MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

15.904 - Advanced Strategic Management

Fall 2013 (H2) Syllabus version 10/28/2013
Professor Michael Cusumano
Office: E62-438, Tel. 617-253-2574
Email: cusumano@mit.edu
Profile: http://web.mit.edu/cusumano/www/

Monday & Wednesday, 4-5:30 PM

Classroom: E62-223
Assistant: Petra Aliberti (E62-431)
Email: aliberti@mit.edu
Tel. 617-253-6679

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TA: Kenny Ching (Sloan PhD program, TIES)

Office: E62-359, Tel. 617-253-6620
Email: kching@mit.edu
Profile: http://mitei.mit.edu/education/fellowships/society-energy-fellows/kenny-ching
TA: Joshua Krieger (Sloan PhD program, TIES)
Office: E62-367
Email: jkrieger@mit.edu

Introductory

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This is a half-semester course that builds on the basic MBA strategic management subject
15.900 (or 15.902 for the Sloan Fellows, as well as comparable courses taught at other business
schools). We focus on a few key concepts and practices that have influenced and continue to
shape the field of strategic management teaching and research in business schools, application
in companies, and practice in consulting firms. We also explore several enduring principles or
big ideas that should help firms remain competitive over long periods of time by enhancing their
ability to adapt to uncertainty and unforeseen change. This class is suitable for anyone interested
in becoming a senior manager or entering the field of consulting. It is a prerequisite to have taken
a prior basic strategy course, at MIT or elsewhere. As a half-term course, we will meet for 12 80minute sessions. It is essential to come to each session.
Please note that no auditors or listeners are permitted except for some visiting faculty, space
permitting. All students must be registered for credit in order to attend this class.
Office hours are by appointment. I am available to meet with all students several days per
week, so please feel free to contact me or my assistant Petra via email.
Grading and Professional Standards
Grading will consist of 30% from class attendance and participation and 70% from two short
individually written reaction papers. Late papers will be penalized by a half grade (+ or -). Extra
participation credit will also be given to volunteers for the student teams described below.
Guidelines for the Two Reaction Papers
The two reaction papers are short individually written essays (3 pages maximum, singlespaced, readable font). These provide an opportunity to explore topics in the cases, readings, and
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class discussions in more depth. The goal is to go beyond what we do in class and bring in a more
personal point of view from work experience or material learned in other classes or outside of
class. In each paper, you should discuss one or more of the key points in the readings (required or
recommended or both) and class discussions through your additional personal lens. Each paper is
due by midnight on the assigned day, as noted in the syllabus. Reaction Paper 1 (due midnight
November 17) should cover sessions 1 through 5; Reaction Paper 2 (due midnight December 15)
should cover sessions 6 through 12. Papers should be uploaded on Stellar under the <Homework>
section.

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Student Teams
We will also organize several student teams to add to the class discussion and case analyses.
The focus will be to identify best-practice examples of firms or other organizations to illustrate the
topic of the day, as noted in the syllabus. The presentation and discussion will be limited to no
more than 15-20 minutes. The student team will need to meet with the instructor before the class
to discuss the presentation content. We will give extra participation credit for contributing to these
teams. The TAs will send out a notice for volunteers after the first couple of class sessions.
Expectations
This tends to be a very large, fully enrolled class, though I also have added one more section
in spring H2 2014. It has been difficult for everyone to participate and we are often short of time.
Therefore, we need to use our time as efficiently as possible. I also expect all students to follow
strictly the Values at Sloan professional standards guidelines. See the appendix to this syllabus.

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In particular, please try to adhere to the following: Come on time, though I prefer you to be
late rather than to miss the class. Try not to disrupt our discussions or presentations by leaving
the room during the class except for a restroom emergency. Please raise your hand before
speaking. Please come prepared (do the reading in advance, especially any cases or companies
assigned). I will occasionally cold call students as well as ask for volunteers. Do not use
computers or phones in class unless you are checking a class reading on Stellar or the web. If
you need to come late or leave early, please let me or the TA know in advance. We will have an
attendance sheet each day; make sure to sign it! Thanks.
Required Books and Readings (available in the Coop and on reserve in Dewey Library):
Digital course packet (available on Study.net course site)
Other readings posted on Stellar
M. Cusumano, Staying Power (Oxford, 2012 paperback or 2010 hardcover, and on reserve)
Recommended Books (available in the Coop and on reserve in Dewey Library):
W. Kiechel, The Lords of Strategy (2010, hardcover)
N. Taleb, Fooled by Randomness (2004, paperback edition)
P. Rosensweig, The Halo Effect (2007, paperback)

15.904 Lecture and Readings Outline (Fall 2013 H2)

1. The Evolution of Strategic Management [Oct. 28]
The objective for this session is to create a common understanding of basic concepts and a common
vocabulary related to strategic management. We will cover the different levels of strategy, the most
common tools and concepts used in the field, and how strategy teaching, research, and consulting
practice have evolved over the past several decades.
Lecture & Discussion The Evolution of Strategic Thinking and Practice

Recommended for Your Bookshelf:

W. Kiechel, The Lords of Strategy (2010).
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You can get some idea of the contents from the excerpts in the HBS Bulletin review. G. Emmons, ed., Lords of
Strategy: Inventing Business Great Game, Harvard Alumni Bulletin, March 2010
(http://www.alumni.hbs.edu/bulletin/2010/march/strategy.html) (course packet)

Study & Discussion Guide Questions

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What is a good definition of the term strategy? What is a good definition of the term capabilities? How
should the two concepts relate to each other?
What tools and concepts in the strategy field seem to be the most enduring and valuable?
How have consulting practices, economic theory, and organization theory been merged to form the current basis
of strategic thinking?
How much does the industry or segment in which a firm competes matter? How much does the role of the
individual manager matter?

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Required Reading:
P. Ghemawat, Competition and Business Strategy in Historical Perspective, Business History
Review 76 (Spring 2002), pp. 37-74. (Stellar)
M. Cusumano, Staying Power (2012), Introduction (pp. 1-21) and chapter 3 intro (pp. 114-119)

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2. Crown Cork & Seal and the Legacy of John Connelly [Oct. 30]
The objective for this session is to discuss a classic case in the field of strategic management, Crown
Cork & Seal, when led by legendary CEO John Connelly. We will see how to apply some of the key
concepts and tools taught in the strategy field as well as their limitations and the importance of senior
management judgment and leadership.
Case: Crown Cork & Seal (CC&S)

Required Reading:
Harvard Business School, Crown Cork & Seal, Inc., Case #378-024 (Study.net)
Crown Holdings, Inc., Annual Report 2012 (Stellar)

Study & Discussion Guide Questions

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What does a 5-forces analysis tell you about the metal container industry?
What strategy did Crown Cork & Seals competitors adopt? What strategy did CC&S adopt?
What distinctive capabilities did Crown Cork seem to have? Did these precede or come after the refinement of
the business strategy?
How important was John Connelly to the success of Crown Cork?
What strategy did Crown Cork adopt after Connellys departure, especially in recent years?

___________________________________________________________________________

3. Blue Ocean Strategy & Level 5 Leadership Class Exercise [Nov. 4]

The objective for this session is to evaluate the arguments and the evidence in two recent articles
based on best-selling management books Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee
Mauborgne and Level 5 Leadership by Jim Collins.
Small Group in-Class Exercise

Required Reading:
W. C. Kim and R. Mauborgne, Blue Ocean Strategy, Harvard Business Review, October 2004
(Stellar)
Jim Collins, Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve, Harvard Business
Review, January 2001 reprinted 2005 (Stellar)

Study & Discussion Guide Questions

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What is the main argument in the Blue Ocean Strategy article? What is the evidence?
What is the main argument in the Level 5 leadership article? What is the evidence?
Apart from the evidence, how useful are the ideas in the Blue Ocean strategy and Level-5 leadership articles?
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4. Performance: Randomness, Survivor Bias, and the Halo Effect [Nov. 6]

The objectives for this session are to discuss how randomness, survivor bias, and halo effects
impact company performance and our understanding. We will also review again the Blue Ocean
strategy and Level 5 Leadership studies.

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Lecture & Discussion Performance: Randomness, Survivor Bias, and the Halo Effect

Required Reading:
P. Rosensweig, Misunderstanding the Nature of Company Performance: The Halo Effect and Other
Business Delusions, California Management Review, August 2007 (Stellar)
Malcolm Gladwell, Department of Finance: Blowing up, The New Yorker, April 22 and 29, 2002
(Discussion of Nassim Taleb and his book Fooled by Randomness) (Stellar)
M. Cusumano, Staying Power (2010), Appendix I (pp. 314-326)
B. Protess, House Report Says Corzines Risky Bets Aided Fall, NY Times, Nov. 2012 (Stellar)

Recommended for Your Bookshelf:

N. Taleb, Fooled by Randomness (2004 or later paperback edition)

NOTE: Some people may have read N. Taleb, The Black Swan (2007). Fooled by Randomness is the more
general treatment of this subject of randomness and chance and introduces the idea of the black swan.

P. Rosensweig, The Halo Effect (2007)

Study & Discussion Guide Questions

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How would Rosensweig and Taleb (as explained by Taleb himself or the summary in Malcom Gladwell)
evaluate the research behind the arguments in Blue Ocean strategy and Level-5 leadership?
What does Cusumanos Appendix in Staying Power add to their perspectives?
How should we interpret the strategic thinking and leadership capabilities of Jon Corzine?
________________________________________________________________________

5. The Cuban Missile Crisis: Lessons for Strategic Management [Nov. 13]
The objectives for this session are review the key events, personalities, and decisions behind the Cuban
Missile Crisis in 1962, and draw lessons from this crisis for strategic thinking, leadership, and strategic
management. You are expected to view two videos at home and come prepared to discuss the study and
discussion guide questions in class. We will also view some of the video excerpts in class.
Required Viewing AT HOME: Two Videos
(1) Three Men Go To War
http://video.pbs.org/video/2289498535/
Aired: 10/23/2012 Length: 55:42
Premiering on the 50th anniversary of the missile crisis, "Cuban Missile Crisis: Three Men Go to
War" focuses on three central figures in the crisis President John F. Kennedy, Soviet Premier
Nikita Khrushchev and Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

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(2) Secrets of the Dead: The Man Who Saved the World.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VPY2SgyG5w
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/transcripts/the-who-saved-the-world-program-transcript/907/
Aired: 11/11/2012 Length: 53:08
This film explores the dramatic and little-known events that unfolded inside a nuclear-armed Soviet
submarine during the Cuban Missile Crisis. While politicians sought a solution to the stand-off, Vasili
Arkhipov, an officer aboard the submarine, refused to fire a nuclear torpedo, thus averting disaster.

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Required Reading
MIT Sloan Strategy Group, Notes on Graham Allison, The Essence of Decision (Stellar)
Recommended Reading
Graham Allison, Conceptual Models and the Cuban Missile Crisis, American Political Science
Review, Vol. 63, Issue 3 (Sept. 1969), pp. 689-718 (focus on understanding the three Models and how
they differ, and the implications pp. 689-691 and 715-718). (Stellar)

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Study & Discussion Guide Questions

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Recount the Cuban missile crisis from the various perspectives how each viewed the situation, with different
information, and different options: President Kennedy, Chairman Kruschev, Fidel Castro, U.S. military, Soviet
military, and the Soviet submarine commanders, especially Vasili Arkhipov.
In what ways did randomness, information, bias, and individual judgment play critical roles in the crisis? What
measures did the US and Soviet institutions and leaders use to counteract randomness, poor information, or poor
individual judgments that might have led to a disastrous outcome?
What are Graham Allisons three Models and how do they help, or hinder, interpretations of the Cuban Missile
Crisis? Where do we find these same models in the strategy field?
What are the key lessons from the crisis for managers in any organization, but especially firms, for thinking about
strategy and strategic management?
________________________________________________________________________

REACTION PAPER 1 DUE MIDNIGHT NOVEMBER 17

6. Dynamic View of Capabilities: The Case of IBM [Nov. 18]

The objectives for this session are to discuss how a firm and its leadership can improve the strategy
making and planning processes as well as technical and organizational capabilities for execution. We will
examine the case of IBM, which has survived ups and downs for more than 100 years.
Case: IBM
Student Team IBM Update & Critique

Required Reading:
J. B. Harreld, C. A. OReilly III, and M. L. Tushman, Dynamic Capabilities at IBM (California
Management Review, Summer 2007) (Study.net)
M. Cusumano, section on IBM: One Hundred Years of Customer Solutions, in The Business of
Software (2004), pp. 97-108 (Stellar)
S. Lohr, IBM Mainframe Evolves to Serve Digital World, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2012 (Stellar)
IBM Corp. 2012 Annual report (Stellar), skim strategy and capabilities discussion

Study & Discussion Guide Questions

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From reading about IBMs history, what seem to be the most important factors that explain why the company
has survived and usually thrived for more than 100 years?
What happened within IBM that made it increasingly difficult to exploit new opportunities and adapt to changes
in technology and markets during the 1980s and 1990s?
What particular changes did CEO Lou Gerstner and his team introduce to improve the strategy process and
execution structure after the mid-1990s?
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7. Dynamic View of Strategy: Process and Execution [Nov. 20]

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The objectives for this session are to understand some of the best ideas about how to link strategy
formulation with planning and execution. We also want to understand why it is so useful to view both
strategic management and capabilities development as dynamic evolving periodically as markets,
customers, technologies, competitors, and elements change or as unpredictable events unfold. We will
also devote some of the class session to a short (e.g. 20-minute) discussion led by a student team.
Lecture & Discussion A Dynamic View of Strategy and Capabilities
Student Team Commentary on Dynamic Strategy & Planning Processes

Required Reading:
C. Markides, A Dynamic View of Strategy, MIT Sloan Management Review, Spring 1999 (Stellar)
C. Christensen and M. Raynor, Managing the Strategy Development Process, from The Innovators
Solution (2006), chapter 8 (Stellar)
R. Kaplan and D. Norton, Using the Balanced Scorecard as a Strategic Management System,
Harvard Business Review, 2007 reprint (Stellar)

Study & Discussion Guide Questions

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What are the key arguments and examples in the Markides article?
What are the key arguments and examples in the Christensen and Raynor chapter?
How do these two readings add to our understanding of the IBM case?
What is most valuable about the Balanced Scorecard process? What are the potential difficulties?
________________________________________________________________________

8. Platforms and Multi-Sided Markets [Nov. 25]

The objective for this session is to introduce the Staying Power framework of six principles and then have
a deeper discussion on the first principle: the importance for managers to understand how to compete in
markets dominated by industry-wide platforms. These are markets where there is a foundation technology
(it could also be a set of services) around which multiple firms build their own complementary products
and services, generating network effects between the users, the platform, and the complements. These
markets also generally have more than one side to them, which makes for more complex strategies,
business models, and monetization opportunities.
Lecture & Discussion Platforms, Not Just Products
Required Reading:
M. Cusumano, Staying Power, Chapter 1 on Platforms (pp. 22-67)
T. Eisenmann et al. Strategies for Two-Sided Markets, Harvard Business Review, October 2006,
pp. 1-10 (Stellar)

Study & Discussion Guide Questions

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Why is the word platform so commonly used? What does it generally mean?
What is the difference between a company or product platform and an industry platform?
In what contexts do we see industry platforms and platform battlegrounds?
How can an industry platform generate network effects? What can firms do to increase these network effects or
encourage markets to tip in their direction?

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___________________________________________________________________
November 27 No Class Due to Thanksgiving Holiday Nov. 28
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9. Services and the Product Lifecycle [Dec. 2]

The objective for this session is to introduce the second Staying Power principle: the importance for
managers, especially in companies making commonly available products or services, to understand how
to de-commoditize their offerings or expand their markets through value-added, personalized services or
service-like versions of products. Many products also can become platforms that generate more demand
for services than the products themselves. We will also devote some of the class session to a short (e.g.
20-minute) discussion led by a student team on the analysis of Yahoo from a platform and services
perspective.
Lecture & Discussion Services, Not Just Products (or Platforms)
Case: Yahoo and CEO Marissa Mayer (please review website http://www.yahoo.com/)
Student Team Analysis of Yahoo Platform and Service Options

Required Reading:
M. Cusumano, Staying Power, Chapter 2 on Services (pp. 68-84, 108-113)
Davies, T. Brady, and M. Hobday, Charting a Path Toward Integrated Solutions, MIT Sloan
Management Review, spring 2006, pp. 39-48 (Stellar)

Yahoo Case:
Brad Stone, Can Marissa Mayer Save Yahoo? Bloomberg Business Week, August 5-11, 2013, pp.
45-49 (Stellar)
Yahoo Inc., Form 10-K (Annual Report), 2012, pp. 1-11, 31-44 (Stellar)
Recommended for Your Bookshelf:
M. Cusumano, Staying Power, Chapter 2 on Services (pp. 85-107)
M. Cusumano, Can Services and Platform Thinking Help the US Postal Service? Communications
of the ACM April 2012, vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 21-23 (Stellar)

Study & Discussion Guide Questions

What are services becoming more important for many product firms?
What different types of services might a product firm offer?
What are some examples of firms, in addition to IBM, that have pursued integrated solutions to fight off
product commoditization? How does the Davies et. al. article recommend that firms reorganize to deliver such
solutions more effectively?
4. What is the platform at Yahoo? (Please review website http://www.yahoo.com/).
5. For either individual consumers or enterprises, what new products and services, or integrated solutions
(multiple products plus company-specific services) might Yahoo offer that, potentially, (a) leverage the existing
Yahoo platform and (b) might generate direct or indirect network effects?
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10. Capabilities & Pull Concepts [Dec. 4]

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The objective for this session is to introduce the third and fourth Staying Power principles: the importance
for managers to understand the value of capabilities as well as how to utilize pull concepts in planning,
operations, and product development. We will also devote some of the class session to a short (e.g. 20minute) discussion led by a student team, which will continue the analysis of Yahoo.

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Lecture & Discussion Capabilities and Pull Concepts Applied to Strategy & Operations
Student Team Analysis of Capabilities at Yahoo Compared to Other Internet Companies

Required Reading:
M. Cusumano, Staying Power, pp. 114-132, 149-155; 156-178, 196-201 (focus on Nissan-Toyota
sections in chapters 3 and 4).
George Anders, Inside Amazons Idea Machine: How Bezos Decodes the Customer, Forbes.com,
April 4, 2012 http://www.forbes.com/sites/georgeanders/2012/04/04/inside-amazon/
Steven Levy, Googles Larry Paige on Why Moon Shots Matter, Wired.com, January 17. 2013
http://www.wired.com/business/2013/01/ff-qa-larry-page/all/

Study & Discussion Guide Questions

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What are the most striking differences between Nissan and Toyota in their strategies for building capabilities,
going back to the early years of the companies? How did the impact their capacities for innovation, particularly
the use of pull vs. push in production management?
How can we generalize the concepts of push vs. pull in other aspects of management, ranging from strategy to
operations and marketing?
What might Yahoo learn from other Internet firms such as Amazon and Google in terms of thinking more
deeply about distinctive capabilities and utilizing user data generated from their platforms to conceive, develop,
and market new products and services?
________________________________________________________________________________

11. Economies of Scope & Strategic Flexibility [Dec. 9]

The objective for this session is to introduce the fifth and sixth Staying Power principles: the importance
for managers to understand how to manage for economies of scope and flexibility, not just scale and
efficiency. Economies of scope involve leveraging knowledge and assets of the firm across different
products, projects, customer engagements, and divisions. Flexibility can be seen in all aspects of the firm
strategy, structure, and decision making. We will also link these concepts to a broader discussion of
corporate diversification and new business development.
Lecture & Discussion Economies of Scope and Flexibility
Case: Tencent
Student Team Tencent Update & Critique

Required Reading:
M. Cusumano, Staying Power, pp. 204-208, 227-248; 249-256, 276-290
A. Farhoomand, Tencents Business Model, The Asia Case Research Center, University of Hong
Kong, Case #1003 (HBS Publishing), 2013 (Study.net)
See also Geekwire, Chinas WeChat: The Hottest App You Havent Used Yet (August 1, 2013)
http://www.geekwire.com/2013/chinas-wechat-takes-free-mobile-messaging-app-world/

Study & Discussion Guide Questions

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How are economies of scope important both within a business as well as at the corporate level?
What are the different types of flexibility? How can managers implement these different types of flexibility?
What are your key takeaways from the Netscape example and the short discussion of Judo strategy?
What is Tencents business model? How does it generate revenues?
Why did Tencent diversify into e-commerce? Where are the economies of scope in this move? How do they
compare to the economies of scope Tencent has generated with its other products and services?
What should Tencent management do to improve the e-commerce initiative?

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________________________________________________________________________________

12. Wrap-Up: Mastering Strategy [Dec. 11]

Lecture & Discussion TBD

Student Team Wrap-up Key Takeaways and Future of Strategy Field?

Required Reading:
M. Cusumano, Staying Power, pp. 291-313.
D. Yoffie and M. Cusumano, Introduction to Masters of Strategy manuscript
D. Epstein, The Sports Gene, Sports Illustrated, July 29, 2013, pp. 55-62

Study & Discussion Guide Questions

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After reading Staying Power and other materials this term, what do you think are the most important
characteristics of firms that show the ability to compete successfully over long periods of time?
Yoffie and Cusumano also describe principles or skill sets associated with becoming masters of strategy,
based on their study of Bill Gates, Andy Grove, and Steve Jobs. What skills seem most important to you?
How might the Epstein article on The Sports Gene apply to great strategists?

REACTION PAPER 2 DUE MIDNIGHT DECEMBER 15

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Classroom Values@MITSloan

The MIT Sloan Mission

http://mitsloan.mit.edu/about/mission.php

The mission of the MIT Sloan School of Management is to develop principled, innovative leaders who
improve the world and to generate ideas that advance management practice.

MIT Sloan Policy on Classroom Behavior

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Values@MIT Sloan
https://sloanpoint.mit.edu/administration/values/Pages/default.aspx
The MIT Sloan Mission statement (above) provides the context for core values that express who we are
at our best. These core values include integrity, respect, collaboration, innovation, and positive
impact. We invite all members of our community students, staff, faculty, alumni to practice these
values in all the ways we work together, both inside and outside of the classroom.

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In order to create a productive learning environment and to ensure mutual respect it is essential that the norms
and rules of classroom etiquette and behavior reflect the highest standards. It is also important that these norms
be consistently enforced by the faculty across all classes. Although in the final analysis each faculty member is
responsible for his or her own classroom, there are significant negative consequences for other faculty and for the
School if rules are not consistent and are not enforced. Therefore it is the policy of the MIT Sloan School that
Students are expected to arrive promptly on time and to stay for the entire class.

Faculty are expected to begin and end class on time.

Laptops and e-readers not be open in the classroom except with explicit permission of the faculty (e.g.,
when used to deliver an e-course pack or otherwise used as part of the instructional program or when
required by students because of physical or other challenges)

Cellphones and PDAs are not to be used or permitted to ring in the classroom.

Students are expected to attend all classes.

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It is expected that faculty will articulate how these rules apply in their class as well as how the rules will be
enforced.

MIT Sloan Career Development Office Recruiting Policy

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Students are required to schedule campus interviews outside of scheduled class times and to make
every attempt to schedule second round interviews and site visits outside of class times. Classes missed
for such activities are not excused absences and may count against your participation grade.
ACADEMIC HONESTY INTEGRITY IN PRACTICE
As a member of the MIT Sloan academic community, you are expected to uphold the highest standards
of academic integrity. Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, cheating,
plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, and facilitating academic dishonesty. Please see the document
Academic Integrity at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: A Handbook for Students for further
discussion of this topic. These standards are also discussed below, specifically regarding plagiarism,
individual work, and team work.

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It is your responsibility to make yourself aware of MITs rules of academic integrity and to adhere to
them. When students are found to have violated academic standards, disciplinary action will result.
Possible consequences include grade reduction, an F grade, a transcript notation, delay of graduation, or
expulsion from MIT.
This discussion of academic integrity below is not exhaustive, and there may be areas that remain
unclear to you. If you are unsure whether some particular course of action is proper, it is your
responsibility to consult with your professor and/or teaching assistant for clarification.

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Plagiarism
Plagiarism occurs when you use another's intellectual property (words or ideas) and do not acknowledge
that you have done so. Plagiarism is a very serious offense. If it is found that you have plagiarized -deliberately or inadvertently -- you will face serious consequences, as indicated above.

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The best way to avoid plagiarism is to cite your sources - both within the body of your assignment and in
a bibliography of sources you used at the end of your document.
Materials gathered through research via the Internet must be cited in the same manner as more
traditionally published material. Lack of such citation constitutes plagiarism.
To review rules of citation: http://libguides.mit.edu/content.php?pid=80743&sid=598642
Individual Assignments
Many assignments in MIT Sloan courses are expected to be done individually. The information below
outlines what is meant by individual work. These rules should be observed unless otherwise defined
by the instructor.
When you are asked to do individual work, you are expected to adhere to the following standards:

Do not copy all or part of another students work (with or without permission).
Do not allow another student to copy your work.
Do not ask another person to write all or part of an assignment for you.
Do not work together with another student in order to answer a question, or solve a problem, or
write a computer program jointly.

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Do not consult or submit work (in whole or in part) that has been completed by other students
in this or previous years for the same or substantially the same assignment.
Do not use print or internet materials directly related to a case/problem set unless explicitly
authorized by the instructor.
Do not use print or internet materials without explicit quotation and/or citation.
Do not submit the same, or similar, piece of work for two or more subjects without the explicit
approval of the two or more instructors involved.

Please note that many classes will require a combination of team work and individual work. Be sure that
you follow all the guidelines for individual work when a faculty member identifies an assignment as an
individual one.

Type 1 collaboration:

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Team Assignments
When you are asked to work in teams, there is a broad spectrum of faculty expectations. Three general
types of appropriate collaboration on team assignments are described below. The instructor will
indicate in the syllabus what his/her expectations are. If there is any uncertainty, it is the students
responsibility to clarify with the professor or TA the type of team work that is expected.

The professor states that collaboration is allowed, but the final product must be individual. An example
of this might be a problem set.

You are allowed to discuss the assignment with other team members and work through the
problems together.
What you turn in, however, must be your own product, written in your own handwriting, or in a
computer file of which you are the sole author.
Copying anothers work or electronic file is not acceptable.

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Type 2 collaboration:

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The professor states that collaboration is encouraged but that each person's contribution to a given
deliverable does not have to be substantial (allowing groups to take a "divide and conquer" approach).
An example of this might be a brief progress report that is part of a more extensive collaboration (as a
whole, the more extensive collaboration may be Type 3).

Each team member is encouraged to contribute substantially to the team assignment, however,
the team may choose to assign one or more team members to prepare and submit the
deliverable on behalf of the team.
Regardless of how work is shared or responsibilities are divided among individual team
members, each member of the team will be held accountable for the academic integrity of the
entire assignment. If, for example, one member of the team submits plagiarized work on behalf
of the team, the entire team will be subject to sanctions as appropriate.
The team may not collaborate with other students outside of the team unless the professor
explicitly permits such collaboration.

Type 3 collaboration:

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The professor states that collaboration is expected and that each team member must contribute
substantially to the deliverable. An example of this might be the 15.311 OP project.

Each team member must make a substantial contribution to the assignment. It is not, for
example, acceptable to divide the assignments amongst the team members (e.g., part of the
team completes the OP Project while the rest of the team prepares a team case for DMD),
though the team may divide the work of any one assignment to complete it as they deem
appropriate.
The team may not collaborate with other students outside of the team unless the professor
explicitly permits such collaboration.

Fa

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2

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If you are unsure whether some particular form of interaction is proper in individual or team work, it is
your responsibility to consult the instructor and/or teaching assistant for clarification and guidance.

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