Innovation Management and Intellectual property rights

This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of how organisations develop, manage, and protect innovation in an increasingly competitive global environment. Drawing on established and contemporary research, the course examines how firms build innovative capabilities, how technological change shapes competitive advantage, and how intellectual property rights (IPR) influence both the direction and commercialisation of innovation. Through interactive sessions, case-based exercises, and research-informed literature, students will gain insight into organisational innovation processes, national and regional innovation systems, and frameworks governing intellectual property.

Topics Covered

• Foundations of innovation and key theoretical perspectives
• Innovation processes and infrastructure, organizational knowledge, and dynamic capabilities
• Open innovation, new product development (NPD), and technology transfer
• Strategic alliances, networks, and national systems of innovation
• Intellectual Property Rights (IPR): legislation, protection mechanisms, and real-life cases
• Management of R&D projects and Sustainable business models

Students will develop the capacity to:

• Demonstrate advanced, research-informed knowledge of key theories, methods, and multilevel challenges in innovation, including organisational, national, and regional dynamics.
• Critically analyse and evaluate theoretical perspectives, methodological approaches, and empirical studies within innovation and intellectual property research.
• Understand fundamental legislation and processes related to the protection of intellectual property rights.
• Produce and communicate original, analytically informed insights and problem-oriented analyses for stakeholders across corporate, public, and third-sector groups.

Students will engage in dialogue-based lectures, guest sessions, academic readings, and applied reflections to strengthen their analytical and communication skills. Active participation is required, guest lectures and company visit(s) are mandatory.