Content, progress and pedagogy of the module

Facing intense competition, companies find themselves competing under ever-changing conditions. Those changes force companies to rethink, reorganize and innovate their business offerings and processes as well as change their business model in order to remain competitive. Therefore, management of technological innovation and applied business modelling has become a key challenge for firms.

The purpose of the module is to give the students an insight in technological innovation management and applied business modelling, both as a descriptive discipline for existing business, and an innovation discipline for new business. In doing so, this module addresses fundamental issues, and introduces new ideas and theoretical perspectives, both as a descriptive discipline for existing business, and an innovation discipline for new business. We will take a look at the foundations and dynamics of technological innovation and business modelling as well as the implications for firms.

This objective includes helping students in attaining better understanding, skills, and competences regarding the role of technology, innovation and change in business as well as the challenges available in, and solutions offered though, organizational transition and change processes. Throughout the module it is emphasised how an organisation, and changes in an organisation, can be understood in relationship with the context of business model innovation as well as technological innovation management.

In addition, the module will illustrate ways in which managers could deal with some of these technological innovation and business modelling challenges. Prominence attention is given for providing the students with frameworks and methods that are both theoretically sound and practically useful.

Learning objectives

Knowledge

The objective is that the student after the module possesses the necessary knowledge on:

• main concepts, definitions, theories and models related to management of technological innovation processess and business models.
• theories on how contextual factors affect the innovation processes within firms.
• how to distinguish between different business models and innovation types applied in different industries
• and insights into the important role of change in organisations, and how firms should organise and manage such transition processes accordingly - both strategically and operationally.

Skills

The objective is that the student after the module possesses the necessary skills in:

• finding, accessing and assessing relevant data and information from databases and online sources on firms’ innovation and business modelling activities
• identifying the various challenges involved in innovation processes and making recommendations for handling these challenges.
• analytically and critically arguing for  the most suitable business model for a new business based on data collected through desk- and field research.
• applying the business model as a strategic tool of communication within new business creation including reflecting upon different archetypes of business models and scenarios of business model prototypoing

Competences

The objective is that the student after the module possesses the necessary competences in:

• independently coordinating and conducting an analysis of innovation processes in a firm.
• developing recommendations for innovation management and applied business modelling in different types of organisations from both an external and internal perspective.
• being self-reflective, critical and open to different actors, competencies and contraints through a process of organisational transition and change.

Type of instruction

For information see § 17.

Exam

Exams