Strategic Innovation Simulation

Back Bay Battery



$165 / seat

Simulation Overview

In this online simulation, you play the role of the CEO of Back Bay Battery. Your task is to manage a portfolio of R&D investments for products in the portable power industry. You must manage R&D investment tradeoffs between sustaining investment in your existing business versus investing in a new and potentially disruptive technology.


The Story

During your eight simulated years as CEO, you’ll need to analyze how demand is shifting for your product across different market segments and plan your sales and R&D investments carefully. If your sales estimate is off or your business is unprofitable, you could get fired.

Learning Focus

  • Understand the challenges involved in simultaneously investing in core business and innovation
  • Investigate different ways of assessing emerging market opportunities and emerging research
  • Explore the timing and level of R&D spending to maximize long-term opportunity and growth

Topics Covered

  • Innovation
  • Technology Strategy
  • Marketing
  • Budgeting

See How the Simulation is Played

This simulation is WCAG Compliant for the participants.

Each simulation comes with a Teaching Guidebook for the facilitator along with 1:1 facilitator training and free trials.


This simulation is by Clay Christensen, Willy Shih, Harvard Business School Publishing, and Forio

Connect with a Specialist!

+1 (415) 440.7500