GRA 3152 Innovation, Sectoral Applications

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2013/2014

GRA 3152 Innovation, Sectoral Applications


Responsible for the course
Per Ingvar Olsen

Department
Department of Innovation and Economic Organisation

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
6

Language of instruction
English

Introduction
The course provides an overview of challenges and options in sustaining intrapreneurship and innovation in selected sectors of the economy. The course highlights how core economic/financial, organizational, technological and knowledge factors interplay in dynamic value creation in sector specific contexts. The course will also provide an introduction to the complex interplay between firms, industrial networks and public institutions in industrial development and innovation in selected sectors of the economy, such as telecommunication, energy, manufacturing industry, the maritime and service-sectors, tourism etc based on ongoing research at the NSM.

Learning outcome
The course will enhance the students’ understanding of innovation and familiarize them with practical applications in core sectors of the economy, such as telecommunication, energy, manufacturing, maritime, tourism and various service-sectors based on ongoing research at the NSM. The course will furthermore seek to qualify the students' entrepreneurial attitudes and their abilities in evaluating entrepreneurial business opportunities and challenges across contexts representing societal, industrial and institutional diversity.

Prerequisites
A bachelor degree qualifying for entrance to the master programme in innovation and entrepreneurship.

Compulsory reading
Books:
Malerba, Francesco, ed. 2004. Sectoral systems of innovation : concepts, issues and analyses of six major sectors in Europe. Cambridge University Press

Collection of articles:
Midttun, Atle et al. 2007. Kompendium: Innovation Sectoral Applications

Other:
During the course there may be hand-outs and other material on additional topics relevant for the course and the examination.


Recommended reading

Course outline
The course will concentrate on central innovation themes in selected sectors like telecommunication, energy, manufacturing industry, the maritime and service-sectors, tourism etc:

- Why is innovation and intrapreneurship important in selected sectors?
- Innovation as an organisational challenge in selected sectors
- Innovation as an economic challenge in selected sectors
- Strategic approaches and process models for intrapreneurship in selected sectors
- IPR and IPR strategies in selected sectors
- Commercialisation methods, ex: spin inns/ spin offs in selected sectors
- Innovation at the boundary: Industrial supplier networks as innovation arenas in selected sectors
- Corporate venturing in selected sectors
- Innovation systems and dynamic interplay between public agencies, institutions and firms in selected sectors

Case Examples
To demonstrate practical applications, the course will have invited presentations from leading Norwegian enterprises in class.

Computer-based tools
Standard, It's learning/homepage

Learning process and workload
A course of 6 ECTS credits corresponds to a workload of 160-180 hours. Divided into regular lectures and workshops including paper presentations.

Please note that while attendance is not compulsory in all courses, it is the student’s own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class that is not included on the course homepage/It's learning or text book.



Examination
- 70% Paper: maximum 25 pages and 3 students pr. paper
- 30% Exam: 3 hours written exam
Mandatory class participation and presentations, where the students will be assigned investigations and analysis of actual models of innovation in Norwegian firms, and sectors as part of the course-work.

Specific information regarding student evaluation beyond the information given in the course description will be provided in class. This information may be relevant for requirements for term papers or other hand-ins, and/or where class participation can be one of several elements of the overall evaluation.

This is a course with continuous assessment (several exam elements) and one final exam code. Each exam element will be graded using points on a scale (e.g. 0-100). The elements will be weighted together according to the information in the course description in order to calculate the final letter grade for the course. You will find detailed information about the point system and the cut off points with reference to the letter grades on the course site in It’s learning.


Examination code(s)
GRA31521 continuous assessment accounts for 100 % of the final grade in the course GRA 3152.

Examination support materials
Only bilingual dictionary allowed.
Exam aids at written examiniations are explained under exam information in the student portal @bi. Please note use of calculator and dictionary in the section on examaids


Re-sit examination
It is only possible to retake an examination when the course is next taught.
The assessment in some courses is based on more than one exam code.
Where this is the case, you may retake only the assessed components of one of these exam codes.
Where this is not the case, all of the assessed components of the course must be retaken.
All retaken examinations will incur an additional fee.


Additional information
Honor Code
Academic honesty and trust are important to all of us as individuals, and represent values that are encouraged and promoted by the honor code system. This is a most significant university tradition. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the ideals of the honor code system, to which the faculty are also deeply committed.

Any violation of the honor code will be dealt with in accordance with BI’s procedures for cheating. These issues are a serious matter to everyone associated with the programs at BI and are at the heart of the honor code and academic integrity. If you have any questions about your responsibilities under the honor code, please ask.