ELE 3701 Innovation and Entrepreneurship

ELE 3701 Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Course code: 
ELE 3701
Department: 
Strategy and Entrepreneurship
Credits: 
7.5
Course coordinator: 
Pengfei Wang
Course name in Norwegian: 
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Product category: 
Bachelor
Portfolio: 
Bachelor - Electives
Semester: 
2017 Autumn
Active status: 
Active
Level of study: 
Bachelor
Teaching language: 
Norwegian/English
Course type: 
One semester
Introduction

Please note
This course has some overlapping issues with the specialisation course in Innovation Management, 15 credits. Consequently a combination of these two courses in a Bachelors degree will not be allowed. The course can neither be taken by students in Bachelor Programme in Entrepreneurship due to overlap with other courses in the program.

During recent years, growing awareness of the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship has developed, and this field is now one of the highest priorities of the Norwegian Government which has developed its "holistic innovation policy framework" formulated in the document "From Idea to value", in which it is declared that Norway is going to become "one of the most innovative countries of the world".

Innovation and entrepreneurship address basic processes of industrial evolution, which can take many forms in processes of developing new products and processes, starting up new firms or developing or restructuring existing firms, or for instance by organising collaboration with customers or clients. Basically, innovation and entrepreneurship are focusing on the same type of processes, however, with a tendency of innovation to be more focused on developing the functional aspects of products or processes, while entrepreneurship is more focused on starting up new ventures and commercialisation.

In this course we will take this as the point of departure, and discuss what innovation and entrepreneurship are, and analyze the importance of these phenomena and how they are materializing in "real" life, both in existing firms and in connection with the start-up of new firms

Learning outcomes - Knowledge

Acquired Knowledge:

In the course the student will get an overview of the fields of innovation and entrepreneurship, and achieve familiarity with key concepts and theories.

Learning outcomes - Skills

The student will develop skills for analysing and participating in development processes in firms and entrepreneurial ventures.

Learning Outcome - Reflection

During the course, the student is expected to develop an ability to reflect critically on the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in the economy, as well as on political strategies to support innovation and entrepreneurship in society.

Course content

The course is organized in the following sequences:

  • Models & Types of Innovation
  • Innovation and Entrepreneurship Organization
  • Proactive Links
  • Generation of Innovations
  • Search for & Selection of Opportunities
  • Implementation, Development & Commercialisation of Innovations
  • Strategic Leadership

The course will be supplemented by seminars consisting of a combination of case studies, exercises and discussion of key readings.

Learning process and requirements to students

The course will include lectures, guest lectures, and student participation related to cases and curriculum.  

During the semester the students will write a Project paper. The project paper can be written in groups of up to three students. Max 20 pages, on one of the following topics: 

  1. Analyze an existing innovation case/project. The total 20 pages should be divided as follow; the first part will be the theoretical approach that you have chosen, the second part will be your empirical research (innovation case/project). There will be approximately 50/50 between the theoretical research and the empirical research. 
  2. Write a practical business plan for a new project/venture based on the students’ own idea. The total 20 pages should be divided approximately 50/50 between a theoretical analysis/discussion of a few central aspects of the business plan (part 1 based on the curriculum) and the business plan (part II)
Software tools
No specified computer-based tools are required.
Additional information

For electives re-sit is normally offered at the next scheduled course. If an elective is discontinued or is not initiated in the semester it is offered, re-sit will be offered in the electives ordinary semester.

Qualifications

Higher Education Entrance Qualification.

Required prerequisite knowledge

No particular prerequisites required.

Assessments
Assessments
Exam category: 
Submission
Form of assessment: 
Written submission
Weight: 
100
Grouping: 
Group/Individual (1 - 3)
Duration: 
1 Semester(s)
Comment: 
Grade in the course is based on portfolio evaluation, using electronic files. The students will develop a systematic set of assignments that will show effort, process, progress, and reflection.
Final grade in the course will be based on the following elements:
1. Delivery of project sketch: max 5 pages, and must include name of group participants, chosen theme and case, and how you intend to carry out the analysis. Date will be published at the start of the semester. Accounts for 20% of the grade.
2. Project paper. Max 20 pages.Accounts for 80% of the grade.

The project paper can be written in groups of up to three students. Se Learning process and workload to find information of which topics to choose. It is allowed to submit the portfolio in Norwegian language, even though teaching language is English.
Exam code: 
ELE37011
Grading scale: 
ECTS
Resit: 
Examination when next scheduled course
Exam organisation: 
Portfolio assessment
Total weight: 
100
Student workload
ActivityDurationComment
Teaching
30 Hour(s)
Other in classroom
4 Hour(s)
Participation in seminar, supervision (Class divided into  2 groups/individually)
Prepare for teaching
75 Hour(s)
Group work / Assignments
25 Hour(s)
Prepare presentations and activity in class
Submission(s)
66 Hour(s)
Project paper
Sum workload: 
200

A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 7,5 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 200 hours.