Subject category:
Production and Operations Management
Published by:
IBS Center for Management Research
Length: 18 pages
Data source: Published sources
Topics:
Project management; Agile project management; Extreme programming; Innovation; Business strategy; Workplace flexibility; Work-life balance; Extreme interviewing; High-tech anthropology; Organisational culture; Team building; Employee retention; Employee engagement; Information technology; Software development
Abstract
This case discusses software design and development company Menlo Innovations' approach towards project management and innovation. Menlo's founder and President, Richard 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. Similar to Edison's Invention Factory, the culture at Menlo was characterised by an open, flexible, and 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.
Teaching and learning
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Abstract
This case discusses software design and development company Menlo Innovations' approach towards project management and innovation. Menlo's founder and President, Richard 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. Similar to Edison's Invention Factory, the culture at Menlo was characterised by an open, flexible, and 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.