Strategic management of innovation

Summary

The purpose of this course is to describe innovation and how it impacts business dynamics. It also aims to teach students how to think strategically and holistically about technological innovation, new product development and market deployment.

Content

Keywords

Innovation management, strategy, market access, product development, business model, disruption, market analysis, IP strategy

Learning Prerequisites

Required courses

As this course approaches innovation from a strategic point of view, other more specialized courses in intellectual property management, marketing, innovation management or entrepreneurship are excellent complements.

Important concepts to start the course

A group inscription within the first 2 weeks of the course is mandatory for the team project. The expected group size is 6 students/group.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

• Assess / Evaluate a market and justify your analysis.
• Assess / Evaluate a market opportunity in a global way
• Apply tools and techniques to structure your reasoning
• Transpose concept into a real world situation
• Analyze an innovation strategy and elaborate alternative scenarios
• Present and defend your position in front of your peers
• Critique alternatives constructively and justify your position

Transversal skills

• Set objectives and design an action plan to reach those objectives.
• Demonstrate the capacity for critical thinking
• Manage priorities.
• Access and evaluate appropriate sources of information.
• Collect data.
• Make an oral presentation.
• Plan and carry out activities in a way which makes optimal use of available time and other resources.
• Communicate effectively, being understood, including across different languages and cultures.

Expected student activities

• Attending lectures
• Preparing classes and case studies
• Debating/arguing
• Reading written material
• Doing and presenting a group project

Assessment methods

• Preparation of case studies to be submitted : 10%.
• Team Project (analysis document, slide deck and presentation in class): 40%.
• Individual written exam at the end of the semester: 50%.

Supervision

Resources

Bibliography

M.A. Schilling, Strategic Management of Technological Innovation, 7th Edition, McGraw-Hill (2023)

Ressources en bibliothèque

• Strategic Management of Technological Innovation / Schilling

Moodle Link

• https://go.epfl.ch/MGT-425