GRA 6821 Technology Strategy and Strategic Technology - RE-SIT EXAMINATION

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2013/2014

GRA 6821 Technology Strategy and Strategic Technology - RE-SIT EXAMINATION


Responsible for the course
Espen Andersen

Department
Department of Strategy and Logistics

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
6

Language of instruction
English

Introduction
Technology – in the widest sense of the word – shapes the competitive landscape by changing what is possible. In a complex process of co-evolution of technology and its uses, new business strategies are enabled and new companies and industries created. More and more, to understand strategy is to understand, if not the details, at least the effect and the evolutionary direction of technology.

Learning outcome
This course aims to give students a thorough understanding of the impact of technology on business strategy, and how technology evolves and affects markets and competition. The students will study the interaction between technology, management and strategy, learn to recognize and understand disruptive technologies, use frameworks and models in a case-based setting to analyze technologies and learn how to manage technology innovation and commercialization. A number of technologies will be studied, including the disruptive impact and innovative dimensions of the Internet and other forms of information and communications technologies.

Prerequisites
A bachelor degree qualifying for admission to the MSc programme where the course is offered.

Compulsory reading
Books:
Christensen, Clayton M., Michalel Raynor. 2003. The innovator's solution : creating and sustaining successful growth. Harvard Business School Press
Shapiro, Carl and Hal R. Varian. 1999. Information rules : a strategic guide to the network economy. Harvard Business School Press


Other:
Articles and cases on paper and electronically - for details please see http://www.espen.com/courses/gra6821
During the course there may be hand-outs and other material on additional topics relevant for the course and the examination.
A list of compulsory readings will be provided on It's learning or in class



Recommended reading
Books:
Christensen, Clayton M. 2003. The innovator's dilemma : the revolutionary book that will change the way you do business. Harper Business Essensials
Utterback, James M. 1994. Mastering the dynamics of innovation : how companies can seize opportunities in the face of technological change. Harvard Business School Press


Course outline
- Technology evolution and technology history
- Disruptive and sustaining technologies/innovations
- Entering new markets with technology
- Linking strategy and innovation
- Building strategic innovation capability
- Technology market structure and evolution
- Componentization and integration
- Industry structures and competitive environments in eBusiness
- Electronic markets and market facilitators
- Technology implementation and institutionalization
- The politics of technology

All information on the course can be found at http://www.espen.com/courses/gra6821

Computer-based tools
No specific uses of technology, but familiarity with and an interest in use of the Internet and personal information technology tools is assumed. It's learning/homepage

Learning process and workload
A course of 6 ECTS credits corresponds to a workload of 160-180 hours.
The course is structured as a combination of lectures, discussions, in-class activities, case analysis, and case discussion. It requires substantial amount of preparation by the students and active involvement during class.

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
Your course grade will be based on the following activities and weights:
Term paper (in groups of 2 to 3 students, in special circumstances individually): 50%.
A written individual 3 hour exam: 50 %
All parts of the evaluation need to be passed in order to get a grade in the course.


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)
GRA 68214 continuous assessment accounts for 100 % of the final grade in the course GRA 6821.

Examination support materials
A bilingual dictionary
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.