Seminar goals

1. Developing skills to analyse complex technological developments and innovation processes
2. Conducting an empirical study and building methodological knowledge
3. Developing awareness about the relevance of theory-based empirical studies in technology and innovation management.

Topic

During the research seminar you will have the opportunity to gain multifaceted insights into empirical research and to actively participate in our research project Q-Aktiv. The project focuses on dynamics in scientific and technological networks and their impact on the technological success of companies. Using the food industry as an example, the research seminar investigates:

• which factors influence the degree of innovativeness of companies
• how companies pursue an ambidexterity strategy in their innovation process
• when companies become technologically path dependent
• whether incumbent companies perform better than new entrants
• how collaboration with other companies as well as with universities affects the innovation performance of companies.

The established theories in the field of technology and innovation management form the foundation for deriving the hypotheses relevant to research questions. By evaluating company-specific data, the hypotheses will be statistically tested. During the empirical analysis, new skills for data acquisition and processing will be acquired. You will gain insight into the processing of information in patent and scientific literature databases and use the learned statistical methods for data evaluation. You will learn how to interpret statistical results and to derive implications thereof for future research and as well as for management of possibly relevant companies.

This seminar is offered either in English or in German, depending on the language of the participants.

The seminar is structured as follows:

• Kick off: 15th April 2019 (16-18 h) (Room tbd)
• Training in software: 23th April 2019 (16-18 h) (Room tbd)
• Mid-term presentation: tbd
• Final presentation: tbd
• Deadline for term paper: tbd