter in high technology enterprises from the traditional functional structures through the various matrix type approaches to the fully projectized structures.

Project Management.   Four sessions.   (Merrie Phinney Barron, Project Management, Insperity, and Professor Andew Barron)   This module is intended to give students an overview of some of the various tools used to manage high technology projects.   Teams will be formed for both presentations and a written assignment.

Group Presentations. Two sessions. (Professor Andrew Barron) TBA.

Intellectual Property.  Four sessions.   (Professor Andrew Barron, arb@rice.edu)   This module is intended to give students an understanding of the importance and methodology used to protect intellectual property.  

Understanding Accounting.   Three sessions.   (Mr. Wesley Cunningham)   This module is intended to give students an appreciation of both the simplicity and complexity of accounting concepts and the importance of the assumptions behind the numbers.  

Marketing in High Technology Organizations.   Two sessions.   (Ms. Susan Wilkinson, Marketing Director, St. Luke's Health Systems)   This module is intended to give students a broad picture of the steps necessary to successfully bring a new product from the initial technology concept in the laboratory to the first use by a consumer.

Strategy and Entrepreneurship.   Two sessions.   (TBA) These modules are intended to give students an overview of entrepreneurial organizations, the various types of tools used to improve effectiveness and a general understanding of the benefits and limitations of setting strategy or directions in the highly volatile and often unpredictable high technology environment. These modules are intended to provide students a bridge to the course MGMT 625.  

Grading Criteria

The grade for the course will be a function of performance in the individual modules.   Each module will be weighted based on the number of sessions as a percent of the total number of sessions.   There are twenty-seven single sessions and one double session (Saturday class) for a total of twenty nine; therefore:  

Leadership - 11/29 

38%

High Technology Organization - 1/29 3%
Project Management - 4/29 14%
Intellectual Property - 4/29 14%
Accounting - 3/29 10%
Marketing - 2/29 7%
Strategy and Entrepreneurship - 2/29 7%
Group Presentations - 2/29 7%
Total 
100%

Course Policies

Classroom attendance is required.   Students who miss class sessions will have points deducted from their final participation grades.   (You cannot participate if you are not there.) Students who will miss class for "legitimate" reasons can avoid having points deducted from their final participation grade by informing the module instructor and the course coordinator(s) of the reason for the absence before class or in the case of unavoidable absence (e.g. auto accident) as soon after class as practicable.  

Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to speak with the course coordinator(s) during the first two weeks of class.   All discussions will remain confidential.   Students with disabilities should also contact Disabled Student Services in the Ley Student Center.   Additionally, you will need to register with the Disability Support Services Office in the Ley Student Center.  

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Module Schedule
<
Session
Date
Topic and Assignment

Module 1: Project Managment - Mrs. Merrie Barron and Professor Andrew Barron

1
Tues Jan 13 Project Management Overview  - Reading Material: Connexions via OpenStax - Chapters 1 - 6
2
Thurs Jan 15 Project Requirements and work breakdown structure
3
Tues Jan 20 Project manager detective: who is to blame? The Chunnel Project - please download PDF file.
4
Thurs Jan 22 Chunnel Project
  Module 2: Marketing in High Technology Organizations - Ms. Susan Wilkinson
5
Tues Jan 27 Presentation: Marketing Medical Devices from the Laboratory to the Consumer
6
Thurs Jan 29 Case Study: "We've Got Rhythym!" Medtronic Corporation's Pacemaker Business (HBS 9-698-004)  Email janem@rice.edu for PDF reprint
Module 3: Introduction to Cash Accounting Concepts and Limitations - Mr. Wesley Cunningham
7
Tues Feb 3

Introduction to Concepts in Cash Accounting
Insperity 10-K
Financial Statement
T Accounts

Connexions: Peter Baskerville - Debits and Credits
Connexions: Peter Baskerville - Basic Accounting Concepts

8
Thurs Feb 5

TBA

9
Tues Feb 10

TBA

Module 4: High Technology Organizations - Mr. Charles R. Gregg
10
Thurs Feb 12

High Technology Organizations

Module 5: Group Presentations - Professor Andrew Barron
11
Tues Feb 17 What is Intellectual Property? Reading and Understanding a Patent
12
Thurs Feb 19 Intellectual Property
Module 6: Intellectual Property - Professor Andrew Barron
13
Tues Feb 24

Group Presentations - Project Management

Download Handout #1 Mars Pathfinder
Download Handout #2 Superconducting Collider
Download Handout #3 Glasgow Tower
Download Handout #4 Guri Dam

14
Thurs Feb 26 Group Presentations - Project Management
  Tues Mar 3 Spring Break
  Thurs Mar 5

Spring Break

15
Tues Mar 10 TBD
16
Thurs Mar 12 TBD
  Module 7: Organizational Behavior & Leadership -  Dr. Harry Wilkinson
17
Tues Mar 17

"Leading Individuals and Small Groups" - Chapters 1 & 2 - Owlspace

Case Study - "Jim Tate's Senior Clerk" Discussion - Owlspace

Personal Information Sheet - please complete and return to Dr. Wilkinson

18
Thurs Mar 19

"Leading Individuals and Small Groups" - Chapters 3 & 4 - Owlspace

Case Study - "Joe Lane" - Owlspace

19
Tues Mar 24

"Leading Individuals and Small Groups" - Chapters 5 & 6 - Owlspace

" Case Study - "Alpha Omega (A)"  - Owlspace

20
Thurs Mar 26

"Leading Individuals and Small Groups" - Chapter 8 - Owlspace

Case Study - "King Industrial Products"  - Owlspace

21
Tues Mar 31

"Leading Individuals and Small Groups" - Chapters 9 & 10 - Owlspace

Case Study - "Atlas Development Laboratory (A - part 1)  - Owlspace

Thurs Apr 2

Mid-Term Break

22
Tues Apr 7

"Leading Individuals and Small Groups" - Chapters 7 & 11 - Owlspace

Case Study - "Atlas Telephone"  - Owlspace

23
Thurs Apr 9

"Leading Individuals and Small Groups" - Chapters 12 & 13 - Owlspace

Case Study - "Rondell Data"  - Owlspace

24
Tues Apr 14

"Leading Individuals and Small Groups" - Chapters 14, 15 & 17 - Owlspace

Case Study - "Anderson Manufacturing and Development Co."  - Owlspace

25
Thurs Apr 16

"Leading Individuals and Small Groups" - Chapter16 and Appendix I - Owlspace

Case Study - "Jack Webb A"  - Owlspace

26/27
Sat Apr 18

Movie - "12 O'Clock High" (Note: This class is on Saturday, Class will begin at 9:30 a.m. and run until 2:30 p.m.; pizza and soft drinks will be provided and you are encouraged to bring a significant other as a guest.)

Module 8: Entrepreneurship - Dr. Al Napier
28
Tues Apr 21

Case Study: "R&R" (HBS #386019) Email janem@rice.edu for PDF reprint

29

Thurs Apr 23

Case Study: "DigitalThink: Startup" (HBS #898186) Email janem@rice.edu for PDF reprint

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Please contact Jane McNeel - janem@rice.edu with any questions or concerns about content on this site.  Thank you.