MANAGEMENT DELL'INNOVAZIONE

1.Knowledge and understanding: This course aims to provide theoretical-practical knowledge and skills related to the strategic management of technological innovation in its various forms, models, methods and tools for developping innovative products. In particular, students will understand the importance of innovation to acquire and maintain a competitive advantage, strategic decisions concerning the launch of a new product on the market, the innovative projects management.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding: The Innovation Management course aims to develop students' critical and analytical skills on the innovation strategic management. In particular, the course encourages students to apply analytical tools, concepts and methodologies to: compare and analyze different models for innovation; suggest the appropriate tools for specific situations; and understand how new products, organizational knowledge and managerial approaches to innovation can create value for customers and new business opportunities. The approach is inductive. Basis on an examination of case studies and testimonials from experts,executives, R&D managers, and start-uppers, the student will be able to reconstruct the conceptual categories and contributions and apply them correctly to the different contexts of innovation, through the presentation of a project work, individually and in groups.

3. Making judgments: this course is designed to provide the student with detailed, in depth knowledge of the innovation management literature, skills and applying knowledge. The student will be able to make judgment about the impact of innovation on the firm competitive advantage and on the value creation for customers. The student will be able to analyze and propose solutions for the innovation management, from closed propertary systems to open innovation approach, from strategic alliances up to the issues on the innovation appropriateness up to the team organization.

4. Communication skills: Class discussions and assignments, in group and individually, are designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills they will need to critically evaluate the innovation management decisions and communicate ideas effectively in written and oral form, by adopting an appropriate technical language. Students will be able to effectively communicate ideas in written and oral form, to use appropriate technical language and to critically evaluate issues related to innovation management.

5. Learning skills: At the end of the cycle of lectures, students will have acquired specific knowledge and critical evaluation skills that will allow them to autonomously deepen the theoretical models on innovation and the complex interaction between entrepreneurship and innovation. They will learn models, tools, methods to manage innovation within organizations and will be able to analyze and solve problems that arise in the development phase of innovative projects. Additionally, students will acquire the ability to critically read, summarize and present scientific articles and case studies on innovation management.
Learning skills will be stimulated during the lessons through active and participatory involvement of students, research, laboratory activities and field observations.Learning will be gradual and will be favored by the analysis of experiences and examples, case studies, applied activities, in-class presentations and discussions with experts, executives, R&D managers, start-uppers, entrepreneurs, team leader, and a thorough knowledge of the teaching material. Reports, individual and group assignments, and project works will further support the learning process and facilitate the understanding of the main issues related to innovation management. Students will present and discuss case studies, papers and project work, developed by working in small groups.

Pre- requisites: There are no formal prerequisites for the course. Students are expected to have basic knowledge of strategy, management and business administration disciplines.

Attendance: Strongly recommended

• Lectures, Applied Activities, Case Studies, In-Class Presentations and Discussions with Executives, R&D Managers, Start-uppers and Entrepreneurs, Seminars, Individual and Group Assignments.

Final Exam
Attending students:

• Project work (50% of the final grade) on a topic defined together with the instructor. The vote is expressed out of thirty and takes into account the relevance of the topic, the quality of the project and the oral presentation.
• Written test (50% of the final grade), based on the whole program. The written test is divided into true / false, multiple and semi-open questions and takes place in 25 minutes. The vote is expressed out of thirty.
  To pass the final exam, it is necessary to obtain a pass in both tests.

Non-attending students:
Written exam (100% of the final grade) is divided into true / false, multiple, semi-open and open questions and takes place in 45 minutes. The vote is expressed out of thirty.
The written test is adopted for each session. Reservation is required for each exam session. The written test is based on the contents discussed during the lessons, the book chapters and the supplementary teaching materials, as reported in the syllabus.

The final evaluation expressed out of thirty will be carried out by assigning a partial score to the following criteria in line with the objectives indicated above: knowledge of the assigned topic, appropriateness of the technical language, relevance of the answers to the questions posed, ability to connect between the topic discussed and other topics inherent to the program, logical ability to argue the assigned topic, ability to contextualize the topic with practical examples taken from the company reality, active participation in the classroom.
In the event that the remote exam is authorized, the instructor reserves the right to change the type of exam (type of test, oral exam) provided for both attending and non-attending students and the time allocated.

The course deals with the following main topics:
Innovation in a systemic vision - Sources of innovation - Types of innovation - Innovation diffusion models - Technological cycles - Technological standards - Strategic orientation - "Timing" of Entry - Creativity and Design Thinking - Open innovation - Building innovative organizations - Technology transfer - Intellectual property - Crowdfunding - Dynamic capacity - Team composition - Organizational structures - Innovative projects management.

• Schilling M., Izzo F., (2020), Gestione dell'innovazione, McGraw-Hill Education, Milano.
• Supplementary teaching materials used during the course (slides, case studies, book chapters, scientific articles and other readings).
• https://studium.unict.it/dokeos/2022/courses/26414/