Master of Management Studies (M.M.S) Technology Strategy Syllabus - Mumbai University 2026

Course objectives

• 1 To familiarize students with foundational concepts and strategic management of technology within business.
• 2 To equip students with practical skills for assessing technological innovations and their strategic implications.
• 3 To develop analytical capabilities to formulate and execute effective technology- driven strategies.
• 4 To foster understanding of intellectual property management, technology transfer, and innovation management.
• 5 To cultivate insights into emerging technology trends, digital transformation, and competitive technology positioning.

Course outcomes

• CO1: Understand issues in using new technology to compete successfully
• CO2: Develop strategies to manage technology risks, identify market needs, commercialize new technologies, and compete successfully in the market
• CO3: Analyze timing of entry of new technology, issues in collaboration v/s Competition
• CO4: Evaluate different positions to exploit new technologies
• CO5: Create a business plan for a hypothetical start-up targeting an unmet need.

Unit 1 CO1, CO2 · 4 hours

Technology: definition; impact of technological change on strategy; the Technology Life Cycle; Schumpeterian competition;

Unit 2 CO1, CO2 · 6 hours

Technology Strategy – enables firms to create new value by targeting unmet needs; achieve lower costs than previously possible, possibility of new competitive positions and sources of competitive advantage

Unit 3 CO1, CO2 · 6 hours

Factors impacting technology strategy – risks and uncertainty; choices to commercialize new technology; approaches to driving technology growth and adoption; potential threats with maturing of technology

Unit 4 CO2, CO3, CO4 · 8 hours

Importance of complementary assets and ecosystems; choice of collaborating with competitors or fighting competitors for introducing new technology; importance of timing and question of first mover advantage; Network effects and switching costs; multi- homing costs

Unit 5 CO2, CO3, CO4 · 6 hours

Technology Strategy for Innovators – managing across the technology S-curve; alternative strategies to commercialize innovation; role of licensing, JV, strategic alliances, M&A; Joshua Gans & Scott Stern Framework – strength of intellectual property protection and relevance of complementary assets; alternative revenue model development and testing for innovators;

Unit 6 CO2. CO3, CO4 · 6 hours

Growth and Adoption of new innovation – challenges in the technology adoption life cycle; sustaining competitive advantage and bargaining power as technology evolves; methods of shaping the competitive environment

Unit 7 CO2, CO3, CO4 · 6 hours

Managing technological maturity – decision on transitioning to a new industry or exit the business

Unit 8 CO3, CO4 · 6 hours

Leader v/s Follower Strategy- first mover or wait and follow - role of customer lock-in, pre-empting scarce assets, sustaining technology advantage, achieving scale, rate of change of technology, control of valuable complementary assets

Unit 9 CO2, CO3, CO4 · 6 hours

Strategy for Existing Markets: strategies for incumbent and new entrants affected by new technology; role of incumbents - develop strategy road map, assess strategic implications of new technology, awareness of disruptive technologies, build entry barriers, develop complementary assets, respond to industry convergence; role of new entrants – create technological gap, build an installed base, sell complementary goods, shape customer perceptions about future installed base,

Unit 10 CO2, CO3, CO4 · 6 hours

Riding the new technology base – be ready for uncertainties, establish dominant design, commoditize elements of the ecosystem, create tech platforms

Text Books

• 1 Winning at New Product: Accelerating the Process from idea to Launch. 3e. Robert G. Cooper
• 2 Harvard Business Review on Aligning Technology with Strategy. Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation.

Reference Books

• 1 Everyday Chaos. Technology, Complexity, and How We’re Thriving in a New World of Possibility. David Weinberger. Harvard Business Review Press
• 2 The Keystone Advantage: What New Dynamics of Business Ecosystems Mean for Strategy, Innovation, and Sustainability. Marco Iansiti, Rod Levien. Harvard Business Review Press