ENTREPRENEURSHIP, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY (Canale A)

Description

Objectives: This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of how innovation and entrepreneurship are shaped by systematic processes, organizational behaviors, and emerging technologies. It emphasizes the development of both analytical and applied competencies in opportunity recognition, creative ideation, and the design of innovative business models. This course explores the systematic processes, methods, and behaviors that underpin innovation and entrepreneurial success. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding the sources of innovation and the role of scientific and data-informed methods in opportunity recognition. The course also examines real-world examples of how companies leverage new technologies to achieve competitive advantage, while examining why many firms fail to do so. Assessment: The grade is based on an individual written exam (30%), and group project (70%). Teaching Methods: The course mixes theory with practice, and students will be challenged to apply principles, concepts and frameworks to real-world situations. Before each class, students are supposed to study the material – usually papers and / or case studies – suggested in the reading list. Prerequisites: No Contents: The majority of learning will occur through interactive debates and contributions to constructive, class-based discussions (reading-focused). Students will apply course concepts in a group project that utilizes mixed-methods research to investigate technological innovation trends within a chosen real-world firm or ecosystem. Key questions of the course: Is there a systematic method or behavior that leads to innovation? What are the sources of innovation? Is there a scientific method of recognizing opportunities and innovating? How do innovators come up with breakthrough ideas, and how do they turn them into successful startups? How companies leverage technologies and innovation to sustain competitive advantage, and why many others failed? What is the role of the entrepreneur’s and firm’s ecosystem in fostering technological innovation? Final group project You will work in groups to investigate, using mixed-method research, technological innovation trends in real-world firms and their networks and ecosystems. There is a word limit for the project paper, including all exhibits. While providing some details is necessary, it is essential to emphasize analysis over description. You are welcome to utilize your industry contacts. Reference Texts: All information concerning the course, the lecture notes, the support materials and the exercises and all communications will take place through the e-learning page. A list of the required and suggested readings is included in the detailed program. Thesis assignment criteria: Originality of the idea Mastering of The English Language Time: minimum 3 months leadtime Commitment we have few but strict rules, lack of compliance might result into graduation postponement Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 1: Introduction to the course: teaching teams, objectives, rules, exams The relation between Entrepreneurship Innovation & Technology Entrepreneurship Innovation & Technology and Economics: Schumpeter, Merton, and othters Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 10: Case: A bugs’ story Innovation inside companies Main barriers to innovation Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 11: Managing Innovation Review of methodologies to generate inventions and innovation Open Innovation Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 12: Corporate entrepreneurship (aka intrapreneurship) Innovation thesis Innovation management Innovation practice Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 2: Measurement of Innovation , Technology and Entrepreneurship - Major tech trends - Investments in R&D - New companies’ creation - Sources of information First definitions of Entrepreneurship Innovation & Technology Taxonomies Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 3: Innovation and Technology Definition and Types of innovation Science based innovation and the industrial revolutions The conditions that make innovation possible: Innovation Ecosystems Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 4: The adoption of innovation - Abernathy & Utterback - Introduction to the S curve and its applications Dominant design for product and process innovation Technological utility, user base and complementary goods Actual Vs Perceived Vs Anticipated Value Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 5: Failed and successful innovations Timing of introduction Hype-cycle and Evolution Strategic introduction of technological innovations The S curveS and their applications Rogers and Moore and new findings The conditions that make innovation possible: Innovation Ecosystems Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 6: The entrepreneur: Who, why, what & how ? - The entrepreneurial continuum - Characteristics of entrepreneurs and do they matter ? - The entrepreneurial mindset - The entrepreneurial “career” The McDonalds Case Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 7: Managers Vs Entrepreneurs - Context - Mindset - Comptences & skills - Tools Effectuation theory Road to market Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 8: The Business model - What is a business Model - The Business model canvass - Business model 9 internal boxes Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 9: The Business model - Business model 4 external boxes - models of business models - Business model innovation Intended learning outcomes: Knowledge and understanding: A clear understanding of dynamics behind the creation of value. Understand the interplay between Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Technology Understand the entrepreneurial approach to value creation Understand how the introduction of innovations works Learn how a company is better defined by its business model Understand the process of innovation generation Applying knowledge and understanding: Students should be able to contribute to the development and the deployment of innovation through the form of product/service/process or a new company Acquire the ability to read the context in which an innovation is taking place Identify the key drivers of successful innovation introduction Identify the necessary steps for the creation of a startup/entreprenurial venture Describe an existing business model and the necessary steps to develop a new one Illustrate the innovation generation process and its measures Making judgments: students will be able tounderstand the context and, using the most appropriate methodologies, to realize given/own objectives Consider the key elements for the introduction of innovation Assess the consistency of a business model both for an existing company and a new venture Evaluate an innovation process and its potential Communication skills students will develop communication skills for expressing their ideas and debating them Learning skills We aim at capacitating the student to think out of the box and to question the established theories in order to advance knowledge and results. He/she will be curious of further exploring the subject matters well beyond the end of the course Objectives: The aim of this course is to provide students with theoretical and applied knowledge on Entrepreneurship Technology and Innovation and their relations The key learning objectives are: Investigate the relation among technology, innovation and entrepreneurship Understand the role technology and entrepreneurship play in the economic system especially with regard to innovation Learn how innovations are successfully introduced Learn how innovations are developed within and around organisations Encourage students to think for themselves without taking theories at face value Assessment: For attending students the evaluation will happen throughout the entire course as well as with a final exam. The class will be divided in groups of 5-6 people each that will need to work on an a project (rules of which will be shared shortly) and case discussions. The group work will account for 40% of the total evaluation The final exam will consists of a written test made of 12 multiple answers questions and 1 open question, and will account for 60% of the total evaluation Non attending students will have a difor attending students the evaluation will happen throughout the entire course as welferent written test based ferent written test based Originality of the idea Masterion the recommended books readings, since they would have not been exposed to the discussions and concept development in the class Failing to reach the minimum grade in any of the to parts will require retaking the insufficient one. Attending students might receive up to 2 etra points because of an active participation that will need to be confirmed by an email to the teaching team at the end of each week Teaching Methods: The course is based largely on a flipped classroom approach encouraging students to search and to critically review existing knowledge, and at the same time to apply generated learnings. We will use games, class discussions, case studies, videos, individual and team project works, expert presentations. The discussions are going to be the result of the reactions of the students to the inputs provided by the convenor, the materials or the guest speakers. This means that for each session, students are expected to: 1. Before each session, study the material suggested/prepare; 2. During the session, actively discuss other students’ presentations and papers. Attendance Since this course will grow session by session, attendance at each session is important. At the beginning of the course the students will be asked to answer to a survey in order to specify whether they will be attendant or non-attendant. Those students who are unable to attend the course will have a different exam evaluation. Laptop and Mobile Phone Policy - Laptops are allowed for notetaking/fact checking - Mobiles should be down unless instructed otherwise by the convenor. Prerequisites: Basics of Business Administration Contents: Topics Defining Entrepreneurship Relation btw entrepreneurship and innovation Understanding entrepreneurial opportunities Relation btw innovation & technology The entrepreneurial approach Innovation Ecosystems Technology trends and impact on business Business model understanding and strategy Innovation management Entrepreneurial product development and go-to-market strategy Corporate entrepreneurship Reference Texts: Books Mandatory for non attending students (for attending only those indicated in each week) Economics of Industrial Innovation, by Chris Freeman. Chapters 2, 6 & 7 Strategic management of Technological Innovation, by Melissa A. Schilling. Chapters 2, 3, 4 & 5 Business Model Generation, by A Osterwalder, Y Pigneur Entrepreneurship – The practice and mindset, H. Neck, C Neck, and E. Murray. Recommended (to all) The innovators dilemma, by C. M. Chriestensn The startup owner’s manual, by S Blank Open Innovation, by H. Chesbrough The corporate startup, by T Viki, D Toma, E Gons Articles (on top of those indicated in each week) The Ambidextrous Organization, by C A O’Reilly III and M L Tushman, HBR April 2004 Don’t analyze – Act, by by L A Schlesinger, C F Kiefer, and B Brown, HBR March 2012 Thesis assignment criteria: Originality of the idea Mastering of The English Language Time: minimum 3 months leadtime Commitment we have few but strict rules, lack of compliance might result into graduation postponement Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 1: Introduction to the course: teaching teams, objectives, rules, exams The relation between Entrepreneurship Innovation & Technology Entrepreneurship Innovation & Technology and Economics: Schumpeter, Merton, and othters Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 10: Case: A bugs’ story Innovation inside companies Main barriers to innovation Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 11: Managing Innovation Review of methodologies to generate inventions and innovation Open Innovation Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 12: Corporate entrepreneurship (aka intrapreneurship) Innovation thesis Innovation management Innovation practice Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 2: Measurement of Innovation , Technology and Entrepreneurship - Major tech trends - Investments in R&D - New companies’ creation - Sources of information First definitions of Entrepreneurship Innovation & Technology Taxonomies Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 3: Innovation and Technology Definition and Types of innovation Science based innovation and the industrial revolutions The conditions that make innovation possible: Innovation Ecosystems Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 4: The adoption of innovation - Abernathy & Utterback - Introduction to the S curve and its applications Dominant design for product and process innovation Technological utility, user base and complementary goods Actual Vs Perceived Vs Anticipated Value Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 5: Failed and successful innovations Timing of introduction Hype-cycle and Evolution Strategic introduction of technological innovations The S curveS and their applications Rogers and Moore and new findings The conditions that make innovation possible: Innovation Ecosystems Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 6: The entrepreneur: Who, why, what & how ? - The entrepreneurial continuum - Characteristics of entrepreneurs and do they matter ? - The entrepreneurial mindset - The entrepreneurial “career” The McDonalds Case Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 7: Managers Vs Entrepreneurs - Context - Mindset - Comptences & skills - Tools Effectuation theory Road to market Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 8: The Business model - What is a business Model - The Business model canvass - Business model 9 internal boxes Extended Program And Reference Reading Material: Week 9: The Business model - Business model 4 external boxes - models of business models - Business model innovation Intended learning outcomes: Knowledge and understanding: A clear understanding of dynamics behind the creation of value. Understand the interplay between Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Technology Understand the entrepreneurial approach to value creation Understand how the introduction of innovations works Learn how a company is better defined by its business model Understand the process of innovation generation Applying knowledge and understanding: Students should be able to contribute to the development and the deployment of innovation through the form of product/service/process or a new company Acquire the ability to read the context in which an innovation is taking place Identify the key drivers of successful innovation introduction Identify the necessary steps for the creation of a startup/entreprenurial venture Describe an existing business model and the necessary steps to develop a new one Illustrate the innovation generation process and its measures Making judgments: students will be able tounderstand the context and, using the most appropriate methodologies, to realize given/own objectives Consider the key elements for the introduction of innovation Assess the consistency of a business model both for an existing company and a new venture Evaluate an innovation process and its potential Communication skills students will develop communication skills for expressing their ideas and debating them Learning skills We aim at capacitating the student to think out of the box and to question the established theories in order to advance knowledge and results. He/she will be curious of further exploring the subject matters well beyond the end of the course