Applied Innovation Management (MSB416)
In a world where innovation drives success, this course empowers you to become a catalyst for change! Firms today rise to the top by constantly reinventing products, optimizing processes, exploring new markets, and embracing groundbreaking ideas. But in the modern knowledge economy, the challenge isn’t just to innovate - it’s to innovate strategically, shaping solutions that create both social and environmental value.
Through this course, you’ll gain a sharp, critical perspective on how firms manage and navigate innovation, and you’ll dive into real-world challenges with private and public organizations. By working on InGenious cases - a unique collaboration between Stavanger University and local industry partners, in coordination with the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) - or exploring cases from your own network, you’ll tackle pressing issues that impact the regional community.
Our Challenge-Based Learning approach will push you beyond theory, helping you develop practical, strategic insights to solve complex, real-life innovation challenges
NB! This is an elective course and may be cancelled if fewer than 15 students are enrolled by January 6th for the spring semester.
Course description for study year 2025-2026. Please note that changes may occur.
Course code
MSB416
Version
1
Credits (ECTS)
10
Semester tution start
Spring
Number of semesters
1
Exam semester
Spring
Language of instruction
English
Content
The course will take up the following topics:
- Sustainability-oriented innovation
- Exploring innovation space
- Searching for innovation opportunities
- Selecting innovation opportunities
- Agile implementation
- Capturing value
- Innovation strategy
- Building innovative organization
- Learning and building capability
Learning outcome
Knowledge
Through the course, students will develop a solid understanding of the scholarly debate on innovation in the management sciences, including:
- The importance of innovation to firms
- Identifying strategic capabilities
- Sources and the process of innovation
- Strategies for innovation
- Sustainability-oriented innovation
Skills
Students will be able to:
- Master Innovation Critique: Evaluate key theories and strategies to identify what truly drives innovation.
- Analyze Real-World Impact: Uncover and assess the forces behind innovation in real firms.
- Create a Strategic Playbook: Develop essential strategies to launch and sustain innovation.
- Manage Innovation Projects: Take ideas from concept to successful implementation.
- Conquer Innovation Challenges: Solve the 10 most common roadblocks with practical solutions.
Required prerequisite knowledge
Exam
| Form of assessment | Weight | Duration | Marks | Aid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group (max. 4 students) or Individual Written Assignment | 1/1 | 1 Semesters | Letter grades |
Coursework requirements
This course applied the flipped-learning approach. This implies that about 10 lectures will be provided in digital format, followed by in-person seminars. Additionally, there will be two 2-days workshops (half-day eventsin challenge based learning, and students will work with real companies and pitch their innovation solutions in the end to the companies
Mandatory activities:
Presentation of own work related to real-life case
Course teacher(s)
Course coordinator:
Tatiana Aleksandrovna IakovlevaStudy Program Director:
Ingeborg Foldøy SolliMethod of work
The course is a flipped-learning course, which implies ten pre-recorded lectures followed by in-person seminars where students will have to discuss provided teaching cases in light of theories. Further, this course applied Challenge Based Learning technique. This means that students will be urged to work with real companies to identify innovation-related challenges, such as searching for and selecting innovative ideas, structuring a smooth innovation process, challenges of portfolio management, and the like. As a part of this course, they would need to investigate these challenges and suggest solutions in light of learned theories. Before each seminar, students must review the required online materials, including videos, podcasts, and reading materials. Active participation during seminars and workshops is expected. There will be three workshops - an ideation stage workshop, a facts-stage workshop, and a solution-stage workshop to help students implement the Challenge-Based Learning approach.
The final deliverable will be a written report at the end of the course.
Expected workload: 250-300 hours
Lectures: 50 hours
Self-study: 100 hours
Assignments - including contact with firms: 120 hours
Overlapping courses
| Course | Reduction (SP) |
|---|---|
| Strategies for Innovation Management (MØA416_1) | 10 |
| Sustainable Business Development and Innovation: The Firm Perspective (ECS110_1) | 5 |
Open for
The course is open to all Master's students within the University of Stavanger.
For single course admission: The course is open to students with any bachelor's degree.