Menlo Innovations: A New Approach to Workplace & Project Management
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Please note:
This case study was compiled from published sources, and is intended to be used as a basis for class discussion. It is not intended to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a management situation. Nor is it a primary information source.
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Case Details: |
Price: |
Case Code |
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OPER069 |
For delivery in electronic format: Rs.
300;
For delivery through courier (within India): Rs. 300 +Shipping & Handling Charges extraThemes
Project Management, Innovations, Workplace
flexibility |
Case Length |
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16 Pages |
Period |
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2001-2008 |
Organization |
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Menlo
Innovations |
Pub Date |
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2008 |
Teaching Note |
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Not Available |
Countries
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USA |
Industry |
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Computers, IT
and ITeS |
Abstract:
This case discusses software design and development company Menlo Innovations'
(Menlo) approach towards project management and innovation. Menlo's founder and
president, Richard Sheridan (Sheridan) established the company in association
with his colleagues based on Thomas Edison's Invention Factory. Sheridan
advocated the use of project management during software implementation. Menlo
adopted agile project management practices namely extreme programming that
helped it simultaneously run several projects successfully.
This required employees to work in pairs encouraging knowledge sharing and
learning from each other.
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Similar to Edison's Invention Factory, the
culture at Menlo was characterized by an open, flexible, and a
collaborative working environment.
The case also discusses Menlo's flexible workplace practices
that helped it in curbing attrition and employee retention while
its innovative approach to project management encouraged
employee engagement and led to innovation. However, a few
analysts opined that it remained to be seen whether Menlo's
flexible workplace approach could also be applied in a corporate
environment.
Issues:
» Understand how Sheridan and the other co-founders at Menlo fostered innovation
at the company.
» Compare and contrast Menlo's approach to project management with the practices
of traditional software project management.
» Understand the significance of project management in the success of a
company.
» Understand the rationale behind Sheridan adopting a flexible approach to
workplace based on Edison's Invention Factory.
» Understand how the implementation of an innovative working environment
benefits the company and the employees.
» Discuss the challenges faced in implementing such a system in a corporate
environment.
Contents:
Keywords:
Project management, Agile project management, Extreme
programming, Innovation, Business strategy, Workplace flexibility, Work-life
balance, Extreme interviewing, High-tech Anthropology, Organizational culture,
Team building, Employee retention, Employee engagement, Information technology,
Software development
A New Kind of Workplace
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