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

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FALL, 2009: NSCI 610 - ENGI 610 - MANAGEMENT FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

T-Th 6:00 - 7:30 PM
and 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, September 26, 2009

Dell Butcher Hall - BH 180

Course Description

Course Module Schedule

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

Office Hours: Individual module instructors will assign office hours

 Cross-reference numbers are NSCI 610 and ENGI 610

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Course Description

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.   It is intended that students who take this course will be eligible for MGMT 625 taught by Dennis Murphree of Murphree Venture Partners. The purpose of MGMT 625 is the selection of a student team from the 8 to 10 teams normally in the class to participate in the Rice University Business Plan Competition held in the spring of each year.

NSCI 610/ENGI 610 is team taught to provide insight into how technology oriented firms manage people, projects, accounting, marketing, strategy, intellectual property, organizations and entrepreneurship.   A variety of methods will be used to explain the concepts and practices of management including; readings, case discussions, exercises, guest speakers, two written assignments and a leadership movie.   Student active participation is essential for most sessions and will carry 95% weight in determining grades.   The team written assignment on project management will carry 5%.

The major topics include:  

Organizational Behavior and Leadership.   Ten single sessions plus one double session, a Saturday class.   (Professor 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.   Two sessions. (Professor Harry Wilkinson and Ms. Adrienne Bond). 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.   Three sessions.   (Ms. Merrie Phinney - Administaff)   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.

Intellectual Property.   Three 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.   Four sessions.   (Professor Harry Wilkinson, )   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, Effectiveness & Entrepreneurship in High Technology Organizations.   Four sessions.   (Professors Andrew Barron, Al Napier, Dr. Lewis Norman and Mr. Chris Coker) This module is 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. This module is intended to provide students a bridge to the spring 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-eight single sessions and one double session (Saturday class) for a total of thirty; therefore:  

Leadership, 12/30	40%
High Technology Organization, 2/30	6%
Project Management, 3/30	9%
Intellectual Property, 3/30	9%
Accounting, 4/30	13%
Marketing, 2/30	6%
Strategy, Effectiveness, Entrepreneurship 4/30	12 %
Written Team Assignment: Project Management	5%
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.   Search terms

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Module Schedule

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