Innovation is increasingly important for the development and competitiveness of firms and to deliver social as well as economic va lues for societies. Today's most successful firms compete mainly through innovation, whether in the form of continuous development of new products, improvement of processes or organizational forms, or identification of new markets. In order to survive in the knowledge economy, firms need strategies for what kind of innovations to pursue and how to promote innovation by designing the necessary preconditions. In this context, knowledge, and understanding of innovation is an important assets. Additionally, innovations increasingly should contribute to generating social and environmental values, addressing Grand Social Challenges. Through this course, students will develop a critical perspective of the firm strategies for the management of the innovation process. Through investigation of the innovation processes in real private or public organizations during the course, students will acquire the skills to assist in managing the firm innovation process in a responsible way. Students enrolled in this course have the opportunity to work with local firms. 

Contents

The course will take up the following topics:

• Disruptive innovation
• Exploring innovation space
• lnnovation as a process
• Sources of innovaion
• Dynamic capabilities
• lnnovation strategy
• Lean for innovation
• lnnovation in public organizations
• Sustainable innovation
• Gate stage process, agile model of innovation
• Open innovation

Learning outcome:

Knowledge
Through the course, students will develop a solid understanding of the scholarly de bate on innovation in the management sciences, including

• The importance of innovation to firms
• ldentifying strategic capabilities
• Sources of innovation
• The process of innovation
• Leadership an organization of innovation
• Strategies for innovation
• Getting innovations to market
• Responsible and social innovations
• User as innovators

Skills

Students will be able to:

• present and critically assess different scholarly theories and hypotheses, as well as strategy and/or policy statements, related to innovation
• conduct an analysis of the drivers and/or outcomes of innovation in real organizations
• discuss different strategies for promoting innovation in a firm
• contribute to the management of a firm's innovation process

General competence
This course will contribute to student's general competence in

• academic writing
• search and review relevant literature
• presentation and academic discussion
• ability to conduct fieldwork in the organizations
• ability to analyze firm innovation standpoint through theoretical lenses