Course syllabus

COURSE PM

TEK455

KNOWLEDGE-BASED BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT

7,5 higher education credits

Examiner: Ulf Petrusson

Formal information

Bowman Heiden, Course Manager (bo.heiden.@chalmers.se)

Christoffer Hermansson, Course Manager (christoffer.hermansson@gu.se)

 

Purpose

The purpose of this course is to give students both theoretical and practical capabilities in the development and management of knowledge-based business as a distinct form of business with its own unique competitive strategies and sources of competitive advantage based on distinctively different resources, capabilities, value propositions, business models, market positioning, value networks, and organizational behavior as compared to traditional, industrial-based business.

 

Organization

The course is built around a simulated company environment based on role-play pedagogy, connected to a lab. The lab is based on a number of different simulations of various length and complexity, in which the students solve practical problems. Combined with the simulations, there are a number of related lectures. These will serve as the theoretical foundation, together with the literature, that is needed in order to accomplish excellent results throughout the simulations.

 

Learning outcomes

Chalmers (TEK455)

 

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

 

1. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding of the role of intellectual assets in knowledge-based utilization processes based on strategy and vision.

2. Explain and critically discuss relevant theoretical and practical frameworks as well models for establishing, organizing and managing knowledge-based operations.

3. Give examples of how knowledge-based businesses affect and drive transformation processes in the interface between industrial and knowledge-based business creation.

4. Establish and develop competitive business strategies tailored for an intellectual value chain.

5. Establish and implement value- and business goals and strategies for knowledge based start-up companies, innovations and markets.

6. Design and organize business activities for start-up companies with a focus on knowledge- and technology development.

7. Use relevant concepts and models, as well as acquired specialized knowledge (technology-specific and other) to evaluate how intellectual assets, property and capital affect and forms the basis for value creation in a knowledge-based economy.

8. Evaluate moral and ethical aspects in the implementation of tech-based innovation processes and business creation with a focus on sustainability.

 

Examination

The students are graded on their performance in managing the business challenges that occur as well as specific deliverables to company stakeholders in the simulation connected to assignments individually and in groups, in the form of written hand-ins and oral presentations. Active participation in the simulation is mandatory.

Examination Activity

Grade

Group/Individual

Assignments, Q1

1-50

30p Group

20p Individual

Assignments, Q2

1-40

20p Group

20p Individual

Assignments, Q3

1-30

30p Group

The students are examined by individual and group assignments in written and oral form through presentations and written reports.

A student has the right to request a change of examiner if failed twice on the same exam if this is practically possible. Such a request should be put forward in writing and addressed to the department.

 

Seminars

The seminars are given by individuals from Chalmers University of Technology, University of Gothenburg, and guest lecturers with theoretical knowledge and practical experience within knowledge-based business development and management.

Attendance at the seminars is highly recommended, as most of the seminars will cover material that is not found in the course literature and will be needed to accomplish the assignments. Active participation by the students is critical to the learning experience.

 

Group Assignments

The group assignments will be presented and completed in connection to the business simulation. The assignments will be graded based on the group’s analytical and communicative capabilities in relation to the specific business context.

  • Q1: 20p – Specified report (6 pages + Appendix)
  • Q1: 10p – Unspecified report (3 pages + Appendix)
  • Q2: 20p – Specified report (6 pages + Appendix)
  • Q3: 15p – Specified report (3 pages + Appendix)
  • Q3: 15p – Presentation (10 ppt slides + Appendix)

 

Individual Assignments

The individual assignments will be presented and completed in connection to the business simulation. The assignments will be graded based on the group’s analytical and communicative capabilities in relation to the specific business context.

•       20p – Specified report (Individual: 3 pages + Appendix)

•       20p – Specified report (Individual: 3 pages + Appendix)

 

Grades

The grading scale for the Chalmers course TEK455 is as follows:

0-39%% = U/F

40-59%% = 3

60-79%=4

80%> = 5

To receive a grade, the student must pass all the examination parts of the course.

 

Literature

  1. BCG (2015), Crop Farming 2030: Reinvention of the Sector
  2. Graff et al. (2003), The Public-Private Structure of Intellectual Property Ownership in Agricultural Biotechnology, Nature Biotechnology, 21, 9, 989, 995.
  3. Chi-Ham et al. (2010), The intellectual Property Landscape for Gene Suppression Technologies in Plants, Nature Biotechnology, 28, 1, 32-36
  4. Grant, Robert (2013), Contemporary Strategy Analysis, Wiley
  5. Moore, Geoffrey (2013), Crossing the Chasm, Collins
  6. Christensen, Clayton (2011), The Innovator’s Dilemma, Harper
  7. Kotter, John (1995), “Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail”, Harvard Business Review, Mar/Apr 1995, Vol. 73 Issue 2, p59-67
  8. Hoffman, R., Casnocha, B., & Yeh, C. (2014). The Alliance: Managing talent in the networked age. Harvard Business Press.
  9. Dixit, A. and Pindyck, R. (1995), “The Options Approach to Capital Investments”, Harvard Business 
Review, May-June, 1995
  10. Timothy A. Luehrman (1998), “Investment opportunities as real options: getting started on the numbers”, Harvard Business Review, July-Aug 1998
  11. Pharmacyclics: Financing Research and Development (HBS: 9-201-056) Available at www.hbr.org (Product # 201056)
  12. Method for Valuing High-Risk, Long-Term Investments: The "Venture Capital Method" (HBS: 9-288-006) Available at www.hbr.org (Product # 288006)
  13. Osterwalder, A., Peigner, Y. (2010), Business Model Generation – A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers
  14. Berman, K., Knight, J. and Case, J. (2006), Financial Intelligence: A Manager's Guide to Knowing What the Numbers Really Mean
  15. Drahos, Peter (1999), “Biotechnology Patents, Markets and Morality”. European 
Intellectual Property Review, 21(9), pp. 441-449

 

 Schedule

Date

Time

Topic

Room

Lecturer

Literature

22/03

13-14

Introduction to Knowledge-Based Business Development and Management

Zoom

BH/CH/
KSR

Everything you’ve read until now

14-15

Introduction to AgroSciences

Zoom

BH

1, 2, 3

15:00

Simulation: Q1 begins

Moodle

 

 

25/03

08-12

Knowledge-Based Business and Competitive Advantage

Zoom

BH

4, 5, 6

26/03

15-17

Managing the Intellectual Value Chain –Visions, Strategies, and Capabilities

Zoom

BH

 

29/03

13-17

Role-play

Online

 

 

12/04

13-17

Role-play

Online

 

 

15/04

08-12

Role-play

Online

 

 

16/04

15-17

Q1 Pre-Feedback

Zoom

BH/CH

 

19/04

13-17

Role-play

Online

 

 

20/04

12:00

Q1 Hand-in

Moodle

 

 

22/04

08-12

Q1 Board Meeting

Zoom

Board

 

17:00

Hand-in: Website 2.0

Moodle

 

 

23/04

08:00

Simulation Q2 begins

Moodle

 

 

15-17

Q1 Feedback

Zoom

BH/CH

 

26/04

13-16

Business Modelling: From an Industrial to an Intellectual Value Chain

Zoom

BH

 

16-17

Business Models in AgroSciences

Zoom

BH

1

29/04

08-12

Role-play

Online

 

 

03/05

13-17

Role-play

Online

 

 

06/05

08-12

Role-play

Online

 

 

07/05

15-17

Role-play

Online

 

 

10/05

13-14

Valuation in High-Risk Projects

Zoom

BH

 11,12,14

14-16

Investment Opportunities as Real Options

Zoom

BH

 9.10

15/05

12:00

Q2 Hand-ins 

Hand-in: Website 3.0

Moodle

 

 

17/05

13-17

Q2 Board Meeting

Zoom

Board

 

17-18

Q2 Feedback Session

Zoom

BH/CH

 

18/05

08:00

Q3 Simulation begins

Moodle

 

 

20/05

08-12

Role-play

Online

 

 

21/05

15-17

Rhetoric and Pitching

Zoom

BH

 

24/05

13-17

Role-play

Online

 

 

26/05

12:00

Q3 Hand-in

Moodle

 

 

27/05

08-12

Q3 Board Meeting

Zoom

Board

 

28/05

15-17

Award Ceremony

Zoom

All

 

 

Faculty

BH

Bowman Heiden

GU/Chalmers

CH

Christoffer Hermansson

GU/Chalmers

UP

Ulf Petrusson

GU/Chalmers 

 

Course evaluation

The course will be evaluated upon completion. The results of the evaluation will be communicated to the students and will function as a guide for the development of the course.

Contact

Please post all the course-related questions on the course’s page on Canvas or contact Bowman Heiden (bo.heiden@chalmers.se)

Course summary:

Date Details Due