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2012/2013  KAN-CM_V87  Social Innovation Camp: Creating sustainable tools and business models

English Title
Social Innovation Camp: Creating sustainable tools and business models

Course information

Language English
Exam ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Course period Autumn
Changes in course schedule may occur
Tuesday 12.35-15.10, week 36-41, 43-46
Time Table Please see course schedule at e-Campus
Max. participants 80
Study board
Study Board for MSc in Economics and Business Administration
Course coordinator
  • Kai Hockerts - Department of Intercultural Communication and Management
Maja Dueholm (md.ikl)
Main Category of the Course
  • Business Ethics, value based management and CSR
  • Innovation and entrepreneurship
  • Management
  • Corporate and Business Strategy
Last updated on 27-04-2012
Learning objectives
After having participated in this course students should be able to:
• Know basic concepts of sustainability and corporate social responsibility and apply these concepts and their specific tools in a real case.
• Identify sources for creative ideas for organization, both company-internally and company-externally. They are able to do so theoretically (on the basis of the literature provided in the course) and also practically (on the basis of specific cases and the project dealt with in the course).
• Evaluate the business ideas identified, using specific characteristics derived from the literature provided in the course (e.g. realizability, value, novelty, etc.).
• Analyze and evaluate the causes and effects of the introduction of an innovation. They should be able to see and manage the social innovation process in a larger framework of the organization.
• Reflect on (literature about) sustainability, corporate social responsibility, idea generation and sources of innovation, product innovation and evaluation, and entrepreneurship. Students are able to compare different streams of research/theory with regards to the topics mentioned, to understand and use the tools provided in the literature and to connect the literature to their specific case/project.
• Apply the overall knowledge developed in the course in a specific case and to work together with the course teachers and external experts and potential partner companies on a specific project, identifying, evaluating and developing creative ideas.
Prerequisite
Master level students – all lines allowed, also external students from Danish and International Universities
(We are aiming at a high heterogeneity of students in this course. Therefore students from different lines inside CBS are welcome as well as students from other universities in Denmark and abroad.)
This course is part of the ‘Minor in Social Entrepreneurship’.
Examination
Individual project exam/home assignment
Instant Innovation Camp: Creating sustainable tools and business models:
Type of test Home Assignment
Marking scale 7-step scale
Second examiner No second examiner
Exam period Winter Term
Aids Please, see the detailed regulations below
Duration Please, see the detailed regulations below
15 pages home asignment.
Course content

This course has been developed and is offered as cooperation between Copenhagen Business School, Lund University, Øresund Entrepreneurship Academy and Marketing Consulting Services. It is inspired by current important topics like the democratization of innovation, microfinance, improving the living standard of the bottom of the pyramid, the development of new energy sources and developing business ideas out of online and/or distributed communities. This course teaches students how to find, evaluate and develop innovative ideas for the benefit of individuals, companies and the society (resulting in social innovations).

In this course students get to learn the models and tools taken from theory on sustainability and corporate social responsibility, innovation management and entrepreneurship literature. For instance, we take a look at new search techniques to identify valuable individuals and their ideas for companies (as for instance the Procter and Gamble “connect and develop” model), we look at new business models (e.g. platform leadership) as Apple or LEGO apply it, we look at new ways of financing entrepreneurial individuals (e.g. microfinance MyC4), and learn how to co-create innovations with distributed actors inside and outside of organizations. Based on these cases, students develop and adapt their own innovative tools/models or work on their own cases. Students take part in an “social innovation camp” where they learn to reflect and apply theories and models.

The relevance of this course results from a common dilemma in industries that depend on the generation of social innovations. There is a high number of ideas to be identified and evaluated. From the mass of ideas only few will survive to become ready solutions. We meet this challenge and search for ideas, evaluate them and select the most promising ones.

Once we have experienced the essential tools and methods to identify and evaluate new ideas and tools in class there are three different options that students have (depending on the availability of partner companies for the course):

To 1) develop innovative, sustainable tools that companies can apply, to 2) work on hypothetical or real cases that the students bring into the course and 3) to work on real projects from partner companies.

We test the abilities during the highlight of the course: the Social Innovation Camp. Student teams, course coordinators and potential company partners meet for 8 hours to discuss the developed tools and cases or to further develop innovative solutions.

The type of exam used in this course (individual project exam/home assignment) allows the students to follow the development of the course in writing in their projects and to reflect on their experiences over the whole duration of the course, including the innovation camp and the co-creation of real solutions for real companies.

Structure:

The course follows the structure outlined in the figure, having 3 different parts:

INSPIRE:

Theory & Inspiration

 

Theoretical Lectures and Tools

Students

EXPLORE:

Tools & Cases & Companies

  • Developing a sustainable tool
  • Working on a self-chosen case
  • Working with a partner company

DEVELOP:

Solutions

8h Business Camp

Company/ Students/ Experts

In the first part (Inspire) the students attend the theoretical lectures. This section comprises theory and cases about sustainability and corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurial opportunities, idea development, idea evaluation and aspects of a business proposal. This part is finalized and summarized by a lecture focusing on tools in which the students learn how to apply the theory for a real case. In the second part, the students work either on developing an innovative, sustainable tool based on literature (e.g. a kind of microfinace model or a distributed innovation model), or chose a company to work with by themselves or work with a partner company chosen by the course leaders. In the third part students, company managers and industry experts join together to develop solutions for sustainable innovations for the cases at the instant innovation camp. The students present their work at the camp. While they are assisted on how to facilitate such a workshop, it is their own responsibility to bring together the requirements (presentation and workshop material) in order to present their work as good and as professional as possible.

Teaching methods
Teaching includes lecture-style classes, in-class workshops with students presenting and actively participating in discussions. To prepare for the innovation camp and collect additional knowledge, there will be an “explore phase” with coaching in developing tools for sustainable innovation, specific workshop processes and a company visit (in the case of a real company case).

The course´s development of personal competences:

Development of personal competences linked to traditional “lecture style” characteristics of this course:

* Knowledge/competences about theory/models/tools in sustainability and corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurial opportunities, idea development, idea evaluation and aspects of a business proposal.
* Knowledge/competences in reading and analyzing scientific literature
* Presentation and discussion skills
* Analytical skills
* Knowledge/competences in writing a project report

Development of additional personal competences linked to applied and project related characteristics of this course:

* Knowledge/competences in identifying, developing and evaluating ideas for sustainable innovation
* Knowledge/competences in doing a company analysis
* Knowledge/competences in doing an industry analysis
* Competences in innovation methods (especially how to conduct an instant innovation camp)
* Competences in case analysis and development
* Competences in group organization and communication (experiences with group dynamics as preparation for and during the innovation camp)
Expected literature
  • Jones, E., Harrison, D., & McLaren, J. 2001. Managing Creative Eco-innovation–Structuring outputs from Eco-innovation projects. The Journal of Sustainable Product Design, 1: 27-39.
  • Mort, G., Weerawardena, J., & Carnegie, K. 2003. Social entrepreneurship: Towards conceptualisation. International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 8: 76-82.
  • Lilien, G. L. & Morrison, P. D. & Searls, K. & Sonnack, M. & von Hippel, E. (2002). Performance assessment of the lead user idea-generation process for new product development. Management Science, 48 (8), 1042-1059.
  • Finding Commercially Attractive User Innovations: A Test of Lead-User Theory. By: Franke, Nikolaus; von Hippel, Eric; Schreier, Martin. Journal of Product Innovation Management, Jul2006, Vol. 23 Issue 4, p301-315.
  • Schilling, Melissa A. (2008). Strategic Management of Technological Innovation. McGraw-Hill Irwin, New York.
  • Baron, Robert A., and Shane, Scott A. (2008). Entrepreneurship. A Process Perspective. Thomson Southwestern, Mason, OH.
  • Hellström C. and Hellström T. (2002). Highways, Alleys and By–lanes: Charting the Pathways for Ideas and Innovation in Organizations. Creativity and Innovation Management. vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 107-114(8)
  • Van de Ven. A.H., Polley, D.E., Garud, R. & Venkataraman, S. (1999): The Innovation Journey, Oxford University Press, 1999, Chapter 2 (Mapping the Innovation Journey), pp. 21-66
  • Kline, S.J. and Rosenberg, N. (1986). An Overview of Innovation. in Landau, R. & Rosenberg, N. (eds.), Washington D.C. National Academy Press.
  • Roberts, E.B. (1988). Managing invention and innovation. Research-Technology Management, January-February: 11-29.
  • Von Hippel, Eric: Democratizing Innovation, MIT Press, 2005 (chapters 1, 2, 10)
  • March (1991) Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning. Organizational Science vol 2, no 1
Last updated on 27-04-2012