In the last decade, governance mechanisms are pressured to align their activities towards corporate responsible behavior that advance action on long-term societal goals (such as the Millennium Goals followed by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals).  Even more so, it is expected that resources are managed strategically to increase social impact, create public value and achieve public claims. This requires inter-organizational relationships of private organizations, nonprofit organizations, international organizations, hybrid organizations and Governments to work together.

In this course we look at these developments and its impact on innovation management. This is an introductory course combining innovation strategies, technology and marketing for international development. The course emphasizes the use of innovation to face grand societal challenges such as the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).The lecture sessions introduce proven solutions to problems in the innovation field, especially in the development area, the case sessions illustrate the application of these techniques, while the practice sessions provide an opportunity for you to develop a concrete plan for new innovation approaches to support the implementation of innovation for sustainable development.

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Name all 17 Sustainable Development Goals
• Identify major innovation theories
• Critically examine how to make innovation and technology work for sustainable development
• Combine analytics, frameworks, and research for maximum potential

The course emphasizes the training and development of the following skills and competencies:

• Systemic and analytical thinking
• Research Skills and abilities
• Embracing paradoxes
• Design thinking approaches
• Presentation and writing skills

As this this is a highly interactive course regular attendance is mandatory. You should view class participation as an opportunity to both ask questions to enhance your understanding of the material and suggest examples that demonstrate such understanding. You learn by attending classes and your peers learn from your participation. However, emergencies do happen. One missed class is excused but be aware that class participation makes up a considerable stake of your final grade and, therefore, an absence may affect your grading. 

The course emphasizes a knowledge-acquisition/application approach. This means that in each sessions we will first spend time on learning about new theories, concepts, frameworks, cases, tool etc. with the key task to clearly understand and comprehend this input. Subsequently, we will apply the gained insights to actual problem statements using design thinking approaches. Starting in session 3, we will then be able to discuss relevant projects and strategies with industry visitors (WKÖ, World Bank Group, New Paradigm Ventures, Sustainable Energy for All, IIASA).

Class participation - 20% (individual): Given this highly interactive course, active participation is inevitable. It is imperative that you prepare course materials, particularly case studies and readings, and come to class with a series of comments that you think will be interesting to the class. Your colleagues are counting on your insight.

Case presentation - 30% (team): In addition to discussing the 17 Goals in class, your team will give a 15-minute presentation on one of the SDGs. While you focus on one Sustainable Development Goal, each goal cannot be assessed in a silo. Make sure that you also link it to other relevant SDGs. Each case presentation consists of approximately 10 slides or any other way of presentation material.

Final case- 40% (team): Each team selects innovation approaches to support the implementation of one Sustainable Development Goal. The project deliverables are as follows and they are equally weighed in project grading.

• A written business case for your Action-Learning project (8-10page report)

• An in-class presentation of your business case during the last class session

Peer rating -10%: Each team member will be assessed by peer group members

After handing in your final report, you evaluate the performance of each student in your group. The peer evaluation form will be kept strictly confidential.