Insegnamento a.a. 2023-2024

20617 - TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION STRATEGY

Department of Management and Technology

Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 27 - 28
EMIT (6 credits - I sem. - OB  |  SECS-P/08)
Course Director:
GIANMARIO VERONA

Classes: 27 (I sem.) - 28 (I sem.)
Instructors:
Class 27: GIANMARIO VERONA, Class 28: GIANMARIO VERONA


Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

The course develops student’s understanding of how firms use technology and innovation to position themselves strategically, from the perspective of a Director of Business Development. It pays specific attention to the digital transformation which is impacting all industries in the recent years. For this purpose, it relies heavily on cases and examples, dealing with firms which have faced the challenges of managing innovation, technology strategy, and the digital transformation. Students are asked to actively participate in class discussions to confront the implications of technology and innovation on a firm’s strategy and to understand actions and reactions by Directors of Business Development when technology and innovation originate within the firm as well as when they change exogenously the environment where the firm operates.

CONTENT SUMMARY

The course is structured into two main parts:

 

In Part 1 we will begin with an understanding of how technological systems evolve, with particular emphasis on the development of innovation and the emergence of standards, then we will turn to understanding networks. We will show how technology shapes industry through the development of entry barriers but also the opportunity of differentiation with new products and services. We will devote specific attention to general-purpose technologies like the Internet, social media, or artificial intelligence and how they are transforming industries and organizations into new open systems and are stimulating opportunities for entrepreneurship.

In Part 2 we will focus on the operational processes that a company has to design and manage in order to deliver innovations to the market. Specifically, we will explore how firms develop new products, how they can leverage the knowledge of consumers in the innovation process, and which organizational structures are best suited to foster or hamper innovation. We will devote specific attention to digital instruments that support innovation through the creation of an open structure.


Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Understand and disentangle the different types of innovation and the related implications.
  • Identify theoretical models which help explaining and contextualizing technological change.
  • Recognize the different approaches to manage innovation and technological change.

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student 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 provide corrective measures.
  • 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)
  • Group assignments

DETAILS

Face-to-face lectures will serve the purpose of introducing students to the theoretical foundations of technology and innovation strategy.

Cases will be discussed to identify theoretical concepts from real-life situations, students are therefore expected to read the assigned cases prior to the related sessions in order to engage in an active in-class discussion.

In addition to face-to-face lectures and case studies, there will be a session dedicated to the consultancy group work.

Finally, we expect to have guest speakers who will deliver a direct experience on the main issues they faced when dealing with technology and innovation and how they successfully (or unsuccessfully) solved them.


Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Written individual exam (traditional/online)
    x
  • Group assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)
x    
  • Group discussion of business cases in class
x    

ATTENDING STUDENTS

The course is based on strong interaction. Not only attendance is recommended, but class interaction and participation will be evaluated. Students will also take part to two in-class tests, which will also be graded. A final written exam will evaluate students' overall understanding of the topics.

To be considered attending, students must attend at least 75% of the classes (attendance will be recorded at each session) and participate to all in-class individual tests.

The final grade will be computed as follows:

- Class participation (30%) will be evaluated at the group level. Students are expected to divide into self-formed groups of maximum 6 students. Each group should pick a name and elect a group spokesman, to whom the instructors will address any specific communication.

- Two in-class individual tests (20%) will evaluate students’ ongoing understanding of the theoretical models introduced in class.

- A final written exam (50%) will evaluate students’ understanding of theoretical models on the different types of innovation and on technological change.


NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

Assessment of non-attending students is entirely based on a final written exam that not only probes the student’s understanding of the concepts inherent to innovation, technological change, and their management, but also the student’s ability to think critically and apply the learned models to business situations that involve technology and innovation.


Teaching materials


ATTENDING STUDENTS

  • Handouts distributed throughout the course.
  • Cases as in the syllabus.
  • Readings as in the syllabus.

 

Suggested reading:

  • S. Shane. Technology Strategy for Managers and Entrepreneurs. Prentice Hall.

 

Information on how to download the cases will be provided in class. Cases are available for a limited amount of time. All students, attending and non-attending, should download all the cases before the end of the course.


NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

  • S. Shane. Technology Strategy for Managers and Entrepreneurs. Prentice Hall.
  • Handouts distributed throughout the course.
  • Cases as in the syllabus.
  • Readings as in the syllabus.

 

 

 

Information on how to download the cases will be provided in class. Cases are available for a limited amount of time. All students, attending and non-attending, should download all the cases before the end of the course.

Last change 26/05/2023 12:24