20617 - TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION STRATEGY
Department of Management and Technology
Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 22
Course Director:
LUCA PISTILLI
LUCA PISTILLI
Mission & Content Summary
MISSION
We live in a world where technology is constantly growing its relevance for our lives and for the existence of organizations. Technology nowadays it is something no longer circumscribed to those firms operating in the so-called “high-tech” industries, but it is affecting also organizations that historically did not deal directly with technology. External environments are becoming more turbulent than ever, and if we look at some of the most successful companies in the world, 15 years ago simply did not even exist. Internet has dramatically changed the way of doing business, bringing together many opportunities but also many threats. However, this was just the beginning: Big Data, AI, IoT, Blockchain Technology are only some examples of phenomena that radically changes our world in the next future.
The mission of this course is to cover frameworks, tools, and methodologies to address innovation and technological change, from a multi-industry perspective. The first part suggests how firms might go about coping with innovation dynamics, with particular emphasis on platforms and ecosystems. Second part, then, focuses on some theoretical frameworks that can be useful to interpret specific phenomena and find wide application in many industries. In addition, many concrete case studies and testimonials are used to reinforce theoretical concepts. In part three we cover some tools and methodologies firms might benefit from for going from idea to market for new technologies.
CONTENT SUMMARY
The course is structured into three main parts:
- Innovation and Technology Strategy: An introduction and five timeless lessons.
- Building the Innovating Organization, Emerging Themes and Industries.
- Commercializing technologies and innovations.
Main topics of the course include but are not limited to:
- Incremental Innovation.
- Radical Innovation.
- Dynamic Capabilities.
- Ambidexterity.
- Open Innovation.
- Big Data.
- Environmental Disruptions.
- Network Effects.
- Platforms and Ecosystems.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
At the end of the course student will be able to...
After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand and disentangle the different types of innovation, and the related implications.
- Get familiar with theoretical models which help explaining and contextualizing technological change.
- Recognize the different managerial approach to innovation and handling change.
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
At the end of the course student will be able to...
After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Evaluate the strategic effects of innovation, depending on the context and the industry.
- Evaluate the innovative activity of a firm, and providing eventual corrective measure.
- Recognize threats and opportunities brought by technological change.
- Provide solutions to different common business problems where innovation plays a major role.
- Interact in a constructive way and think critically.
Teaching methods
- Face-to-face lectures
- Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
- Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
- Individual assignments
DETAILS
- Guest Speaker’s talks: we expect to have here some external guests to be confirmed. Topics covered by external guests are part of the exam.
- Case Studies and Assignments: several Case Studies are reported in the course syllabus. Students are expected to read them prior to related sessions, and when specifically requested by the instructors, answer to some questions individually. Answering to questions about Case Studies represent the individual assignments of this course. Further instructions are provided in class.
Assessment methods
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ATTENDING STUDENTS
The course is both lecture- and case-based.Not only attendance is recommended, but class interaction and participation are evaluated. Students are expected to participate actively in the discussions and to read the assigned material for each topic before class. At some point, students are asked to accomplish individual assignments based on Case Studies. A final written exams evaluate students’ overall understanding of the topics. The final grade is computed as follows:
- Class participation (10%)
- Assignments (20%)
- Written exam (70%)
NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS
A final written exam evaluates students’ overall understanding of the topics, which contributes to 100% of final grade.
Teaching materials
ATTENDING STUDENTS
Attending students material:
- Cases on library course reserve.
- D.B. YOFFIE, M.A. CUSUMANO, Strategy Rules: Five Timeless Lessons from Bill Gates, Andy Grove, and Steve Jobs, New York, Harper Business, 2015 (selected chapters).
- S. SHANE,Technology Strategy for Managers and Entrepreneurs, Prentice Hall, 2014 (selected chapters).
- Course Slides.
- Collection of articles.
- Class handouts, material distributed.
- Personal class notes.
- Testimonials.
NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS
Non Attending students material;
- B. YOFFIE, M.A. CUSUMANO, Cusumano. Strategy Rules: Five Timeless Lessons from Bill Gates, Andy Grove, and Steve Jobs, New York, Harper Business, 2015 (all chapters).
- S. SHANE, Technology Strategy for Managers and Entrepreneurs, Prentice Hall, 2014 (all chapters).
Last change 27/06/2018 11:49