Innovation & Entrepreneurship Career Track

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship career track focuses on all levels of innovation management from idea generation, through feasibility studies and finally to market launch. This career track develops knowledge and skills in the areas of:

• Identifying opportunities
• Facilitating innovation and development
• Managing intellectual property
• Building new organizations and markets

• MARK 612: Marketing Research

  This course provides an examination of marketing research methodologies emphasizing the translation of marketing problems into researchable form, research design, data gathering, data analysis, and implementation of research results.

• SMO 603: Managing Innovation

  This course is an introduction to practical applications to manage the innovation process in established companies. The focus will be on building and exploring clear innovation strategies, as well as understanding successful innovative organizations. This course is intended to provide participants with an overview of the management structures, processes and roles for successfully managing and participating in the management of innovation activities.

• SMO 631: New Venture Creation

  This course concentrates on the development of a new enterprise and the management of an existing small business. Casework and projects enable students to assess the opportunities, risks, and capabilities necessary for entrepreneurial success. The course emphasizes managerial and strategic problems during the early years of business formation and growth, including business planning. The course emphasizes the interface between theory and practice.

• SMO 656: High Technology Business Development

  This course introduces students to the skills and components involved in the development of a high technology-based business. Emphasis will be on business development at the interface of science and technology product development, including challenges facing new start-ups. Key business development topics include product development, market creation, building a management team, intellectual property, financing, ownership and exit strategy. Students will experience business development through case studies, presentations and class discussions.

• SMO 659: Strategic Management of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

  This course addresses business principles at the interface of organization and technological change. It is intended for future managers and entrepreneurs and provides the strategic frameworks needed to manage and profit from technological innovation. This course is designed in three parts, starting with an examination of innovation in the context of historical patterns of technological change. Second, it will address the organizational challenges in creating and managing innovation. Finally, the course will integrate this knowledge and introduce strategies for commercialization and business development. Case studies and a final project will create opportunities to apply the frameworks.

• SMO 686: Design Thinking and Innovation

  This course is intended to introduce you to design thinking models and practices. Hopefully, it will excite an interest that will allow you to think and act differently. The course is designed to be rigorous. It will explore the core underlying principles and foundations as well as examine the implications of design thinking on larger organizational design and operational activities. The good news is that the best way to learn about design thinking is to become actively engaged in doing. The course will be highly experiential - classes will be active and stimulating, and the opportunity to conduct a full design project on an important issue offers a powerful learning platform.

Family Business Focus

• SMO 627: Strategic Consulting for Family Businesses

  In this course, students will examine some of the most salient issues facing family businesses from a consulting perspective. Case studies and recent research will be used to help students learn how consultants and other advisors can address fundamental challenges facing family businesses in practice (e.g., strategic re-positioning, process improvement, business valuation, governance and succession issues, and complex family dynamics). The course is case-based and highly interactive, providing students with an opportunity to both learn consulting skills and understand the unique dynamics associated with family businesses.

• SMO 628: Managing Family Enterprise

  Designed to improve managerial knowledge and practice through improved recognition and understanding of the significance of family firms and of the unique challenges they face. Designed primarily for individuals who a) are members of a family with established business interests; b) might find themselves working for family-controlled firms; c) might find themselves working in a professional capacity with family-controlled firms in roles such as an accountant, lawyer, banker or consultant.

• SMO 642: International Family Enterprise

  International Family Enterprise provides an opportunity for students to investigate issues related to a family enterprise in international contexts. Using a combination of theoretical information, written case studies, and presentations from guest speakers the course studies family firms from the perspective of family, ownership and business. As well, since family business is a prevalent organizational form throughout the world, the course allows students the opportunity to investigate how non-family businesses can best deal with family firms in other countries. The course looks at family firms operating outside Canada and the US, as well as Canadian family firms with international operations and addresses the following general questions: What are the key organizational and strategic issues for family businesses in other countries? How can we best understand the combination of family, ownership and business issues in international family firms? How can Canadian family firms best organize to compete internationally?

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship career track prepares students to not only start their own business but also to join the innovation ecosystem or help existing organizations innovate from within. Whatever direction students look to go, support and guidance will be available. For those looking to pursue a career, the Career Management Centre will work closely with students throughout the MBA program. For those looking to develop a new venture, support is available through eHUB, faculty, and alumni.

Courses

FIN 686: New Enterprise Finance & Venture Development

Centres and Student Groups

Technology Commercialization Centre

eHUB

Case Competitions

DeGroote MBA Case Competition

Global Family Enterprise Case Competition