The Swiss engineering master's degree

The goal of this module is to teach students the fundamentals of operational planning and innovation management through an integrated innovation management model, while introducing key concepts. This knowledge will enable students to understand and connect various internal and external interfaces within innovation projects, allowing them to interpret and influence these effectively. Additionally, students will learn to develop a new, innovative business model based on the theory of innovation management. The module prepares students to become "innovation managers" in a comprehensive and well-rounded capacity.

Prerequisites

none

Learning Objectives

The module has the following learning aims:

• The students are able to evaluate innovation management concepts in practice, to develop these and to implement adaptations
• The students are able to apply organisational ambidexterity as a management principle along the spectrum between everyday business (exploitation) and renewal (exploration)
• The students are able to communicate various subject areas in innovation management to third parties
• The students can estimate possible disruptive potential and develop suitable measures to harness this potential or to react to it
• The students can analyse and evaluate the innovation process within a company, identify its deficits and gaps, develop improvements on this basis, and implement these
• The students can develop an implementation plan for an innovation project as a risk-reduction process and take on responsibility for the implementation of this plan
• The students are familiar with more agile approaches as a stage gate for the development of products (services and material goods) and can judge which approach is to be selected for which development

Contents of Module

The Innovation and Change Management module covers the following topics:

• Foundations: Definitions and key concepts; types of innovations; commercial and economic significance of innovations.
• Innovation System: Exploration of international, national, and regional innovation systems; key instruments for innovation promotion.
• Innovation Cycle: Overview of the innovation management model, including innovation routines, dynamic capabilities, and strategic areas of focus; relevance to general management and associated methodologies.
• Innovation Strategy: Examination of strategic fit, strategic alternatives, success factors, imitation strategies, related diversification, co-creation, and new ventures.
• Innovation Structure: Innovation-supportive processes and organizational structures; change-capable organizational profiles; open vs. closed innovation.
• Innovation Culture: Building an innovation-friendly corporate culture; phases of change management including initiation, conceptualization, mobilization, implementation, and embedding; Corporate Entrepreneurship.
• Innovation Controlling: Key performance indicators, BSC approaches, and methods for tracking success and participation in innovation initiatives.
• Definition and History of Innovation Processes: Key terms, historical evolution of innovation processes, and distinction between routine and innovation processes.
• The Innovation Dilemma: Analysis of incremental, radical, and disruptive innovations and potential solutions to the challenges faced by innovative companies.
• Corporate Innovation Process Structure: Presentation of the innovation process as a phased model.
• Initiative and Selection Phases: Structuring the initial phases of the innovation process, including the selection of ideas and initiatives.
• Implementation Phase: Managing the development of new products as a risk-reduction strategy in the innovation process.
• Escalation of Commitment: Addressing the challenges of "escalation of commitment" during the implementation phase of innovation.
• Intellectual Property Law: Overview of intellectual property strategies and methods for protecting innovative ideas.

Teaching and Learning Methods

In-person methods: Interactive teaching discussions, case-based learning, practical exercises, and presentations.
Self-study methods: Independent study of literature, preparation and review of class materials, classroom participation, and group projects.

Students will apply the concepts learned by working on practical examples, identifying innovation-related challenges, and selecting and utilizing the appropriate tools and methods to solve these problems effectively.

Literature

Notes will be provided.

The following literature recommendations should also be taken into account:

• Osterwalder (2020): The invincible company
• Chesbrough, H. W. (2007): Why Companies Should Have Open Business Models. MIT Sloan Management Review, 2007, S. 22 – 28. Cooper, R. (2001): Winning at new products. New York: HarperCollins.
• Drucker, P. (2003): The Disciplin of Innovation, in Harvard Business Review on the Innovative Enterprise.

• Goffin, K., Mitchell, R. (2017): Innovation Management. Effective Strategy & Implementation. 3rd edition. Macmillan Education Elt. London.

• Moss Kanter, R. (2006). Innovation: The Classic Traps. Harvard Business Review, November, S. 73 – 83.
• O’Reilly, Ch., Tushmann, M. (2017) Lead and Disrupt. How to Solve the Innovator’s Dilemma. Stanford Business Books. Sarasvathy, S., Dew, N. Velamuri, S., Venkataraman, S. (2005): Three Views of Entrepreneurial Opportunity", in Handbook of
• Entrepreneurship Research - An Interdisciplinary Survey and Introduction, ed. Acs, Z. and Audretsch, D., Springer Science and Business Media.
• von Hippel, E. (1988). The Source of Innovation. New York: Oxford University Press (USA).