| CODE | IOT1100 | ||||||
| TITLE | Ideas and Innovation | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | The Edward de Bono Institute for Creative Thinking and Innovation | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | PART ONE: Introduction to creativity and application of the CPS (Creative Problem Solving) Framework In a global environment which is characterized by unprecedented change, creativity is an essential tool for personal success and an indispensible tool at the work place. Part One will introduce students to the notion of creativity. They will learn about the importance of perception and how it influences thinking. The Creative Problem Solving (CPS) framework will be used to explore and apply tools that improve one’s creativity and thinking when exploring opportunities. Indicative Content: - Introduction - Defining Creativity and Innovation - Introduction to creative thinking and perception - Application of the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) PART TWO: Ideas, Opportunities and Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is an important source of innovation and job creation and is widely considered to be the engine of economic growth. Part Three will use the creation of a new venture as a model of entrepreneurship, and discuss the identification, evaluation and exploitation of opportunities as the core elements of the entrepreneurial process. Indicative Content: - Introduction to entrepreneurship: - What is entrepreneurship? - Why is entrepreneurship important? - Entrepreneurial opportunities: - What are entrepreneurial opportunities? - What are opportunity gaps and windows of opportunity? - Opportunity identification: - Are opportunities discovered or created? - How are opportunities identified? (Theoretical perspectives and practical approaches) - Opportunity evaluation and exploitation: - How can you tell if a business idea is a potential entrepreneurial opportunity? (Conducting a feasibility study, using Alex Osterwalder's Business Model Canvas) PART THREE: Innovation Management in Organisations The issue of innovation management in organisations will be addressed. This involves the harnessing of creative ideas, which feed the innovation process, followed by strategy and action. The focus will be on the manner in which creative ideas are harnessed in organisations and on innovation management within organisations. Indicative Content: - Introduction to creativity and innovation in private, public and state funded organisations and in NGOs, - What is it that turns creative ideas into innovations? - Barriers to organisational innovation in organisations, - The innovation process and idea management systems, - Preparation for visit to organisation (see Part Four below). PART FOUR: Students accompanied Visit to an organisation in Malta to observe and identify theoretical concepts which have been learnt during the study unit. Ideally the visit will be concluded with a one-hour session in a lecture room to discuss the students’ observations and to conclude the study-unit. - Conclusion of the study-unit. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Understand and define creativity and innovation; - Discuss and critically analyse opportunity identification, evaluation and exploitation for entrepreneurship; - Recognise the conditions that facilitate or hinder organisational innovation, including barriers that may be encountered in organisations; - Achieve an understanding of the importance of strategically managing innovation within an organisation. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Apply the CPS(Creative Problem Solving) Framework in order to generate and evaluate different ideas using appropriate tools and plan for action; - Conduct feasibility studies to assess the likelihood that identified opportunities could be profitably exploited; - Observe, identify and critically analyse the key principles acquired from this study unit by means of a visit to an organisation in Malta. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - deBono, E. (2009). Thinking Course: Powerful Tools to Transform Your Thinking. Essex, UK: BBC. - Goodman, M. & Dingli, S. (2013) Creativity and Strategic Innovation Management. UK: Routledge. - Isaksen, K., Dorval, B. & Treffinger, D. J. (2010). Creative Approaches to Problem Solving: A Framework for Innovation and Change. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. - Osterwalder, A. & Pigneur, Y (2009). Business model generation: A handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers. Wiley. Preview available at: http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/book - Shane, S. & Venkataraman, S. (2000). The promise of entrepreneurship as a field of research. Academy of Management Review, 25(1), 217-226. - Tidd, J., Bessant, J. & Pavitt, K. (2005). Managing Innovation: Integrating Technological and Organization Change. 3rd ed. Hoboken: Wiley. London - Wickham, P. A. (2006). Strategic entrepreneurship. London, FT Prentice Hall. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Visit | ||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Sandra M. Dingli Margaret Mangion Sandro Sant Anna |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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