A New Product Development Process: William and Mary’s Experiment in MBA Development

Abstract

For decades, business schools have advocated product development processes that utilize trans-organizational, cross-function teams.Is it time for business schools to apply this model to our own product: MBA graduates?In this paper, we describe the trans-organizational, team-based approach that has transformed product development in many industries.We then discuss whether a comparable model might be applied to business education, its benefits and costs, and the unique characteristics of academic institutions that could complicate this effort.Finally, we present an effort at trans-organizational, team-based design and development currently underway in the Resident MBA Program at the College of William and Mary.