Programme

PGP

Term

IV

Academic Year

2021-22

Course title

New Technology Application, Design and Business Models

Area

Centre for Innovation Incubation & Entrepreneurship

Credits

1.00

Instructor(s)

Prof. Rakesh Basant

Course Description & Objectives

Objectives: It is widely recognized now that to build new business models around existing technologies a variety of linkages need to be built and nurtured. Critical among them are linkages between designers, engineers and managers who understand the market needs. Issues relating to Application Design and Strategic Design Thinking in such linkages are increasingly becoming one of the key activities of managers in innovative organizations. Besides, such linkages can also create opportunities for entrepreneurial ventures. This course would focus on the issues relating to the development of new applications and business models around existing technologies for commercialization by existing firms and through new ventures. This would be done by teams of IIMA participants with inputs from experts in technology and design and using various tools including those for user interaction (e.g., lead user methods).  The course would essentially be a project based course, with a focus on Customer-DesignBusiness Model Linkages. The projects would be supplemented by some class-room interactions with experts in the technology and design domain and IIMA faculty. This course will bring together design, engineering and management inputs to study the process of developing new applications of existing technologies and work on the business model/plan ready to take it to the market. This year the projects/applications would be focused mainly around civic technologies (civic-tech). Within civic-tech, we will also explore projects around property rights-tech. More specifically the class would explore the applications of broad technologies like AI and block chain to solve citizen’s problems and enhance relations between citizens and the state. Experts would be invited to expose the class to emerging entrepreneurial opportunities in civic technologies. These ideas would be used as a context to work on new applications and business models including a commercialization plan. Through this process the participants will learn how new technology applications, strategic design management, business model development and commercialization decisions are coordinated for successful market entry in specific contexts. This project would also provide key insights on working in teams across diverse functions. IIMA students have been exposed to management issues and can potentially appreciate different aspects of business models. Many of them have technology backgrounds and few may have had exposure to design issues. Interactions with experts in technology and design inputs at various stages of the course, the participants will get exposed to details of technologies encompassed by civic-tech and dimensions of design thinking, interface design and understanding of the social and cultural context of new applications