Stra­tegic Man­age­ment of In­nov­a­tion and Tech­no­logy

Course content

Content

Innovation is a critical activity for firms to achieve a competitive advantage. The course places special emphasis on technological innovation, which lies at the core of successful companies such as Novo Nordisk, Alphabet (Google), and Nvidia. The course provides students with a comprehensive overview of innovation management, broadly structured around the innovation value chain, which spans from generating new scientific knowledge to the life-cycle management of established products.

We will discuss topics such as how ideas for innovative projects can be sourced through internal R&D activities and external collaborations (eg, strategic alliances, M&As), the protection of innovation using intellectual property rights, and the trade-offs involved in organizing a firm's R&D operations and securing funding for innovation. We will also explore the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance firm innovation. The course combines theoretical perspectives with numerous cases and examples and equips students with analytical tools that are valuable for managing innovation in companies. 

Structure

The course follows a three-hour-per-week format and spans the duration of a semester. Broadly, the lectures will focus on the following themes:

1) Innovation fundamentals

2) Sourcing internal and external ideas for innovation

3) Orchestrating organizational and financial resources for innovation

4) Protecting innovation

5) Special topics (such as artificial intelligence and digital platforms)