595.781.8VL - Executive Technical Leadership

Course Structure

Overall Course Content Structure:

• On-line Asynchronous Lectures/Videos
• Virtual-Live Discussions on Module Focused Topical Questions
• Case Studies, Team Presentations, Practicing Executive Interviews, (Virtual) Live Presentations
• Mid-Course Presentation - Technical Strategy
• Capstone Day Presentation and Executive Round-Table - Technical Strategy Update, Execution Plan and “Ask” for funding; Visiting Executives role-play a Board of Directors

• Pre-recorded lectures 
• Boeing 777 Project -  focused video excerpts
• Recorded interviews of currently practicing technical executives to illustrate key teaching points with real-life experiences
• Selected articles and podcasts from prominent business journals and books *
• Virtual-live discussion based on case study progression through each module
• Real-time role-playing interaction with professors

Course Topics

• Course Introduction
• Strategy and Execution Framework
• Senior Technical Executive Roles
• Giving Persuasive Presentations
• Market/Customer Needs
• Business Environment
• Competitive Position
• Innovation
• Strategy and Business Design
• Processes and Infrastructure
• People and Skills
• Organization and Governance
• Transformation
• Execution and Sustainment

Course Goals

• Lead the development of a strategic technical plan 
• Preserve/enhance existing, hopefully money-making businesses
• Make sound decisions based on multiple factors
• Create execution plans to achieve the strategic plan
• Work collaboratively with other senior executives
• Present a persuasive strategic investment case to a board of directors

Textbooks

This course has no required textbook.   All course materials are provided via EReserves from the JHU Library. The link to eReserves can be found in the left hand pane of the Blackboard window.   eReserve materials can filtered by module.

Required Software

The University provides all the necessary IT tools via Office 365 (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, OneDrive), Zoom and Microsoft Teams.  Access to Microsoft Project can be provided on request.

Student Coursework Requirements

It is expected that each class will take up approximately 8 - 14 hours per week to complete. Here is an approximate breakdown:
▪ reading the assigned material (approximately 3 - 5 hours per week)
▪ listening to the audio annotated slide presentations and videos (approximately 2 - 4 hours per week)
▪ preparation and participation in seminar-type discussions (approximately 3 - 5 hours per week)

Course Introduction Assignment – individual assignment (less than 2 hours) .
Technical Executive Strategy and Execution Summary – individual assignment (less than 2 hours)
One (1) team presentation (mid-semester) (approximately 6 hours including preparation and participation)
Participation in the Saturday seminar/team presentation at JHU facility (approximately 8 hours either in- person or virtual-live)

This course is intended to build technical leadership fundamentals as a capstone experience requiring application of the material and demonstrating critical thinking. Therefore, it is anticipated to require a larger time demand than other courses, with particular attention to the team mandatory weekly seminar-type discussions, team presentations, and participation in the executive round-table discussion at the end of the semester.

This course will consist of four basic student requirements:
1. Class Discussions (Team Work / Team Grade) The discussion assignments are part of a semester-long case study where you will assume the responsibilities of a Technical Executive as the case unfolds with situations that are structured to uncover and illustrate foundational topics presented in the strategic and execution framework. Your team will be given a specific question or issue and asked to prepare your perspective from the Technical Executive’s role. Attendance at the scheduled virtual-live discussion is mandatory. You will be assessed on your understanding of the issue and application of the concepts presented in that respective course module.
2. Mid-Course Team Presentations (Team Work / Team Grade) The case study will progress through the first half of the course with emphasis on opportunities and challenges facing an organization, leading to a significant strategic decision., Your team will present the background and issues facing the organization and the approach you, as the Technical Executive, are taking to reach a strategic decision on how to proceed. Leadership of the discussion is expected to be rotated amongst the team, with all participating.
3. Capstone Team Presentation (Team Work / Team Grade) The case study will progress through the remainder of the course with second-half emphasis on execution of the course of action identified by the instructors and execution approaches developed by the student teams. Your team will present a summary of the case, the direction taken, the technical executive execution actions taken that complete the strategy and execution framework.
4. Technical Executive Strategy and Execution Summary (Individual Grade) Each student will be asked to elect a Technical Executive Role and provide a 2 – 5 page description of how the fundamentals presented in the case would be applied by that role in the context of the case study. Evaluation will be based on a comprehensive understanding of the strategy and execution concepts, identification of these key topics as seen through the eyes of the selected Technical Executive, and summary rationale for any recommendations presented.

Grading Policy

Course Evaluation

The team presentation is evaluated by the following grading elements:

1. Preparation and participation (as described in Team Presentation assignment)
2. Understanding of the team presentation topic
3. Application of fundamentals as presented in the course to date
4. Collaboration between the different senior executive teams
5. Presentation of technical executive level insight, decisions, actions and risks

• 100–90 = A—Student Preparation and Participation/ Team Preparation and Participation [individual/ team roles and responsibilities well defined and understood; individual/ team well versed in use of Zoom; individual/ team work product(s) agreed to and presentation with a “single voice”, well prepared and available to all team members/ instructors]; Student Understanding/ Team Understanding/Presentation [rich in content; full of thought, insight, and analysis].
• 89–80 = B—Student Preparation and Participation/ Team Preparation and Participation [individual/ team roles and responsibilities well defined and understood; individual/ team well versed in use of Zoom; individual/ team work product(s) agreed to and prepared]; Student Understanding/ Team Understanding/Presentation [substantial information; thought, insight, and analysis has taken place.
• 79–70 = C—Student Preparation and Participation/ Team Preparation and Participation [individual/ team roles and responsibilities agreed to; individual/ team well versed in use of Zoom; individual/ team work product(s) prepared]; Student Understanding/ Team Understanding/Presentation [generally competent; information is thin and generalized vs. specific to the case study].
• 63-69 = D—Student Preparation and Participation/ Team Preparation and Participation [individual/ team roles and responsibilities vague; individual/ team adequately versed in use of Zoom; individual/ team work product(s) prepared, but incomplete]; Student Understanding/ Team Understanding/Presentation [partially competent; information is sparse and highly generalized vs. specific to the case study]. ​

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.