70 304 Design Management: Innovation and entrepreneurship
Emnenavn på Norwegian Bokmål:
Design Management: Innovation and entrepreneurship
Credits:
6
Course code:
70 304
Level of study:
Master
Teaching semester:
2020 Autumn
Assessment semester:
2020 Autumn
Language of instruction:
English
Year:
2020
Maximum number of students:
20
Person in charge
Monika Hestad
Required prerequisite knowledge
Passed foundatin level courses (Bachelor) at AHO or equivalent, 180 ECTS.
Course content
The theme of the Design Management: innovation and entrepreneurship 2020 course is circular economy and business model innovation. There is a strong drive and change in regulations towards a circular economy. For a business this means a completely different approach to how they are using resources and what they offer. They will have to redesign distribution channels, as well as their product and services. With this shift there are tremendous opportunities, as well as challenges, as businesses need to rethink and become far more creative. For designers and architects this implies a new market where they can apply their skillset, but in order to tap into this they have to get insight into business and innovation culture, methods, processes and language.
In this course the students will be introduced to entrepreneurship, design thinking, as well as business and innovation theories related to business modelling and circular economy. The students will solve specific business challenges in teams and apply their design skills in business development.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
Understanding what circular economy is, what the difference between a traditional linear business model and a circular business mode is, as well as challenges and opportunities from a business perspective within circular economy. General knowledge of design thinking in a business context.
Skills
The students will get basic business skills of how to plan and present a business model for a client, how to conduct market research, and insight into considerations when setting your price.
General Competence
The students will get a basic understanding of commercialisation and how their design skills, ideas and competencies can be used to develop new and sustainable business models.
Working and learning activities
During the autumn semester the students will be introduced to three businesses that have started to develop sustainable business practices. These will be used as case-studies to get an understanding of what a business model is, what circular economy is and where the hinderances in today’s market are. In addition, the students will get guest speakers to go deeper into some of the topics raised.
Practical organisation
The course culminates in a one-week practical seminar, where the students will develop a business model in groups, for one of the businesses they have met. They will make a plan for how to conduct the research needed and in an iterative process redesign the whole or part of a business model.
Deliverables
- Group presentation of project plan
- Group presentation of a business model
Curriculum
Readings:
Key words: Circular economy, business models and design thinking
Links and documents will be uploaded to Moodle. If you would like to get started here are a few resources:
Online resources
https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/what-is-the-circular-economy
https://www.circulardesignguide.com
http://www.flourishingbusiness.org
Online reading
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. 2012. Towards the Circular Economy Vol. 1: An Economic and Business Rationale for an Accelerated Transition. Available at:
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. 2013. Towards the Circular Economy Vol.2: Opportunities for the consumer goods sector.
Available at: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/publications/TCE_Report-2013.pdf
Guldmann, E. ; Bocken, N. and H. Brezet. 2019. A Design Thinking Framework for Circular Business Model Innovation. Special Issue: Sustainable Value Creation through Business Models. Journal of Business Models. Volume 7, No 1.
Available at: https://journals.aau.dk/index.php/JOBM/article/view/2122
Magretta, J. 2002. Why Business Models Matter. Harvard Business Review. Volume 80, No. 5, pp. 86-92. Available at: https://hbr.org/2002/05/why-business-models-matter
Upward, A. and P. Jones. 2015. An ontology for strongly sustainable business models: Defining an enterprise framework compatible with natural and social science. Organization & Environment. pp. 1-27. Available at http://openresearch.ocadu.ca/id/eprint/381/
Books:
Altman, J. and M. Hestad. 2019. The little booklet on: Business Design. 2nd edition. London: Brand Valley Publications. (Can be bought at AHO Infotorget, available in English and Norwegian)
Ceschin, F. and I. Gaziulusoy. 2016. Evolution of design for sustainability: From product design to design for system innovations and transitions. Design Studies. Volume 47, pp. 118-163.
Martin, Roger. 2009. Design of Business: Why Design Thinking is the Next Competitive Advantage. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press.
McKeown, M. 2011. The Strategy Book: How to Think and Act Strategically to Deliver Outstanding Results. 1st ed. London: Financial Times/Prentice Hall.
Osterwalder, A. and Y. Pigneur. 2010. Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers and Challengers. London: John Wiley & Sons.
| Form of assessment | Grouping | Grading scale | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe) | Group | Pass / fail | Active participation in classes and the ability to communicate and reflect on the subject will count. The peer-to-peer presentation, participation and final presentation of the external business project. |
| Workload activity | Comment |
|---|---|
| Attendance | Expectations: Participation in class at lectures and discussion seminars, the cross disciplinary workshop and tutoring is obligatory. Active participation in classes and the ability to communicate and reflect on the subject. The peer-to-peer presentation, participation and final presentation of the business project. Students are expected to take advantage of the time allotted for self-study and to read the given and recommended literature within their chosen or given area of design management. Students are expected to actively participate in classes and workshops and contribute to a professional and constructive cross disciplinary collaboration |