CASE: Writing a Textbook
Two professors of operations management, Susan and Chris, have decided to write a new textbook for use in the undergraduate introductory operations management course. As they discuss the project, they put together the following list of activities that must be done
- Write a prospectus. (This entails defining what is unique about the textbook and how it compares with other texts currently on the market.) Time estimate: 4 weeks.
- Discuss the book concept with several publishers, provide publishers with prospectus. Time estimate: 1 week. (All major publishers attend annual professional academic meetings, so you can meet with all of them during that week.) This activity cannot be done before the prospectus is finished.
- Conduct focus groups of faculty to test the concept of the text. Time estimate: 1 week. (This can be done at the same conference as activity 2.)
- Select a publisher for the text from those expressing interest. Time estimate: 2 weeks. (This cannot be done until after completing activity 2.)
- Update and submit prospectus and a sample chapter. Time estimate: 4 weeks. (This cannot be done until activities 3 and 4 are completed.)
- Negotiate contract with publisher. Time estimate: 3 weeks. (This cannot be done until activity 5 is completed.)
- Susan begins writing Chapters 1 through 8, at a rate of one per month. Susan works sequentially, doing Chapter 1, then Chapter 2, and so on. This activity begins after the contract has been signed.
- Chris begins writing ...
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