Course 2024-2025

Theories and Strategies of Innovation in ICT [IBAGM311]

  • 5 credits
  • 30h
  • 2nd quarter
Language of instruction: French / Français

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will be able to : • Understanding innovation and its dynamics in general and innovation in the ICT sector in particular (types and dynamics, sources and processes, software as a product of innovation, etc.). • Understand the different key strategic issues raised by ICT innovation (e.g. pioneer/follower; diffuse/protect). • Setting up an ICT innovation project (managing the innovation process, managing creativity, exploitation/exploration, collaboration, financing, etc.). • Analyse or design strategies for an ICT innovation. • Designing a business model that brings ICT innovation to the market.

Objectives

The ICT Innovation Theories and Strategies course aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of innovation theories and strategies at work in the ICT field. While dealing with the fundamental concepts of innovation, the aim is to understand how to innovate and create value with software and thereby answer the following questions: (1) what innovation can a company achieve with software in its product or service? (2) how to master the processes that achieve product innovation? (3) how to design a business model that brings innovation to the market?

Content

The ICT Innovation Theories and Strategies course aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of innovation theories and strategies at work in the ICT field. While dealing with the fundamental concepts of innovation, the aim is to understand how to innovate and create value with ICT. The course is structured around five main themes: • Technological innovation (invention & innovation, forms of innovation, different types of innovation and their effects, innovation cycles, innovation diffusion processes). • Innovation in ICT (software, software sector, innovation and software). • Innovation management (sources and processes of innovation, individual creativity, R&D, exploration and collaboration, organisation of an innovative project, realisation of innovation, financing innovation, marketing innovation). • Innovation strategy (different innovation dilemmas, open innovation in ICT). • Innovative business model (typical examples, typology of innovative business models).


Teaching methods

• Alternating theoretical presentations and case studies. • Reading of articles and extracts from reference books. • Group work during the semester to allow students to directly apply the concepts and theories studied in the course.

Evaluations

• Practical group work (40%) : • Practical application of the concepts and theories learned in the course. • Written report & sharing/discussion in class. • Personal work: written and oral defence (60%) : • Analysis of a technological innovation in the field of ICT. • Written report & defence in an oral exam.

Recommended readings

• J-Y Prax & al, Objectif Innovation, Dunod, 2012. • Séverine Le Loarne-Lemaire, Sylvie Blanco, Management de l'innovation, Pearson, 2012. • Lippoldt D., Stryzowski P., Innovation in the software sector, OECD Publishing, Paris, 2009. • Constantinos C. Markides, Paul A. Geroski, Fast Second: How Smart Companies Bypass Radical Innovation to Enter and Dominate New Market, Jossey-Bass, 2004 • Christensen, Clayton, The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail, Harvard Business Review Press, 1997. • Everett M. Rogers, Diffusion of Innovations, 5th Edition, 2003.

Language of instruction

French / Français

Location for course

NAMUR

Organizer

Faculté d'informatique
rue Grandgagnage 21
5000 NAMUR
P. 081725252
F. 081724967
secretariat.info@unamur.be

Degree of Reference

Master's Degree