Innovation strategy

Course content

This course follows the flipped classroom method. After an introductory session in class, you are expected to complete four online modules (containing theory, case, video and quiz sections) individually. You are then expected to apply this learning in group to an assigned case. During four coaching sessions you can then directly ask me questions on the course content and group case. These coaching sessions will be held online

Objectives (and/or specific learning outcomes)

Gain innovation strategy insights and learn to apply them to advanced and emerging contexts in business.

Meeting today’s business and world challenges requires going beyond the thinking that created the challenges in the first place. This is where a good innovation strategy helps. On this course you will develop your knowledge of the challenges of open innovation, management innovation, platform innovation and emerging market innovation and learn how to meet them with a long-term approach. Using quizzes, the newest theoretical insights, cases on pioneering businesses, and thought-provoking debates with leading experts, you will solidify your knowledge of innovation.

Teaching methods and learning activities

Formative assessment (non-graded, threshold condition)

Please note that each student participating in the course is obliged to go through each step of each of the four online modules, including the online test. For your info, the uv.ulb.ac.be site automatically generates logs of each student's activity. Please take your time for each step.

The purpose of the online test is to monitor your individual learning, providing ongoing feedback on your strenghts and weaknesses, and allowing you to return to areas of learning that need further attention. As a type of formative assessment, the online test (and going through each step of each online module) is a threshold condition to obtain a group grade. Everyone is allowed to fail one test (less than 5/10).

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

See uv.ulb.ac.be

Contribution to the teaching profile

Overall philosophy

The innovation workplace of the 21st century requires a combination of independent thinking and group learning, hierarchical and peer-to-peer assessments, as well as original and persuasive presentation skills.

This course addresses these requirements by introducing pedagogical objectives and methods that:

motivate each student to engage in independent learning and critical thinking through online modules

ensure equity and timely progress in the group work, and engage students in a group learning process that develops team skills. Such team skills are in great demand with employers.

Address the importance of autonomous, collaborative execution by teams, as reflected in employers’ changing assessment methods. Employers are shifting from purely hierarchical, one-off evaluations to continuous, peer-to-peer team assessments. Hence, in this course your individual grade for the group case will partly depend on peer-to-peer assessements of your contributions within your group

respond to employers' demand for focused and fast-

paced, as well as original and persuasive presentation skills.

Main objectives

The pedagogical objectives of this course are to increase individual and group learning of key transferrable and subject-specific skills in the global innovation workplace:

Transferrable skills: i) the ability to work both autonomously and in group, ii) the application and knowledge of digital learning tools, iii) the ability to combine critical thinking and communication with empathy, and iv) the ability to self-regulate, take responsibility and show commitment in group projects.

Subject-specific skills: the ability to i) challenge the usual suspects of innovation strategy, and ii) come up with logical, impactful answers to the major challenges of open innovation, management innovation, platform innovation and emerging market innovation.

Other information

Contacts

Pr Manuel Hensmans

manuel.hensmans@ulb.be

Campus

Solbosch

Evaluation

Method(s) of evaluation

Group work
Other

Group work

Other

Summative assessment (graded)

The graded assessment of this course will consist of a group case report (100% of the final grade or maximum 20 points), to be uploaded in two parts. Part I consists of the assignments of Sessions 1 and 2. Part II consists of the assignments of Sessions 3 and 4.

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

16 plus - Work of distinguished quality which shows:

Evidence of further reading

Authoritative grasp of the concepts, content appropriate to the subject

Evidence of originality and insight

Ability to sustain an argument, think analytically and critically and to synthesise material

14 plus - Work of above expected quality which demonstrates:

Sound level of understanding of concepts, methodology and content

Draws on material in class and beyond

Evidence of judgement in selecting, ordering and analysing content

Ability to synthesise material and to construct responses that offer insight

12 plus - Competent work of an acceptable level:

Derived from a solid basis of understanding

Demonstrates a grasp of relevant material and key concepts

Ability to structure and organise arguments, although in a routine fashion

Accurate with no serious omissions, irrelevancies or mistakes

10 plus - Work that reproduces basic subject matter without adding anything and containing omissions, irrelevancies or mistakes

Less than 10 - Work that is incomplete, with illogical elements and unstructured reasoning.

Language(s) of evaluation

english