Insegnamento a.a. 2008-2009

Course Objectives

This course develops students' understanding of how firms use technology to position themselves strategically, from the perspective of a director of business development. It begins with an understanding of how technological systems evolve, with particular emphasis on the emergence of standards, and then turns to understanding networks, such as the Internet. We explore how firms develop technical know-how that is difficult to imitate, and then we examine how firms use technology to differentiate themselves from competitors. We conclude by paying attention to the implementation challenge i.e. how to put technology and innovation strategy at works. A distinctive characteristic of the course is the frequent use of cases related to firms with an international scope and strategy and firms with an attention to areas of soft technology (e.g., design and style).

Course Content Summary

• Introduction to the course: Rationale, Topics, Rules of the Game
• What is Technology and Why It is Important For Gaining and Sustaining Competitive Advantage

Part 1. Technology and Market Dynamics

• Dynamics of Technology Over Time and Race for the Dominant Designs
• Competence-destroying and Competence Enhancing Innovations
• The Contribution of Complementary Assets
• Disruptive Technologies
• Disruptive Technologies Reconsidered
• From Technology to Design: Dynamics of Technological Design
• Style as Design

Part 2. Technology Strategy Formulation

• The Environmental Factors that Affect the Technology and Innovation Strategy
• Resources for Technology and Innovation
• Positioning Technology and Innovation
• Closed Innovation
• Open Innovation
• Ambidexterity

Part 3. Implementation

• Managing the Innovation process
• Supply chain management
• Communicating Innovations to the end market
• IPR management in high technology industries
• Low regime IPR: Unusual cases of equilibrium
• Real options
• Technology and innovation strategy as a Portfolio of Real Options
• How to sell a Technology Strategy
• Wrap up and conclusions

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

Written exam

Textbooks

• M. SCHILLING, Strategic Management of technological innovation, McGraw-Hill, 2005
• G.VERONA, Cases on Technology Strategy and Innovation. EGEA