Lumen And Absorb Team

COURSE PLATFORM HARVARD | BUSINESS | SCHOOL
Syllabus for Half-Course: Managing For Creativity
Early

Entrepreneurship: Creativity and Innovation in Business

1:30PM Tue, Jan 17, Hawes Hall 202

TOPIC
Introduction: The Thrill of Creating and The Reality of Implementing

MATERIALS
“The Next Small Thing." Article by P. Dillon, Fast Company, June-July 1998, pp. 97-110.

"How to Kill Creativity," by Teresa M. Amabile, Harvard Business Review, September-
October 1998, pp.76-87. (HBR 98501)

Introduction and Chapter 1, "The Intersection - Your Best Chance to Innovate", The Medici
Effect by F. Johansson, HBSP: Boston, MA (2004).
EC Weeks 1 & 2 Packet

Managing for Creativity - Introduction

ASSIGNMENT
Preparation Questions:
1. How do you define creativity? Be prepared to describe an example of creativity from your own life, either in an
entrepreneurial venture, a work project, an educational project, or a personal project.

2. What do you see as the key factors in Dubinsky and Hawkins’s success with the Palm Pilot? Was there “a big idea”
here? Did they succeed at everything they did along the way?

3. Be prepared to describe an example of “the intersection” which, as Johansson describes it, is an instance of creativity
arising from the combination of different cultures, domains, or disciplines. The example can come from your own work
experience or your prior readings. In what ways, specifically, did the intersection of different fields lead to the creative
idea?

February 08, 2007 Copyright 2007 President and Fellows of Harvard College Page 1 of 17

Early

1:30PM Thu, Jan 19, Hawes Hall 202

TOPIC
Big Ideas

GUEST SPEAKER
Russ Wilcox, President & CEO, E Ink

MATERIALS
E Ink (800143)

"The Televisionary." Article by M. Gladwell, The New Yorker, May 27, 2002, pp. 112-116.

Chapter 2, "The Rise of Intersections", The Medici Effect by Frans Johansson, HBSP: Boston,
MA (2004).

E Ink

ASSIGNMENT
1. What is Jim Iuliano’s biggest challenge in maintaining and stimulating creativity at E Ink at this point? What should he
do to meet that challenge?

2. In your view, is there a “big idea” behind E Ink? Where do you see creativity in the story of E Ink’s start-up phase?
What has facilitated creativity, and the company’s progress? How and why were Jacobson, Comiskey, and Albert able
to make their initial idea work?

3. Why is the story of the E Ink inventors so different from the story of the inventor Philo T. Farnsworth, “The
Televisionary”? What are the key lessons for inventors? For managers of inventors?

4. Think about the possible growth of E Ink beyond the early stage described in the case. What challenges will growth
present? Are the same facilitating conditions within E Ink likely to continue as the organization grows? What,
specifically, might change? Is the same sort of creativity going to be needed as E Ink grows? If so, why and where? If
not, what types of creativity (if any) will be needed?

5. Did the company make the right decision in focusing initially on the retail signage market? Think not only about
business strategy but also about employee motivation.

6. Is E Ink taking advantage of potential creativity intersections? Is it likely to do so in the future?


Early

1:30PM Mon, Jan 23, Hawes Hall 202

TOPIC
Nurturing the Creative Process

GUEST SPEAKER
Michelle Crames and Jeff Norton, Founders, Lean Forward Media

MATERIALS
Lean Forward Media (Jan. 2005)

Lean Forward Media Website

ASSIGNMENT
Preparation Questions
1. How should Jeff Norton and Michelle Crames deal with the various inputs to the creative process of producing their
interactive DVD?

2. How can Michelle and Jeff support the creative productivity of the various people involved in producing the DVD?

3. How can Jeff and Michelle use and nurture their own creativity as they produce their first DVD and try to build their
company?

4. Overall, how well have Michelle and Jeff done in their LFM venture to this point? Are they working effectively as a
team? What advice do you have for them?

5. Which option should Jeff and Michelle choose for producing The Abominable Snowman DVD, and why? Should they
choose the “virtual studio” option and, if so, which animation company should they choose and how should they put
together the various pieces of the project? Should they choose the option of partnering with a full-service production
studio and, if so, which studio should they choose? Whichever option they take, how should they manage the process?


Early


TOPIC
The Motivation for Creativity

GUEST SPEAKER
Cyd Szymanski, CEO/Founder, Nest Fresh Eggs

MATERIALS
The Motivation for Creativity in Organizations (396240)

Nest Fresh Eggs (806056)

Nest Fresh Eggs Website

Nest Fresh Eggs Slides

ASSIGNMENT
1. Considering the 3 components of creativity (as described in the HBR article "How to Kill Creativity," which you read
for the first class), what are the particular types of expertise, creative thinking skills, and motivation that characterize
Cyd Szymanski’s work in Nest Fresh Eggs? At the start, what were her greatest strengths and gaps in the creativity
components? How would you assess her now?

2. How successful is Nest Fresh Eggs, as a business?

3. How successful is Cyd Szymanski?

4. What role have intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation played in the establishment and growth of Nest Fresh
Eggs? Think of Cyd Szymanski and the other people of Nest Fresh.

5. What are the biggest challenges facing Nest Fresh at this point? What should Cyd Szymanski do meet them
successfully? Be as specific as possible in developing an action plan for her.


Early

1:30PM Mon, Jan 30, Hawes Hall 202

TOPIC
Developing the Vision

GUEST SPEAKER
Ken Hakuta (Dr. Fad)

MATERIALS
Ken Hakuta: AllHerb.com (899250)

Dr. Fad

"Success That Lasts" by L. Nash and H. Stevenson, HBR On Point Article, (April 1, 2004).
(HBR 659x)

Assessing Your Creativity Components

ASSIGNMENT
Preparation Questions
NOTE: AllHerb.com no longer exists in the form that it did when the case ends. Toward the end of class, you will hear
about what ultimately happened with the company.

1. Using the attached form, “MFC: Creativity Components Self-Assessment,” rate yourself on each of the 3 components
of creativity (as they are described in the HBR article "How to Kill Creativity," which you read for the first class). When
making this assessment, think about the particular domain in which you would most like to be creative (e.g., coming up
with a business idea in technology services; marketing a consumer product; creating social entrepreneurship
opportunities in a Latin American country, etc.). Bring your self-assessment to class.

2. Did Ken Hakuta’s prior experience prepare him to successfully start and grow AllHerb.com? What (if any) are
connections between his various ventures before AllHerb? What was their value, in terms of his own experience? How
would you assess Hakuta on each of the three creativity components, with respect to the requirements of the AllHerb
venture?

3. What was Ken Hakuta’s biggest challenge as the case ended? What should he have done (given the known state of
the business world at that time)? Why? How?

4. How successful is Hakuta as an entrepreneur? Is he creative, in terms of perceiving and pursuing opportunities? Is
creativity enough?

5. Has Ken Hakuta had a successful life to this point, in your view? Why or why not? Given the demise of AllHerb, how


Early
should he think about future opportunities?

6. Drawing on concepts in the “Success That Lasts” article, create a Personal Kaleidoscope for your successes to this
point in your life. How do you want the kaleidoscope to look 10 years from now? How can you get there from here?

End of Entrepreneurship: Creativity and Innovation in Business


Early

Stimulating Creativity in Yourself and Others


TOPIC
Exploring Your Creative Style

GUEST SPEAKER
Frans Johansson

MATERIALS
Chapters 4 "How to Make the Barriers Fall", Chapter 6 "How to Find the Combinations",
Chapter 8 "How to Capture the Explosion" in The Medici Effect by F. Johansson, HBSP: Boston,
MA (2004).
EC Weeks 3 on Packet

KAI Self-Assessment Exercise
Classroom

KAI Slides

ASSIGNMENT
1.Consider the various creativity techniques described in Chapters 4, 6, and 8 of The Medici Effect, as well as any other
techniques you have used in the past to assist in creative thinking or problem-solving. Which do you think are most
likely to be effective? Of the techniques you have used in the past, what results did they yield for you? What did you
learn about thinking or problem-solving? Are there some methods that have been more effective than others for you or
for the groups with which you have worked in the past? What are your favorite creative thinking techniques? Be
prepared to describe one to the class.
2.KAI Test. This assignment has two parts. (a) Using the materials and instructions distributed in class, fill out and
score the KAI test for both yourself and a person with whom you work (or have worked) closely in some capacity. (This
can be a co-worker, a classmate, a spouse/partner, a business partner, or anyone else with whom you need to regularly
solve problems.) I will guide you through interpreting the scores, and thinking through their implications, in class. (b)
Then think about the way in which you and this other person approach problems that you have to solve together. How
smoothly does the problem-solving typically go? Are you both equally involved? What areas of difficulty have you
noticed in problem-solving with this person? How have you managed these difficulties? NOTE: If you were absent
when the KAI materials were distributed in class, you should pick them up from my assistant, Joyce Majewski, in Rock
Center 120C.
3. Spend a few minutes thinking up radically new concepts for products using E Ink technology, as well as
applications, situations, and contexts around the world in which those products might be particularly useful.


Early

1:30PM Mon, Feb 6, Hawes Hall 202

TOPIC
Expanding Your Creative Thinking

GUEST SPEAKER
Carol Philips

MATERIALS
The Power of Design, by Bruce Nussbaum, Business Week, May 17, 2004, 89-94.

The Voice of the Mask: Record, Reflections & Request (Word File for Downloading)

ASSIGNMENT
1. For an activity we will be doing in class, you need to bring some materials. Required materials (which you can split
with a partner sitting next to you): a mirror (small, but large enough to see your whole face); scissors; a glue stick; a
stapler; needles and thread. Recommended materials (bring if you have them): any small, lightweight, visually
interesting materials (e.g., shells, wrapping paper, fabric scraps, yarn, dried flowers… be creative!).
2. Think about a particular problem, issue, or question for which you really need a creative idea. This should be
something that is important to you, personally and/or professionally. (But it shouldn’t be too private, because you will
share it with a partner sitting next to you.) Before coming to class, write or type it as a “problem statement” on a sheet of
paper, and, under the “problem statement,” list a few possible solutions or ideas. Bring that sheet to class.


Early

1:30PM Tue, Feb 7, Hawes Hall 202

TOPIC
Creative Teams

Guest: Mark Addicks

GUEST SPEAKER
Mark Addicks, General Mills, Inc.

MATERIALS
Organizing Genius. Book by Warren Bennis and Patricia Ward Biederman. Reading, MA:
Addison-Wesley, 1997. Pages 1-86.

When Sparks Fly. Book by Dorothy Leonard and Walter Swap. Boston: Harvard
Business School Publishing, 1999. Chapter 1.

General Mills

Mark Addicks Presentation

ASSIGNMENT
1. What are the most important elements of the Great Groups described in Organizing Genius (the Disney “Snow
White” group; the Xerox PARC group; the Macintosh group at Apple)? Bring in an example of a Great Group that you
have been part of, witnessed, or read/heard about. What were that group’s most important elements? For all of these
groups, think specifically about leadership, the group, and the work environment. What are the main similarities and
differences between the groups? What are the lessons for top management and for team leaders?
2. When Sparks Fly describes five stages of the creative process. In your own example (from Question 1), did one of
the stages seem to be more important than the others? Were there notable deviations from the stage process
described?

3. When Sparks Fly asserts that creativity can be managed. Do you agree? In what way was creativity managed (or
not) at Disney, Xerox PARC, and Apple?

4. Organizing Genius is largely a hymn of praise to group creativity. Compared to individual creative activity (where a
sole creator works alone), what are the specific advantages of group creative activity? What are the specific
disadvantages?


Early

1:30PM Wed, Feb 8, Hawes Hall 202

TOPIC
Sheer Conflict vs. Creative Abrasion

MATERIALS
Satera Team at Imatron Systems, Inc. (A), The (803141)

When Sparks Fly. Book by Dorothy Leonard and Walter Swap. Boston: Harvard Business
School Publishing, 1999. Chapter 2.

ASSIGNMENT
1. Assess the Satera team in terms of its strengths, challenges, and current health. What do you see as the major
problem facing Gary Pinto? Present an analysis of the problem, its source(s), its evolution, and its impact. Would you
characterize the interactions of Ira Lovas and David Bennett as “creative abrasion” according to the explanation of
creative abrasion presented in When Sparks Fly? Why or why not?
2. In as much detail as you can, map out the psychological and interpersonal processes that have led to the tensions
and impeded the progress of the Satera team.

3. What should Gary Pinto do? What might he do or say to Ira Lovas and/or David Bennett individually? Together? Is
there a way he might use himself or someone else on the team to address the difficulties between the two? What might
he do to foster creative abrasion in the Satera team? What are the possible pitfalls of the actions you suggest? What
should he do to minimize or deal with those pitfalls?

4. In When Sparks Fly, IBM research director Paul Horn is quoted as advising, “Pair your visionaries with
implementers.” After reading today’s case, do you agree?


Early

1:30PM Mon, Feb 13, Hawes Hall 202

TOPIC
Blending Creativity and Business

GUEST SPEAKER
Alison Brown and Garry West, Founders, Compass Records

MATERIALS
Alison Brown of Compass Records (801089)

Compass Records Website

Compass Records Video

ASSIGNMENT
1. Watch the Alison Brown video on the Course Platform.
2. How would you characterize Brown’s own motivation and creativity? Did anything about her surprise you?

3. How close is the current Compass Records to the company that Brown and West originally envisioned? How close is
their life to the life you think they envisioned? How satisfied do you think they are at this point? How satisfied would you
be? Has Compass Records been a success?

4. To what extent does the Compass Records business afford Brown the opportunity to be creative? Do you think that,
on the whole, it supports and stimulates her creativity? What can she do to maintain her own creativity? Does she need
to maintain her creativity as a musician?

5. Do you agree that Compass needs to grow? If so, what do you think of the options Brown and West are considering?
Is there another option they might not have considered? Given the risks and opportunities in the current music industry,
as well as Brown and West’s own business goals, artistic goals, and personal goals, what should they do?

End of Stimulating Creativity in Yourself and Others


Early

Managing Organizations for Positive Creativity


TOPIC
Influences on Intrinsic Motivation in Teams

GUEST SPEAKER
Bill Nussey, CEO, Silverpop, Inc.

MATERIALS
Lumen and Absorb Teams at Crutchfield Chemical Engineering, The (804118)
Spangler distribution

Managing for Creativity (396271)

Silverpop Website

SilverPOP Slides

ASSIGNMENT
1. Why do the Lumen and Absorb teams differ so dramatically in day-by-day intrinsic motivation for their work? In your
analysis, pay careful attention to the details of perceptions, behaviors, interactions, and their apparent effects, as
reported in the diary summaries (Exhibits 3 and 4). Also, integrate the qualitative data in those diary summaries with the
quantitative data (Exhibits 5, 6, and 7). How do you account for the differences? What are the dynamics underlying
these differences? To help yourself think through these questions, review the class note “The Motivation for Creativity in
Organizations,” and think about specific influences in Lumen and Absorb on team members’ self-determination (feelings
of ownership in their work), competence (feelings of being able to do well), relatedness (feelings of positive connection
to other people), and meaningfulness (feelings of doing meaningful work).
2. In what ways are these dynamics influencing creativity in the two teams?

3. As Paul Burke, how would you use these insights? What would you do to improve the intrinsic motivation of the
Absorb team? What would you do to preserve the high intrinsic motivation of the Lumen team? What would you do to
guard against motivational problems on other teams in the future? What actions would you take in the short term (the
next two weeks), and in the longer term (staffing and leading your department over the next three years)?


Early


TOPIC
Systems for Managing Creativity

Guest: Fran Kelly

GUEST SPEAKER
Fran Kelly, President/COO, Arnold Worldwide

MATERIALS
Arnold Communications (899083)

"Creativity Under the Gun," (Article) Amabile, T.M., Hadley, C.N., and Kramer, S.J. (2002). in
Harvard Business Review, August 2002, 52-61.

Arnold Worldwide

ASSIGNMENT
1. What is your analysis of Brand Essence? How effective is it in winning new business? How well does it facilitate the
execution of an effective and creative campaign?
2. Think about the tactics that Arnold management has applied in implementing Brand Essence for Hood, VW, and The
Hartford. Is the process an effective model for managing creativity? What works? What doesn’t work? Under what
circumstances would Brand Essence be most effective for managing creativity? Least effective? Cite specific
information from the case.

3. As a method for managing the creative process, what aspects of Brand Essence might be applicable to other
industries besides advertising? In general, what do you think of the idea of having a specific method for managing
creativity?


Early

1:30PM Wed, Feb 22, Hawes Hall 202

TOPIC
Designing an Organization for Creativity

Guest: Bob Koski

GUEST SPEAKER
Bob Koski, Founder, Sun Hydraulics

MATERIALS
Sun Hydraulics Corp. (A) and (B) (Abridged) (491119)

Sun Hydraulics

Slides: Update on Sun Hydraulics

ASSIGNMENT
1. What do you see as the possible advantages and pitfalls of Koski’s organizational scheme, including: (a) no job
descriptions; (b) no job titles; (c) no formal reporting relationships; (d) no incentive pay systems in the plant; (e) no
quality inspections in the plant; (f) no purchasing agents; (g) no “heroes” (p. 9); (h) no formal meetings; and (i) Koski’s
self-described refusal to make decisions (p. 11).
2. At the time of the case, Sun Hydraulics had 170 employees. Would Koski’s ideas be applicable in a much larger
organization? Do you think there is an approximate “critical size” beyond which his organizational structure wouldn’t
work?

3. To what extent is the design, structure, and functioning of an organization dependent on the management style and
philosophy of the person at the top? What could Koski do to ensure the continuance of Sun Hydraulic’s culture after he
is gone? Will his system work if he tries to set it up in Europe? In general, is his organizational design sustainable?

4. Would Koski’s organizational design work for a public company? What might have to change if the company ever
goes public?

5. What impact, if any, do you think Koski’s organizational design and culture have on creativity and innovation at Sun
Hydraulics? Why?


Early

1:30PM Wed, Mar 1, Hawes Hall 202

TOPIC
Creativity by Design

MATERIALS
Corporate New Ventures at Procter & Gamble (897088)

The Weird Rules of Creativity by Robert L. Sutton, Harvard Business Review, September 2001
pp. 94-103

Proctor & Gamble

The Work Environment for Creativity

ASSIGNMENT
1. Does P&G really need CNV, or is it more of a symbol or a gimmick? Why did the P&G leadership decide to start
CNV? Would any of these reasons be applicable to a smaller, newer company?
2. What is distinctive about the CNV model? What are its strengths? What challenges is it likely to face?

3. Can creativity and innovation really be accomplished through a systematic, rigorous methodology? Which of Sutton’s
“Weird Rules of Creativity” (if any) does Craig Wynett seem to be following? Is he inventing some of his own weird rules
of creativity? What are they?

4. What do you think of Craig Wynett, his views, and his actions? How essential is he to the survival and success of
CNV? What, if anything, has he done to establish a work environment for creativity in CNV?

5. How would you describe Craig Wynett’s style? Given his style, what sort of people does he need on his team? What
do you think it would be like to work with him? In general, what do you think it would be like to work as a member of
CNV within P&G? What would be the positives and the negatives for you personally?

6. Bring into class the following exercises that you’ve done previously in this course: (a) Creativity Components Self-
Assessment; (b) Your Ideal Business; and (c) Your KAI Score.


Early

1:30PM Mon, Mar 6, Hawes Hall 202

TOPIC
Course Summary

MATERIALS
Organizing Genius, p. 171-195. (recommended)

Organizing Genius, pp. 196-218. (required)

MFC Final Exam from Last Year (2005)

MFC Course Summary Slides

ASSIGNMENT
1. Only the second of the two chapters for today (“Take-Home Lessons”) is required reading, and it is the only one that
we will discuss in class. However, I recommend that you also read the thought-provoking chapter on “The Manhattan
Project.”
2. Choose an entrepreneurial business venture that (in your fantasies at least) you would like to start (or be part of)
within the next few years. Write a brief vision statement for your company/organization, incorporating creativity or
innovation in some way. After writing the statement, look at the vision that you wrote for the “Your Ideal Business”
exercise earlier in this course. Compare the one you wrote today with the earlier one. Did you make any modifications,
by adding, subtracting, or elaborating, on the basis of the work you have done in this course?

3. Of the case protagonists and guests that we saw in MFC, who do you most see as a positive role model? Why? Are
there any negative role models?

4. Be prepared to summarize your 2 or 3 main learnings from this course. In addition, formulate 2 or 3 questions that
stand out in your mind as you review the course. Also, look at the posted MFC Final Exam from Last Year, so you can
bring up any questions you might have when we discuss the exam.

5. Please complete my customized Course Feedback Poll by clicking on this link: MFC Course Feedback Poll. It
should take only 10-15 minutes of your time, and I will very much value your feedback to help in my course planning for
next year. Your responses will be anonymous. Thank you!

End of Managing Organizations for Positive Creativity


Early

10:00AM Wed, Mar 8, Hawes Hall 202

TOPIC
Exam

Final Exam
Self-scheduled
Download available after 10:00 am on March 8th.
Students have 4 hours to work on the exam responses, and must upload final completed exam within 6 hours of the
download.
All uploads must be completed by 3:00 pm on March 14th.

MATERIALS
HC: MFC Exam Guidelines

HC: MFC Exam Template

Exam Download and Upload


Lumen And Absorb Team

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