Innovation Management (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

H-5

Content scheduling

The course starts with Pre-Assignment which is available in the course learning platform (itsLearning) on 28.8. The pre-assignment should be returned to the learning platform before the first contact day, latest 14.9.

Contact days at EduCity building:
Thu 18.9.2025 klo 9.00 -16.15
Thu 27.11. klo 9.00-16.15

Course Content:
Innovation competences.
Economic growth and innovations, the big picture.
Innovation history and drivers, innovation indexes and metrics.
Innovation types, context, innovations in products/services, in different businesses and organizations.
Radical disruptive innovations, open/closed innovation model, innovation s-curve, ecosystems.
Enabling technologies, digital platform economy.
Idea generation, product development process, project portfolio management.
Innovation processes, Lean startup process, innovation strategy.
Innovation culture.
Trends.

Objective

After completing the course, the student is able to:
-account for the importance of technological development and innovation for business growth and increased competitiveness
-understand the need and role of new product and service development and innovations
-link organization´s strategy, leadership and efficient innovation management
-utilize different innovation models and processes and their specific features in order to create new business
-create working environments and cultures that inspire people for innovation development
-understand the importance of successful adoption of diffusion of innovations
-assess the success of innovation processes and innovations

Content

-Elements of new product/service development and innovation process
-Adaptation and diffusion of innovations
-Recent innovation models and types
-Innovation capabilities (personal, organizational, cultural and networks)
-Innovating in different contexts (low-tech, high-tech and services)
-Innovation sustainability and measuring the success of innovations

Materials

Trott, Paul, 2021. Innovation Management and New Product Development, Financial Times/ Prentice Hall - M.U.A (2016 issue available as eBook in Finna)
Ries, Eric, 2011. The Lean Startup, Penguin Books
Morris, L. 2011. The Innovation Master Plan - the CEOs guide to innovation, www.innovationlabs.com, Chapters 1, 4, 5 and 6.
Dodgson, Mark, Gann, David M., Salter, Ammon 2008. Management of Technological Innovation: Strategy and Practice, OUP Oxford
Mello, Sheila Mackey, Wayne Lasser, Ronald Tait, Richard 2005. Value Innovation Portfolio Management, J. Ross Publishing Inc.
Alzira Salama, 2011. Creating and Re-Creating Corporate Entrepreneurial Culture, Routledge, Gower
Goodman, M., Dingli, S., 2013. Creativity and Strategic Innovation Management, Routledge, New York, NY
More reading materials in the learning platform.

Teaching methods

The course consists of two 8 hour contact days, individual and group assignments work, and peer reviews and also self-assessments. Assignments and student groups will be introduced and discussed during the contact days. Feedback and discussion in contact day lectures and also in learning platform environment.

Exam schedules

There is no exam in this course.

Pedagogic approaches and sustainable development

The course uses constructionist learning, in which new theories and practices learned are applied to the individual's previous knowledge and experience. The lectures deal with modern innovations, their theories, models and their applications in different organizations. Contact teaching aims to be conversational and student-centered. Students apply their own professional experience and new learning to solve real-life problems of different assignments given during the course.

Student workload

Contact days will cover 2x 8 h, learning assignment, peer/self-assessments 47 h and group/project work 70 h of individual student work. Total about 133 h.

Evaluation methods and criteria

Assignments will be assessed with scale 0-5 where 0 is failed. All the assignments need to be returned in due time. The course final grade will be average from the assignments. Student missing a contact day is expected to complete a given compensation assignment on the contact day topics. Returning assignments after the specified deadline (late) may have a negative impact on the grade of the assignment.

Failed (0)

Student has not completed assignments work and other given tasks acceptably in due time. The returned assignments are superficial and/or do not correspond to topics requested in the assignment.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

The assignment work shows that student is managing the basic concepts and theories of innovation management.

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

Student is managing well the theories and concepts of innovation management and is applying the knowledge to the benefit of student's organization and other stakeholders. Student is using well the given literature and apply it to given assignments.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Student is managing the theories and concepts of innovation management outstandingly and is applying the knowledge to the benefit of the organization and other stakeholders. Student is able to use the given literature in excellent way and is capable finding and applying relevant additional professional and scientific information sources creating new valuable viewpoints. The student demonstrates significant initiative, brings forward validated new ideas and inspires others with his or her innovation management capabilities.

Further information

Course communications via itslearning.