20568 - EMPIRICAL METHODS FOR INNOVATION STRATEGIES

Basic knowledge of innovation management and data analysis.

This course provides the students with the tools and methods to produce empirical evidence to support decision-making processes in firms and it is designed for whoever wants to use these methods in practice to solve concrete managerial problems. The initial part of the course reviews the basic tools and technique to put each student at the level of students who have already worked on these techniques. For attending students, the course then focuses on a group project that represents the main goal and learning tool of the course. In this respect, the course is an advanced course that teaches mainly through practical applications of the concepts and material. The methods, goals and projects of the course are broad enough to deal with and apply to different managerial problems and contexts, from marketing to entrepreneurial decisions, innovation, firm strategy, business models. Along with the main group project the course features the use of data made available to the students to address concrete managerial problems and questions. The course also develops an important focus on the use of textual data, large data-set, and machine learning techniques.

• A summary of tools to make data-driven managerial decisions: from correlation and tests of hypotheses to regressions and causal relations.
• Advanced tools (textual analysis, machine learning).
• Group project.
• Data analyses and exercises.

• Learn how to use advanced tools to make data-driven managerial decisions.
• Learn how to use these tools in practice.
• Learn how to use large datasets, and some basic techniques of textual analysis and machine learning.

• Use advanced tools to make data-driven managerial decisions.

• Face-to-face lectures
• Exercises (exercises, database, software etc.)
• Group assignments
• Interactive class activities (role playing, business game, simulation, online forum, instant polls)

For attending students learning in the course depends mostly on the development of a group project throughout the course. The group project employs real data to address a concrete managerial problem. Lectures, discussions in class about the projects developed by each group enhance the learning opportunities of the attending students.

• Group project accounts for about 60%
• Individual assignments for about 40%. 

An attending student is a student who participated in no less than 20 classes. Class attendance is strongly encouraged.

Assessment based only on a written final exam.

• Lecture slides.
• General textbooks for some of the more technical material (not required for the exam, but useful for consultation).

• Lecture slides and references to specific articles and similar material.

• General textbooks for some of the more technical material (not required for the exam, but useful for consultation).