Technology Strategy

GOALS OF THE COURSE

Welcome to the technology strategy course!

The general objective of the course is to provide participants with a set of skills and instruments to manage firms in high-technology sectors and to understand industry dynamics in these sectors. To this end the course introduces conceptual frameworks based on cutting-edge research in economics, strategy and technology management. It sheds light on the technological and competitive landscapes that characterize high-technology industries, incentives to innovate, alternative commercialization paths for new technologies, as well as resource allocation and R&D investment decisions.

The course covers two broad themes. The first theme discusses how technological cycles, market dynamics and organizational factors shape the success or failure of a firm's technology strategy. The second theme focuses on the sources of technological capabilities and on the process through which these capabilities are translated into new products. The specific topics covered include, but are not limited to, the following subjects:

- Technological Change and Economic Growth

- Industry Standards and Dominant Designs

- The Challenge of Disruptive, Discontinuous Technologies

- The Sources of Innovation

- Intellectual Property: Profiting from good ideas

- Managing Innovation inside the Firm

- Technology Strategy and Industry Structure

COURSE FORMAT & TEACHING METHODS

The course will combine lectures, case studies, company presentations, and team-based work. Each session will focus on a particular topic that we will explore theoretically through the assigned readings and practically through a case or company presentation. Throughout the course we will try to achieve a balance between theory and practice and between industry-level and firm-level analysis. To this end the course includes a mix of sessions designed to check the consistency between predictions coming out of research on the one hand and practical insights on the other. We will also try to achieve a balance between industry-level frameworks and firm-specific analyses that focus on managerial decisions and organizational dynamics.

Workload:

Besides preparing the mandatory readings and actively contributing to class discussion, participants will be required to complete the following assignments:

- a group exercise (in-class, session 5 and 6)

- a final take-home assignment (due date still TBC).

More information and submission details will be disclosed at a later stage

The group exercise takes place in session 9. Participants will be assigned to a team of 5-6 people and given a short article that discusses a particular technology. Drawing upon the main concepts and theories learned in class, participants will have to analyse the technology dynamics in the selected industry and propose a technology strategy for the firms in that sector. To complete the assignment, teams are welcome to use additional resources, such as databases, internet searches and news articles. The report will simply consist of a few PowerPoint slides (max 5 slides) that each team will use to prepare their presentation. Presentations will take place in class in week 10. Further instructions will be given in class.

The final assignment will be a take-home essay in which participants will be asked to propose a technology strategy for a new venture in the high-tech industry. Further details on the due dates will be disclosed in class after the course starts.

NOTE:

We have secured the participation of relevant industry experts. Their input will be very helpful for your assignments and/or to broaden your understanding of the key challenges that each of these players face. Attendance to all guest speakers' presentations is mandatory.

READING MATERIALS:

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