37394 - FIRM LABORATORY

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

The student at the end of the laboratory will be able to analyse firm internal and external context using applied tecniques and through a hands-on approach.

Contenuti

he emphasis in this course is on understanding various aspects of past, present and future approaches to Corporate Venturing. Both academic research and company testimonials will serve as catalysts to instil an appreciation of the key concepts as they relate to technology management, entrepreneurship, finance, and marketing as well as organizational behaviour.

The course should appeal to individuals interested in working in, for or with corporate entities. Understanding the concepts of corporate venturing will provide a strong grounding in innovation and knowledge management. This understanding is beneficial to and for managers and employees regardless of company size or the individual business life cycle stage. In addition students who are interested in occupations in any of the service or peripheral areas of business that support corporations will also gain from the materials covered as well as from real world examples that will be discussed. Those interested in IP, consulting, financial services or venture capital will gain insights into the various ways corporations structure themselves to innovate and ensure sustainability though the various forms of corporate venturing.

The course is strongly based on active participation by all students. Discussions should be lively yet respectful. Learning will come from not only from the course materials but also from listening to, and sharing of knowledge by all. The course will include a fair amount of information in a very short period of time. Therefore it is essential that everyone come to class having read all required materials and be prepared to discuss the topics at hand. Both attending and participating in class will count for 10% of your grade – attendence alone is not sufficiant.

Testi/Bibliografia

• Reading package provided by the instructor

• Case study package

Metodi didattici

The class will be interactive and class preparation and participation is essential. Participation will be required in discussions, guest lectures, and project work. The following elements will be included:

- Lectures by instructor

- Guest lectures by industry and academic experts to introduce various aspects of corporate venturing across industry sectors

- Case discussions and student case presentations

- Analysis of academic research and its relevance to real world examples

- Multi-media presentations including, movie, video and interview footage

- Industry Interview

- A progressive group project that will culminate in teams of 3-4 students presenting corporate venture strategy plans

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

In addition to the the transfer of knowledge with regard to the specific subjects of corporate venturing, participation in the the course provides the opportunity for strengthening crucial skills that are essential for successful managers. These skills include, but are not limited to, team work, communication and presentation skills. Therefore, each day a group or individual assignment must be handed in. These will take the shape of case write-ups, case presentations and critical analysis of articles as well as the write up of an interview with an industry expert.

Assignments will only be accepted on the day they are due. All written assignments are to be typed with a maximum length of three to four pages (12 point font and 1” margins) plus references and figures. A short guide on how to write a case analysis will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the course.

Assignments

There will be 2 group assignments. For each assignment teams will be formed and oral presentations will be required for the different subjects. If slides are being used, they will be due at the beginning of the class on the day of the discussions and presentations.

In addition each student will have two projects to complete on their own. One is to review an academic article (to be provided) on an aspect of corporate venturing and the second is to interview and write about a discussion with someone involved in any aspect of Corporate Venturing. This person can be a participant, a recipient or a service provider. Each of these should be 1-2 pages in length. The article will be presented on the 2^nd day of class and the interview will be due 2 weeks after class concludes.

In addition there will be a final group project whereby each group will identify a large multinational company (must be approved), research its past and current venturing strategies and

from current practices.

Written case analysis, case presentations and interview write ups should include;

• Clear concise background and identification of key problems/strategic issues
• Use of appropriate analytical tools techniques, including charts and tables where appropriate
• For cases:realistic, workable, well-supported recommendations for action
• For industry interviews and article reviews:clear descriptions of the background being presented and lessons learned
• Aesthetic, clear and professional presentation

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Caren Helene Weinberg