Last week M6 was successfully delivered. This module focused on leading innovation and improvements in the business model of Research Infrastructures. Furthermore, the module helped participants to apply the concepts from the strategic management module into developing a business plan. The module discussed why the business development is important and what might be achieved through innovation. The module emphasised the development of the business plan for a Research Infrastructure.
The aim was to provide participants with conceptual frameworks and tools for designing and managing strategic innovation for a Research Infrastructure in national and international contexts. Innovation management is a combination of the management of innovation processes, and change management. It refers both to the product, business process, and organisational innovation.
On 13th June, Elisabetta Marafioti opened this module with an introduction on what is innovation and why innovation is essential for companies. Ginevra Villa, as the second speaker of the first day, showed the so-called “value proposition” as storytelling. During the second day Niklas Blomberg, ELIXIR Director, shared an in-depth overview of his research Infrastructure. On the other hand, in their speeches, Alessandro Sancino e Laura Mariani focused on respectively: collaborative governance (on the second day) and how to build a business model canvas, as an instrument of innovation (on last day).
The process can be viewed as an evolutionary integration of organisation, technology and market by iterating series of activities: search, select, implement and capture. The module provided a theoretical basis for innovation management improvement, based on mainstream innovation management theory and contemporary business experience. Face to face sessions was supported by class discussions, case studies and examples introduced by participants, individual and group works, and a role play.
