Course syllabus

Course PM

Design of Technological Innovations and Markets CIP011 (7.5 hec)

 

Examiner: Professor Mats Lundqvist mats.lundqvist@chalmers.se

Course administrator: Jenny Taghvai jenny.taghvai@chalmers.se

Questions relating to the course organisation and content must be posted on Canvas

 

Course Aim and Fit in the Business Creation Lab

The purpose of the course is to give the student knowledge on how to create and extract financial and other value through the design of technological innovations and markets.

It relates to the IPS course in the way that understanding of various IP is key when it comes to formulating technology-based innovation strategies. IP adds an important control-dimension to general Innovation Management theory, which in turn has more emphasis on customer utilities and technical performance.

The TBE course part 1 (prior to DTIM) introduces the student to being customer- and needs-focused (the Start-up challenge) as well as to the importance of team dynamics and team learning. The DTIM course will draw from these important aspects while situating innovation in a more complex asset- and technology-based corporate context. In this context, fluency around how to formulate firm strategy, innovation strategy, business models and product concepts are crucial for progress. Also linking insights of (new) customer utilities to technical performance and other assets are key, as well as quantifying such future value into financial value.

 

Changes and Updates from Last Year

A change from last year is that the first assignment (TEVA) is given slightly more time to be delivered. Also one-pager assignments will be done in different group constellations than the main BCL case group.

 

Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to):

  • Demonstrate understanding of innovation management in technology-based business, including innovation strategy and business strategy and their interlinking as well as good innovative management.
  • Use relevant concepts and models as well as acquired specialized knowledge (technology-specific and other) to analyse and design sustainable technological innovations including techno-economic relationships as well as innovation design methods.
  • Be able to perform an analysis of innovative business models including financial projections- and valuations

 

 

Content

Gaining fluency in central innovation management concepts is at the core of the course. This includes understanding of industry dynamics of technological innovation, of formulating technological innovation strategies and implementation of such strategies. The main Schilling text book offers most of these concepts used in and beyond corporate contexts.

Business model thinking and techno-economic value analysis (TEVA) complements the understanding of innovation management by offering tools more relevant for tech start-ups wanting to commercialize an early-stage patented technology. The team assignment in the DTIM relates to this tech-start-up situation. Through cases in Schilling and Steve Jobs biography, class-room discussions will help contextualize and connect between the specific and the general, as well as between the corporate context and the more team-based BCL start-up experience.

 

Subject

Lecturer/Responsible

Date

Time

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Mats Lundqvist

Sept 2

3 h

Product design

Mats Lundqvist

Oct 21

2 h

Innovation and Firm Strategy 1&2

Mats Lundqvist

Nov 2-3

6 h

Product Concepts and Techno-Economic Values Analysis

Mats Lundqvist

Nov 4

3 h

Product concept/TEVA consultations

Mats Lundqvist

Nov 5

3 h

Building and Justifying the Product Concept

Mats Lundqvist

Nov 6

3 h

Introduction to Business Models and Business Model Innovations

Anders Sundelin

Nov 10

3 h

Value Proposition Design

Anders Sundelin

Nov 10

3 h

Developing New Business Models

Anders Sundelin

Nov 11

3 h

Analysing Business Models

Anders Sundelin

Nov 12

3 h

Innovation Law - Organization

Christoffer Hermansson

Nov 13

3 h

Business Modelling and Financial Statements

Anders Sundelin

Nov 16

3 h

Business Modelling, Assumptions and Valuation

Anders Sundelin

Nov 17

3 h

Business Model Consultations

Anders Sundelin

Nov 18

3 h

Investing in Start-ups

Per Hulthén

Nov 19

3 h

Venture Finance in Practice

Per Hulthén

Nov 20

3 h

Product Development Management

Mats Lundqvist

Nov 23

3 h

Marketing, pricing and sales

Per Hulthén

Nov 24

4 h

The Innovative Firm

Mats Lundqvist/Tobias Fredberg

Nov 25

3 h

Assignment Feedback + Course Wrap-up

Mats Lundqvist

Nov 25

2 h

DTIM Exam

Mats Lundqvist

Nov 30

4 h

 

Schedule

The schedule is available in Chalmers Time Edit, MPBDP year 1. Even though we try to avoid it as much as possible, changes may occur. So please check the schedule on a daily basis for any updates.

In the DTIM course the schedule mainly consists of lectures that include discussion questions to be prepared, and then group wise scheduled consultations for the major hand-ins. In connection with some lectures there will also be guest appearances.

Examination

Written Exam

The written exam takes place at the end of the course and is the main form of examination. The purpose of the exam is for the student to demonstrate familiarity with, knowledge of and understanding of key components in the course and the literature. The exam contains questions relating to classes, literature as well as key take-aways from the assignments.

Assignments

The course contains two main assignments and a number of smaller assignments to prepare for the lectures. All assignments are carried out within the BCL teams assigned in the beginning of the semester. Details relating to the assignments (content as well as how they are assessed) are published as the course progresses. Your individual understanding of the assignment can also be assessed as part of the written exam.

Plagiarism

All work handed in for examination must have been produced by the ones claiming to have produced the work. The written assignments are scanned through the ‘URKUND’ plagiarism check. By submitting an assignment for grading you acknowledge that you have read and understood the rules regarding plagiarism and its consequences.

Course Grade

The overall course grade is based on the scores obtained on the written exam and passing the assignments in the course according to the table below.

Grading of assignments and written exam

Points

Group/Individual

Product concept and TEVA

Pass/fail

BCL Group

Business model

Pass/fail

BCL Group

Lecture related one-pager hand-ins

Pass/fail

Different group constellations (see Canvas)

Written Exam

0-50

Individual

 

Grade (fail, 3, 4 or 5):          0-19 = Fail      20-29 = 3        30-39 = 4                      40-50 = 5

 

Literature

  1. Schilling, Melissa A. Strategic Management of Technological Innovation, 6th Edition, McGraw Hill 2019 (Editions 3 to 5 also work. Please check specific posted case studies on Canvas.)
  2. Lindmark, Sven, Techno-Economic Analysis, course compendium 2006 (published on Canvas)
  3. Isaacson, Walter, Steve Jobs, Little Brown, London 2011 (see Canvas for specified chapter reading)
  4. Everything else related to DTIM posted on Canvas

 

At http://bookboon.com/ you can download free e-books in various subjects. E.g. if you want to have additional reading material within finance and investments.

Course summary:

Date Details Due