Strategic Technology Management from edX

This course provides an introduction and overview of strategic technology and innovation management. This involves revisiting some of the foundational concepts and debates in strategic technology management and examining key strategic decisions at the heart of technology and innovation strategy:

Ensuring Adaptation (Why?): What opportunities and threats must the company respond to ensure its survival and remain competitive?
Allocating Resources (Where?): Where should the firm allocate its resources?
Timing Entry (When?): When should the firm allocate resources?
Designing Processes (How?): How can the firm optimize its innovation processes?
Engaging Partners (With whom?): How can the firm establish and maintain a powerful ecosystem?
Capturing Value (So what?): How can the firm protect its core technologies and capture value?

What's inside

Learning objectives

Students gain theoretical knowledge in strategic technology and innovation management as preparation for interdisciplinary leadership roles in research and development (r&d) and beyond. after successfully completing this course, students will have acquired the following learning outcomes:
Understand key concepts and theories in strategic tim,

Engage with conceptual and empirical research on strategic tim,
Become familiar with important tools in strategic tim, based on a thorough understanding of their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Students gain theoretical knowledge in strategic technology and innovation management as preparation for interdisciplinary leadership roles in research and development (r&d) and beyond. after successfully completing this course, students will have acquired the following learning outcomes:
Understand key concepts and theories in strategic tim,
Engage with conceptual and empirical research on strategic tim,
Become familiar with important tools in strategic tim, based on a thorough understanding of their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Syllabus

Week 1 - Ensuring Adaption (Why?): This first session is meant to explore why adopting a strategic approach to technology management is of utmost importance for the performance and survival of firms operating in dynamic environments. We will draw on the theory of structural inertia and the dynamic capabilities view to examine the relative benefits and costs of exploiting existing technologies versus exploring new technological opportunities. We will then identify the circumstances under which a focus on technological exploration or exploitation appears most critical for firm survival. We will conclude by describing some of the key managerial decisions in the field of STM.

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Provides theoretical knowledge in strategic technology and innovation management, preparing learners for interdisciplinary leadership roles in research and development and beyond

Examines key strategic decisions at the heart of technology and innovation strategy, such as ensuring adaptation, allocating resources, and capturing value

Explores the shift from closed to open innovation models, highlighting the importance of establishing and managing a strong innovation ecosystem

Draws on theories such as structural inertia, dynamic capabilities view, market-based view, and resource-based view to provide a comprehensive understanding of STM

Reviews distinct process models and unpacks the concept of organizational creativity, which may help learners design effective and efficient innovation processes

Explores a number of strategy and technology portfolios, which are simple, yet useful tools to map and assess a set of development options

Reviews summary

Overview of strategic technology management frameworks

According to learners, this course offers a strong theoretical foundation and an excellent introduction to strategic technology and innovation management. Many find the content highly relevant for professionals, particularly those in R&D and innovation roles, appreciating the systematic exploration of key strategic questions like Why, Where, When, How, With whom, and So what. While the course provides a comprehensive overview and clear explanation of core concepts and frameworks, some reviewers indicate a desire for more practical examples or case studies to supplement the theory, suggesting it leans more towards conceptual understanding than hands-on application.

Lecture material is well-presented and clear.

"The lectures were engaging and explained complex ideas clearly."

"I found the instructor's delivery of the lecture content effective."

"The video lectures were concise and easy to understand."

"The way the information was presented in the lectures kept me interested."

Well-organized week-by-week structure.

"The week-by-week structure following the strategic questions (Why, Where, When...) was very logical."

"I appreciated the clear breakdown of topics in the syllabus."

"The course is well-structured, making it easy to follow the progression of ideas."

"The organization of the modules helped connect the different aspects of STM."

Highly applicable content for industry roles.

"The topics covered are directly relevant to my work in R&D and innovation."

"I found the strategic frameworks taught immediately applicable in my professional context."

"This course is particularly useful for anyone in a technology or innovation management role."

"The concepts discussed provided valuable insights for my career development."

Provides a strong base in core STM concepts.

"This course provided me with a solid understanding of the strategic technology management concepts."

"I gained a strong theoretical framework from the lectures and readings."

"The course content is very well-structured and covers fundamental theories clearly."

"It really helped solidify my understanding of the key concepts and theories in strategic TIM."

More case studies/practical application desired.

"While the theory is strong, I wished for more practical examples or real-world case studies."

"Could benefit from adding more hands-on application or discussion of current industry examples."

"The course is quite theoretical; adding more practical relevance would improve it."

"I would have liked to see more on how these theories are applied in actual companies."

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 Technology Management with these activities:

Review Porter's Five Forces

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Refresh your understanding of Porter's Five Forces to better analyze industry dynamics and competitive landscapes, which is crucial for strategic technology management.

Browse courses on Porter's Five Forces

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Read articles or watch videos explaining Porter's Five Forces.
Apply the framework to analyze a technology industry of your choice.

Follow Tutorials on Business Model Canvas

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Learn how to use the Business Model Canvas to design and analyze business models for technology ventures.

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Find online tutorials on the Business Model Canvas.
Work through the tutorials, applying the canvas to a technology company.
Reflect on how the canvas helps in strategic decision-making.

Review 'The Innovator's Dilemma'

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Understand the concept of disruptive innovation and its implications for technology strategy.

View The Innovator's Dilemma, with a New Foreword on Amazon

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Read the book 'The Innovator's Dilemma'.
Identify examples of disruptive technologies in different industries.
Discuss how companies can overcome the innovator's dilemma.

Four other activities

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Review 'Competing Against Luck'

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Learn about the 'Jobs to be Done' framework and how it can be used to drive innovation.

View Competing Against Luck: The Story of Innovation... on Amazon

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Read the book 'Competing Against Luck'.
Apply the 'Jobs to be Done' framework to analyze a product or service.
Identify unmet customer needs and potential innovation opportunities.

Create a Presentation on Open Innovation

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Deepen your understanding of open innovation by creating a presentation that explains its benefits, challenges, and implementation strategies.

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Research the concept of open innovation.
Identify examples of successful open innovation initiatives.
Create a presentation outlining the key aspects of open innovation.
Present your findings to a group of peers or colleagues.

Analyze a Company's Technology Strategy

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Apply the concepts learned in the course to analyze a real-world company's technology strategy and identify areas for improvement.

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Choose a company with a strong technology focus.
Research the company's technology strategy and competitive landscape.
Analyze the company's strengths and weaknesses in technology management.
Write a report summarizing your findings and recommendations.

Develop a Technology Roadmap

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Create a technology roadmap for a specific industry or company, outlining the key technology trends and strategic priorities.

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Research technology trends in a chosen industry.
Identify key strategic priorities for the industry or company.
Develop a technology roadmap outlining the steps needed to achieve those priorities.
Present the roadmap to stakeholders for feedback.

Career center

Learners who complete Strategic Technology Management will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Technology Strategist

A Technology Strategist develops and implements plans that align technology with an organization's business goals. This course, with its focus on strategic technology management, is highly relevant to this role. It covers key aspects like adapting to technological changes, allocating resources effectively, and determining the right timing for market entry, all of which are crucial for successful technology strategy. The course particularly addresses the challenge of innovation within an ecosystem, an increasingly important task in technological strategy. A technology strategist who has taken this course will be better equipped at both creating strategy and allocating resources.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technology Strategist

Innovation Manager

An Innovation Manager is responsible for fostering a culture of innovation and driving the development of new products or services. This course directly addresses challenges faced by this role. It introduces key concepts in strategic technology management, covering the vital questions of when to invest in particular technologies and how to design effective innovation processes. The course's examination of how to manage an innovation ecosystem and capture value from innovations can be very helpful for an innovation manager who is planning for long-term success. In particular, this course provides important frameworks for the strategic, long-term planning work of an innovation manager.

See salaries and explore the career path for Innovation Manager

Research and Development Manager

A Research and Development Manager oversees the planning, execution, and management of research and development projects. This course helps an R&D manager better understand the strategic context of their work. The course content regarding resource allocation and timing of technology adoption is particularly relevant to a Research and Development Manager's work. The course helps an R&D manager develop better innovation processes. The course covers key concepts in strategic technology and innovation management, which would help an R&D manager make more effective decisions.

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Product Manager

A Product Manager is in charge of the strategy, roadmap, and execution for a product or product line. This course provides useful perspectives on how to effectively manage technology. The course introduces key concepts in strategic technology management that a product manager can use to guide product development. For example, the course examines the timing of market entry, which is key to the success of a product. This course's material on capturing value from innovation is also pertinent to a product manager's tasks. A product manager should consider this course a useful way to better understand the business side of technology.

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Business Development Manager

A Business Development Manager identifies and pursues new business opportunities and strategic partnerships. This course, which covers the creation of an ecosystem, is highly relevant to this role. The content on how to establish and maintain a powerful ecosystem provides specific skills that are helpful to this role. The course's material on how firms can protect core technologies and capture value is also important for a business development manager to understand when forming strategies or partnerships. This course helps a business development manager understand the business context of their work.

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Management Consultant

A Management Consultant offers expert advice to help organizations improve their performance. This course provides valuable theoretical knowledge in strategic technology and innovation management, which a consultant can leverage when working with a client. The course’s focus on strategic decision-making, resource allocation, and process design provides a strong understanding of how organizations manage and benefit from new technology. The consultant will be able to offer a more informed, useful perspective on technology. For example, this course’s material on ecosystem management or on capturing value can offer concrete advice that management can act upon.

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Technology Analyst

A Technology Analyst examines technological trends and their potential impact on a business. This course helps build a strong foundation in strategic technology and information technology management. The course encourages familiarity with important tools in strategic technology and information technology, which helps a technology analyst become more informed. This course focuses on the strategic decisions at the heart of technology innovation, which is highly useful to the daily work of a technology analyst. The content on technology adoption and market entry will be very useful for anyone in this role.

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Project Manager

A Project Manager plans, oversees, and leads projects from ideation through completion. This course may be useful to a project manager who works on projects that involve technological advancements. This course's material on process design is relevant to a project manager. This course's coverage of strategic issues in technology may help a project manager understand the broader context of a project. In particular, the course’s material on resource allocation would help a project manager with planning.

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Startup Founder

A Startup Founder builds a company from the ground up, managing all aspects of its operation. This course may be useful for a startup founder who seeks to understand how to manage technology. The course provides frameworks for resource allocation, timing of market entry, and protection of intellectual property, which can be helpful to the long-term success of a startup. The section on creating new business models to capture value can be very useful for a founder. A startup founder can gain a strategic overview by taking this course, which will help the founder make good decisions.

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Operations Manager

An Operations Manager oversees the daily operations of an organization. This course may be helpful for an operations manager who wants a strategic overview of innovation and technology. The course's material on designing innovation processes is relevant to an operations manager. The course also discusses the importance of adapting to changes in the business environment, a key task of an operations manager. This course's material is more on the strategic side of business, and may be useful to an operations manager.

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Financial Analyst

A Financial Analyst analyzes financial data to provide insights and recommendations. While this course is not directly related to financial analysis, it may be useful if the analyst wishes to better understand the business side of innovation and technology. This course's material on resource allocation may be useful to an analyst. This course may help a financial analyst better understand how investment in technology aligns with a company's goals. This is may be useful for forming financial models and planning.

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Market Research Analyst

A Market Research Analyst examines market conditions to give companies insights into how to act. This course may be helpful if a market research analyst wants to better understand how technology is introduced in the market. The course's coverage of timing of market entry could be useful to a market research analyst. This course also covers different business models which can be helpful when studying a competitor. This course has some relevant principles and frameworks that a market research analyst may find helpful.

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Data Scientist

A Data Scientist analyzes large sets of data to find patterns and draw conclusions. While this course is not directly related to data science, it may be useful to a data scientist who is interested in the larger context of technology. The course's coverage of technology management can help a data scientist understand where their work fits within a company's strategic goals. This course is more strategic than the daily work of a data scientist, though there may be some overlap.

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Software Engineer

A Software Engineer develops, tests, and maintains software applications. While this course is not directly related to software engineering, it may be helpful to a software engineer who wants to better understand the business side of technology. The course's emphasis on resource allocation and the timing of market entry can be a helpful perspective for someone in this role. This course may provide a valuable overview of technology for a software engineer.

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Human Resources Manager

A Human Resources Manager oversees all aspects of employee management within an organization. This course does not directly relate to the work of a human resources manager. However, it may be useful for an HR manager who wants to better understand the strategic side of technology. This course's content on managing change may help a human resources manager when they are implementing new programs. This may be a helpful perspective for a human resources manager, but is not directly related to their core tasks.

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Strategic Technology Management

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Overview of strategic technology management frameworks

Activities

Career center

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