E140A - Session 8

Summary

The Genomic Health case provides an opportunity to examine entrepreneurship in the life sciences (e.g. biotech and medical devices).

Guest

Required Reading (Policy on Required Readings.)

• Case: Genomic Health (Purchase here)
• Case Opening: Team #1

Suggested Readings

• Harvard Business Review Article: "Realizing the Promise of Personalized Medicine" by Mara G. Aspinall and Richard G. Hamermesh, October 2007, Volume 85, Issue 10, p108-117 (see here for directions on downloading this article)

Study Questions (Policy on Study Questions.)

1. Per our custom with all E140A cases, conduct a V-I-E analysis using the Collins and Lazier approach. For example, what is GH's vision and is it compelling? Also, what are the key implications of your internal and external assessments of GH at the time of the case?
2. What are 2 or 3 important differences in launching a new medical technology faced by the leaders of GH versus those in the information technology cases studied so far in E140A (e.g., California Vision Tools and IMVU) or discussed in seminars like ETL? How well do the market and customer development frameworks introduced by Donna Novitsky and Steve Blank apply?
3. What are one or two major hurdles for adoption by each of the three key stakeholders in GH's markets: patient, physician, and payee? What are some potential strategies to address these challenges?

Assignment

Login into the MFP Forum. Under the session assignment topic answer the following questions. For this assignment, only one submission is required from the opening team (Team #2). All others must submit individual postings!

What is the most significant risk (sometimes called the "white-hot" risk by Brook Byers) facing Kim and Randy today? Is it a technical, market, financial, or team risks? What should their goals be in 2004 to mitigate this risk?