Case Introduction
Within a short time frame, seven diverse team members have assembled to write a business plan for a new company (MGI) and are struggling to
-Define their roles,
-Make decisions together, and
-Resolve conflict.
Henry Tam, a second-year Harvard MBA student, joins the team along with a fellow classmate to enter the school's business plan contest. The founders of the company are two internationally accomplished musicians and a 1987 Harvard MBA, all Russian, who are trying to create, produce, and sell a unique computer-based music game. Conflict builds as the team generates a range of ideas about how to market their product, but has trouble agreeing on which ideas to pursue. Henry Tam wrestles with how to fix the problems that have hindered the team's progress.
Strengths of Team "On paper" as in before their first meeting
1. All the team members live in close proximity and are available for face-to-face, intense, frequent conversations to be held over long periods of time, that too in cramped places; the situation can be ideal to come up with creative ideas
English: Harvard Business School Baker Library 200...
English: Harvard Business School
English: Harvard Business School2. The team has been able to come up with a product that can "stretch" the expectations of the market consumers IF targeted correctly. Their product is likely to redefine the tastes and expectations raise the level of market acceptability.
3. Some of the members in the team particularly those that were a team member before going in the first meeting did actually have the expertise regarding the products.
Weaknesses of Team
1. The main problem of emphasis is that nobody amongst the team understands the fact that the "project" is no more regarding the product itself; it's about marketing the product and the later cant initiate properly before the former is done over with. Inclusion of Alexander and...