15.900  Competitive Strategy (meets with 15.9001)

Final Day for Class Feedback and Evaluation

Hi all - hope everyone is enjoying SIP and Spring Break!
If you have not submitted course evaluations for our strategy course yet, *Please* submit your evaluation today using the link below.
Visit: http://web.mit.edu/subjectevaluation

Evaluations will close Today Friday, March 24 at 5 pm. We are aiming for a response rate of 100% (and we are at 61%)!
It takes less than 5 minutes to fill out an evaluation and we are counting on your feedback.
Thank you in advance and stay connected!
Mercedes

Announced on 24 March 2017  8:19  a.m. by Mercedes Delgado

Reminder to submit survey by 9 am on Wednesday

Hello,
Please remember to complete the pre-class survey before 9:00 am Wednesday. All survey links are posted on Stellar, but I have included the link here for convenience: https://mit.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_afNCCQKo8sKhPk9
Best,
15.900 team

Announced on 14 March 2017  11:17  p.m. by Swati S Rao

Potential Entreprenuership advice from Marcus Segal

Hi 15.900 folks,

Hope you are having a good weekend so far. This email is regarding scheduling office hours with Marcus Segal. Please feel free to pass this message to your friends/acquanitances who might be interested in meeting with Marcus and Y-Combinator.

• What: Potential meeting with Marcus for 20 minutes on 17th March to get advice on your startup. We believe he'll have time to meet up to 7 start-up teams.
• When: 10:00am - 12:00pm on March 17th
• Where: MIT Sloan E62-474 (Tentative)

Sign up here by Tuesday at noon: https://apply.ycombinator.com/events/92

You will have to answer a few questions:
1.What is the name of your project or company?
2.In 200 words or less, describe your company or project.
3.What stage is your company at currently? (Sketch, Prototype, Beta, Launched, Other)
4.In 50 words or less, what is the biggest barrier to the success of your company?

The Y-combinator team will read applications and then reach out by EOD Wednesday to confirm your team. If you have any questions please contact: Kat Manalac kat@ycombinator.com

Marcus Segal is a strategist and operations executive with over 15 years of experience in the technology sector. Segal spent over 7 years with Zynga serving in a number of roles including the SVP of Operations, Chief Operating Officer [COO] of Game Studios, COO of Business Operations and COO of the Casino Division. Prior to joining Zynga, Marcus served as the CFO for Vindicia Inc., a technology company focused on providing advanced billing and risk solutions for digital merchants. Before Vindicia, Marcus was the VP of Operations at eMusic.com [Nasdaq EMUS] where he led the organization through their acquisition by Universal Music Group in 2003. These days Marcus is focused entirely on start-ups. He is a part-time partner at Y-Combinator, angel investor, and serves on the board of Crowdfunder.

Best regards,
15.900 team

Announced on 12 March 2017  7:46  p.m. by Swati S Rao

Ryanair: Hints to Answer Question 1.

Hi all,
Hope all is well.
Hints to answer Question 1:
"Analyze whether Ryanair makes money at the launch fare price of IR£98? Calculate your best estimate of their costs to answer this question. Exhibit 4 is critical in making this calculation."
- First, separate column 3 of Exhibit 4 into two types of costs: (1) Fixed Cost per Passenger and (2) Marginal Costs per Passenger based on your assumptions on % of Costs which is fixed (e.g., what % of Staff costs do you think is fixed ?)
- Then, compute how the Fixed and MC will be different for Ryanair based on your assumptions regarding its (a) Capacity utilization and (b) Efficiencies.
- We have posted the Exhibits of the case in Excel format on Stellar to facilitate your analysis (at Ryanair folder).
I look forward to the discussion.
Happy Weekend!
15.900 Team

Announced on 04 March 2017  4:39  p.m. by Mercedes Delgado

Reminder to submit survey by 9 am on Friday

Hello,
Please remember to complete the pre-class survey before 9:00 am Friday. All survey links are posted on Stellar, but I have included the link here for convenience:
https://mit.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bBiY1WTFrS2d90F
Best,
15.900 team

Announced on 02 March 2017  8:15  a.m. by Swati S Rao