NBD407 Business Model Innovation

• Topics

  What do Amazon, Uber, Airbnb and Netflix have in common?  These companies did not invent a new technology or a new product.  Instead, they built their success on designing an innovative business model by redefining the traditional ways of creating, delivering and capturing value.  Business model innovation involves changing the fundamental logic of how the company does business and the value it creates for customers.  Finding the right kind of business model is equally relevant for established companies as well as for entrepreneurs.  If done sucessfully, the result of business model innovation is often the same: redefining the "rules of the game", which in some cases can disrupt entire industries. But that are the factors that contribute to successful business model innovation? As an entrepreneur, how can you create and deliver social or commercial value for your customers, while making a profit?  How can maangers of an established company assess when it is time to change their business model and which direction they should take?  In order to answer these questions, we need to develop a good understanding of the nexus between business models, strategy, entrepreneurship and innovation - and how to apply it in practice.

• Learning outcome

  Upon completing this course, you will have gained 

  Knowledge of

  • has in-depth knowledge of the most recent research in the field of business model innovation
  • understand trends that are disrupting different industries and how these require new business models (e.g., the sharing economy, disruptive innovation, digitalization, social entrepreneurship)
  • knows how to design a business model from scratch and how to integrate (social or commercial) value creation into the business model

  You will gain skills in 

  • design, adapt and innovate a business model
  •  identify the facilitators and barriers to business model innovation in established companies versus start-ups
  • balance the need for commercial versus social value creation in designing a business model
  • has the ability to propose a new and feasible business model for an existing company/start-up

  You will gain general competence in  

  • advanced research ability, problem-solving and critical reflection
  • plan and execute project work in an international team during the length of the semester
  • communicate findings of the project in a clear and engaging manner

• Teaching

  The course will consist of a combination of lectures, team presentations, guest lectures and case discussions.

• Requirements for course approval

  Students will be expected to be prepared for, and be active, in class discussions, including team presentations, assignments and discussion of case material.  Class attendance is therefore mandatory (an absence from three lectures will result in having to write an essay, and an absence of four lectures in being excluded from the course).  In addition to regular attendance all students must be involved in at least one of their team presentations and one term paper.

• Assessment

  Group term paper 50% (groups of 3-5)

  Individual written school exam (3 hours) 50%

  All submissions (term paper and exam) must be written in English.

• Grading Scale

  Grading scale A - F

• Literature

  The reading list includes a collection of articles and cases that will be made available online for the students to download.