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.

1. 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

2. 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 will all of them during that week.) This activity cannot be done before the prospectus is finished.

3. Conduct focus groups of faculty to test the concept of the text. Time estimate: 1 week. (This can be done at the same conference a activity 2.)

4. Select a publisher for the text from those expressing interest. Time estimate: 2 weeks. (This cannot be done until after completing activity 2.)