Questions for Case: Living on Internet Time

1. (45 points) What are the similarities and differences between the four approaches to product development? What drives these differences?
   
   
2. (50 points) An old friend from college has come up with a great video game idea. The game would be aimed at high school and college students, and would allow them to play with or against each other on the Internet. The software would allow them to build cities in cyberspace, trade with each other, wage war, and engage in a variety of other activities. Your friend has a lot of experience with writing game software, but would like your help in designing a process for taking that idea to market. You have decided to accept this challenge (you love the idea.) Assume that you have funding for hiring enough (a half dozen or so) software developers, and any equipment that you might reasonably need. Specify the sequences of project phases, gates, and milestones, as well as any specific methodologies (user needs, contextual analysis, etc.) that you think you should use. Your process design should define the sequence of major product development activities.
   
   
3. (5 points): Formatting and cover page. See the following section for details
   

Formatting Guidelines for Writing up the Case Analysis
(Same for all cases to be analyzed this semester)

• Case Analysis Submission Instructions
  
• Submit assignment at the beginning of class.
  
• Cover Page
  

Assignment Title: Case Analysis Assignment

• Your full name:
  
• Course Title and Number – BUAD 477: Information Technology Applications in Marketing
  
• Semester: Spring 2005
  
• Assignment
  
• The assignment is to be written in the form of a memorandum addressed to the Instructor.
  
• Format:
  
• Text should be double-spaced and use a 12-Point Font
  
• 1 – inch margin on all sides
  
• Page Limit: Max. 5 Pages. - Not including cover page.
  
• Space saving hints
  
• Include Tables and other visuals in the appendix.
  
• Do not re-state information from the case. You can just refer to the information by stating the page number on which the information appears.
  
• Any format violation will be penalized with negative points.
  

• General Instructions for Written Assignment

• Papers will be evaluated for correct spelling, structure, grammar and punctuation.
  
• Remember, the spell and grammar checker on your computer does not catch everything.
  
• There is no substitute for careful proofreading to find typing and careless errors.
  
• If you use any information from external sources (print or otherwise), use a writer’s reference or writing style guidebook for assistance with effective writing or refer to the next section titled “Documenting Sources for an academic paper.”
  
• Written assignments are to be submitted with letter quality printing.
  

Documenting Sources for an Academic Research Paper

• As stated by Diana Hacker, the author of A Writer’s Reference, “In academic research papers and in any other writing that borrows information from sources, the borrowed information – quotations, summaries, paraphrases, and any other facts or ideas that are not common knowledge – must be documented.”
  
• See information on Plagiarism on Page 4 of Class Syllabus.
  
• Be careful not to copy words or paraphrase thoughts from the text, readings, or other sources.
  
• If you do use words or paraphrase thoughts from readings, text or other sources, you must properly document and cite your source of information.
  
• Use a writing style book, writer’s reference or a guide to writing research papers for specific guidelines for complete citations for books, articles, government publications, company annual reports, home pages, etc.
  
• As a general rule, provide as much information about the source as possible including author, editor, title, publication, publisher, date published, etc.
  

Examples to help with your assignments

• Book:
  Berkowitz, Eric N., et al. Marketing. 6th edition. Boston: Irwin McGraw–Hill, 2000.
  
• Article:
  Thurm, Scott. “Scanner Prices Plunge as Prices Soar.” Wall Street Journal December 17, 1998, Section B.
  
• World Wide Web Site:
  “History: Budweiser Through the Years…The Company Timeline.” Budweiser Homepage [Online]. Available: http://www.budweiser.com/archives.html [1999 Anheuser-Busch Inc., St. Louis, MO].
  

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Remember that there is no right or wrong answer. The emphasis of the discussion will be on the analysis of a number of issues in arriving at a “well-thought out” decision on the ideal strategies for Internet ventures.