Strategic Innovation: Managing Innovation Initiatives from Coursera

You may have noticed that what is new often behaves differently than what has become accepted over time whether it is in a market, technology, or with people and firms. This course helps you develop a perspective on managing innovation. That is, you will build your capability to lead and design your organization in effectively implementing innovation initiatives and achieving their strategic intent.

To do this, you will learn a set of frameworks, tools, and concepts that can help you address several important challenges in managing innovation. The first challenge is in regards to how to successfully implement innovation efforts within established firms and alongside established businesses. You then investigate the particulars of managing innovation when disruptive technologies are involved. Other topics include leadership of new product development teams, planning and evaluation of innovation initiatives, and management of innovation across organizational boundaries, as happens with alliances or virtual firms.

You will be able to:

- Analyze innovations and their impact on organizations

- Articulate a research-informed perspective on innovation

- Utilize frameworks, tools, and concepts to address challenges that arise in innovation

This course is part of Gies College of Business’ suite of online programs, including the iMBA and iMSM. Learn more about admission into these programs and explore how your Coursera work can be leveraged if accepted into a degree program at https://degrees.giesbusiness.illinois.edu/idegrees/.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Orientation

You will become familiar with the course, your classmates, and our learning environment. The orientation will also help you obtain the technical skills required for the course.

MODULE 1: Managing Innovation

MODULE 2: Understanding & Responding to Different Types of Innovations

Module 3: Teams and Innovation

Module 4: Planning & Evaluation & Innovation Across Organizations

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Helps learners develop the skills to lead and design innovation initiatives within their organizations

Provides frameworks, tools, and concepts to address the challenges of innovation in established firms and with disruptive technologies

Covers the leadership of new product development teams, planning and evaluation of innovation initiatives, and management of innovation across organizational boundaries

Reviews summary

Innovation management: strategic planning

Learners largely praise this course on innovation management. They remark that the course is highly practical as it teaches real-life skills for innovation. Students especially appreciate the engaging video lectures and helpful research provided by expert instructors. The course is well-structured with clear explanations and relevant examples. Students who have completed this course report greatly expanding their understanding and skills for managing innovation initiatives. Overall, students highly recommend this course for anyone seeking to enhance their strategic innovation skills.

Backed by research.

"Fact-based, excellent research backing the lessons, and very practical"

"The course leads you directly to the core execution of innovation"

"Excellent, the course leads you directly to the core execution of innovation"

Well-structured course.

"Course outline really well prepared"

"4 modules are organized into 4 management function and each module dig deeply into how to execute with real life example of success and failure"

"Excellent course and highly effective an recommend"

Taught by leading professionals.

"Love Prof. Love and the material"

"Professor Love made it easy to understand and conceptualize with his simplistic approach of explaining relationships and fundamentals of innovation concepts"

"Thank you Professor Geoff Love for providing such an insightful class"

Teaches real-life skills.

"I could immediately implement the concepts in an innovation initiative that I am leading at work"

"Give you pratical view of how to manage innovations with the teams"

"This course showed me to innovate it is not enough to have a good idea, executing it with excellence is key to be successful"

Some find the lecture delivery dull.

"it is very boring - No Slides - No explaining video"

"Prof. Love's delivery method is really slow and the videos are too long"

"This course was not the best"

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Strategic Innovation: Managing Innovation Initiatives with these activities:

Review introductory materials on innovation management

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Reestablish familiarity with different types of innovation ahead of the course to improve your foundation.

Browse courses on Innovation Management

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Review course syllabus and read the required texts.
Explore the official course website.
Re-acquaint yourself with the key theoretical frameworks and models used in innovation management.

Practice identifying different types of innovation

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Practice identifying different types of innovation to improve your understanding and prepare for course discussions.

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Analyze case studies of innovative products and services.
Identify the type of innovation (e.g., incremental, radical, disruptive) in each case.
Explain the rationale behind your identification.

Follow tutorials on innovation leadership

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Enhance your understanding of innovation leadership by following structured tutorials.

Browse courses on Innovation Leadership

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Identify reputable online tutorials on innovation leadership.
Watch the tutorials and take notes on key concepts.
Apply the concepts to real-world examples of innovation leadership.

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Create a presentation on a successful innovation

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Deepen your understanding of innovation by analyzing and presenting a successful innovation case study.

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Select a successful innovation case study.
Research the innovation, including its context, process, and impact.
Create a presentation that outlines the key elements of the innovation and its success factors.

Develop an innovation plan for a specific industry

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Gain hands-on experience in innovation planning by developing a comprehensive plan for a specific industry.

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Identify a specific industry and research its current landscape and trends.
Brainstorm and evaluate potential innovation opportunities.
Develop a detailed innovation plan that outlines the goals, strategies, and implementation roadmap for your innovation.

Attend innovation conferences and meetups

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Expand your professional network and gain exposure to the latest innovation trends by attending industry events.

Browse courses on Networking

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Identify relevant innovation conferences and meetups.
Attend the events and actively participate in discussions.
Connect with industry professionals, thought leaders, and potential collaborators.

Mentor junior students interested in innovation

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Enhance your understanding of innovation and share your knowledge by mentoring junior students.

Browse courses on Mentoring

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Identify opportunities to mentor junior students, such as through university programs or online platforms.
Provide guidance and support to mentees on their innovation projects or career aspirations.
Reflect on your mentoring experience and identify areas for improvement.

Career center

Learners who complete Strategic Innovation: Managing Innovation Initiatives will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Innovation Consultant

Innovation Consultants help businesses develop and implement innovative strategies. They may work with a variety of clients, from startups to large corporations. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as an Innovation Consultant. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Innovation Consultant

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for the development and launch of new products. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including engineers, designers, and marketers, to bring products to market. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as a Product Manager. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Sales Manager

Sales Managers are responsible for leading and managing sales teams. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including customers, sales representatives, and marketing teams, to drive sales. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as a Sales Manager. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers are responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including product managers, sales teams, and customers, to promote products and services. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as a Marketing Manager. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Project Manager

Project Managers are responsible for planning and executing projects. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including team members, customers, and stakeholders, to ensure that projects are completed on time, within budget, and to specifications. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as a Project Manager. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Operations Manager

Operations Managers are responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of a business. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including employees, customers, and suppliers, to ensure that the business runs smoothly. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as an Operations Manager. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager

Business Development Manager

Business Development Managers are responsible for identifying and developing new business opportunities. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including customers, partners, and investors, to grow the business. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as a Business Development Manager. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Development Manager

Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs are individuals who start and run their own businesses. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including customers, employees, and investors, to grow their businesses. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as an Entrepreneur. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Entrepreneur

Consultant

Consultants provide advice and guidance to businesses on a variety of topics, including innovation. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including business leaders, customers, and investors, to provide insights that can help businesses improve their performance. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as a Consultant. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant

Researcher

Researchers conduct research on a variety of topics, including innovation. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including academic institutions, businesses, and government agencies, to conduct research and develop new knowledge. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as a Researcher. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Researcher

Analyst

Analysts gather and analyze data to provide insights to businesses. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including business leaders, customers, and investors, to provide insights that can help businesses make better decisions. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as an Analyst. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

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Engineer

Engineers design and develop new products and technologies. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including customers, businesses, and government agencies, to develop new products and technologies that meet the needs of the market. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as an Engineer. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Engineer

Data Scientist

Data Scientists gather and analyze data to provide insights to businesses. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including business leaders, customers, and investors, to provide insights that can help businesses make better decisions. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as a Data Scientist. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Software Developer

Software Developers design and develop new software applications. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including customers, businesses, and government agencies, to develop new software applications that meet the needs of the market. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as a Software Developer. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer

Designer

Designers create and develop new products and technologies. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including customers, businesses, and government agencies, to develop new products and technologies that meet the needs of the market. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of innovation management, which can be useful for those who want to pursue a career as a Designer. The course covers topics such as managing innovation within established firms, leading new product development teams, and planning and evaluating innovation initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Designer