Module 1 – Introduction and theoretical background to Idea Management #im74

Module 1 – Introduction and theoretical background to Idea Management 

January 24 – February 17

During the initial four course weeks, the focus will be on familiarizing oneself with the online learning spaces and connecting with peers and facilitators. In addition, you will start reading about the theoretical foundations of Idea Management in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the area. You will be setting up your own profile and Twitter account (in case if you do not have one already). On the profile page, you will share expectations, background knowledge, as well as your own experiences and practices (these will only be visible to fellow course participants).

Introduction Webinar

Thursday, January 24 at 12.30-13.30 CET (check your time zone).
The course will start with an introduction webinar where we will present the structure of the course and will get to know each other. The webinar will consist of presentations from the course facilitator followed by questions and discussions regarding the course. In order to participate, simply click the following link and enter your name. You might be required to install the program Zoom: https://sunet.zoom.us/j/3392306203

• Your first assignment is to set up your profile on the course homepage using this link: (click here to setup a user profile on the course webpage)
• View the Powerpoint presented at the Webinar.

Literature Webinar

Thursday, January 31 at 12.30-13.30 CET (check your time zone).
The second webinar will focus on the course literature that is used in Module 1. In order to participate, simply click the following link and enter as a guest, stating your name. Nothing more is required: https://sunet.zoom.us/j/3392306203

• Your second assignment is to familiarize yourself with the literature prior to the webinar, and actively participate in webinar discussions.
• View a recording of the webinar (available from 2/2-2019).
• View the Powerpoint presented at the Webinar (available from 2/2-2019).

Thursday, February 14th at 12.30 CET (check your time zone).
In order to share your experiences regarding idea management we will use a Tweetchat with the course hashtag #im74 (to learn more about tweetchat see this page). Make sure to always include it in your tweets. During the Tweetchat, course coordinators and lecturers will actively engage with you in a discussion about Idea Management.

• Your third assignment is actively participate in the Tweetchat with the hashtag #im74 and give your reflections of the literature coupled with your own experiences.

Final (5th) assignment in module 1 – Write a post on the course webpage (in English or Swedish)

The final assignment (mandatory) is to take your current or previous employer (or a freely chosen organization) and describe how that organization works with Idea Management. Depart from how the ideas are generated, refined and assessed. Some examples of questions could be: Who takes part in these activities? Who is in charge/makes decisions? Do strict routines/rules/guidelines exist? How are these ideas evaluated?

Your post should also include an answer to the following question: We live in rapidly changing times, in your opinion, what is the biggest challenge facing society within the next five years?

The post should be uploaded before the first Tweetchat (Deadline 12.30 CET, February 14) and contain between 400-500 words (about one page in Word, with font size 12). 

You can write the post in either English or Swedish.

Literature

The following scientific articles will be discussed in the first module:

1. Chesbrough, H. W. (2006). The era of open innovation. Managing innovation and change, 127 (3), 34-41.
2. Cooper, R. G. (2014). What’s Next?: After Stage-Gate. Research-Technology Management, 57 (1), 20-31.
3. Eling, K., & Herstatt, C. (2017). Managing the Front End of Innovation—Less Fuzzy, Yet Still Not Fully Understood. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 34 (6), 864-874.
4. Koen, P., Ajamian, G., Burkart, R., Clamen, A., Davidson, J., D’Amore, R., … & Karol, R. (2001). Providing clarity and a common language to the “fuzzy front end”. Research-Technology Management, 44 (2), 46-55.

Click here to get information about how to find and acquire the articles.
Additional reading (for interested)

1. Engen, M., and P. Magnusson. 2015. Exploring the role of front-line employees as innovators. The Service Industries Journal, 35 (6): 303-24
   (To learn more about how Front-line employees can be a source for service innovation)
2. Bitner, M. J., A. L. Ostrom, and F. N. Morgan. 2008. Service blueprinting: A practical technique for service innovation. California Management Review, 50 (3): 66-94.
   (To learn more about Service Blueprint, a tool to visualise your services)
3. Brown, L., & Osborne, S. P. (2013). Risk and innovation: Towards a framework for risk governance in public services. Public Management Review, 15(2), 186-208.
   (this paper is recommended for those working in the public sector, it talks about the risks in public service innovations)

Videos

Introduction to Idea management (Alexandre Sukhov)

What is Front End Innovation? (Alexandre Sukhov)

Stage-gate process (Robert Cooper)

What is Open Innovation (Henry Chesbrough)

Open Innovation (Peter Magnusson)

BEING SUCCESSFUL IN THE COURSE
In the first four weeks of our course, the main focus is on getting ready for open networked learning and participating successfully in Idea Management. It is probably useful to think about what successful participation in a course like this means. What does it mean for you?
The following video provides one example of what success is and how to study in a course like ours: