Course descriptions

Overview: This course provides an overview of recent theory, relevant challenges and global concerns. The course combines the aspects of economic, social and environmental sustainability aspects and the UN SDGs with managerial and entrepreneurial issues in international business, inspiring students to rethink and critically address ways forwards. Students develop skills and competences to tackle complex real-life problems in collaboration with others while facilitating their entrepreneurial mindsets and sense of purpose. The variety of practical applications for theory develops a global way of thinking and fosters students’ sensitivity in diverse aspects of international business.

Year and period: M.Sc. 1−2 (suitable for postgraduates), 24−28 June 2024

Teacher: Maria Elo, Associate Professor, University of Southern Denmark

Hannes Velt, Post-doctoral Researcher, LUT University

Person in charge: Hannes Velt, Post-doctoral Researcher, LUT University

Aims and learning outcomes:

• To be able to critically reflect and rethink theoretical assumptions and ways of doing business in different contexts
• To develop an understanding on complex, multi-stakeholder and transboundary challenges 
• To develop skills and competences needed for sustainable and legitimate managerial and entrepreneurial action
• To enhance entrepreneurial innovativeness and thinking, global mindsets and collaboration skills for problem solving across contexts

Content and mode of study: This teaching approach builds on an intensive, collaborative four-day seminar format (total of 30 hours) that is complemented with a priori readings (30 hours), group exercises, a co-created workshop day with virtual group problem solving hackathon. The course combines interactive lecture parts during the first two days that conclude with a group exercise. After the intensive course, the students complete an individual essay as a final written assignment (20 hours).

The first day (7 hours) addresses globalization, international migration and shifting capitals. A group exercise concludes on questioning the dominance of the Western/first world lenses in international business and entrepreneurship and assessing more inclusive theories for real-word problems (task: identify impactful theories, present).

The second day (7 hours) concludes with a group exercise that addresses entrepreneurial strategies and international opportunities reflecting the SDGs (task: identify different strategies for international opportunity development in emerging/developing countries).

The third day (8 hours) is a collaborative virtual seminar day that starts with shared lectures by diverse experts on different grand challenges (e.g. geopolitics, population economics, climate change, poverty, inequality, international migration) and research on international business and entrepreneurship. Then, the students mix randomly into Zoom breakout rooms with other international students and develop an analytical canvas with solution models for a selected problem. In the end, they present/share those with all the participants via Zoom screen sharing in the end.

On the last day (8 hours), there are interactive lectures addressing place of business, transnationalism, innovation systems, entrepreneurial ecosystems, business-scapes and institutions. After that, the students join random groups in Zoom to discuss the role of location and regionalism in globalization and international venturing and investment while comparing two settings: Kingston, Jamaica and Lappeenranta, Finland. While the students engage in the classroom and in their different groups, they need to pay special attention to application of the SDGs in their tasks, starting from self-reflecting their views on inequality, inclusion, decent work and other concerns in line with the triple bottom line thinking. In the presentations and discussions vulnerabilities of e.g. migrants, women, new ventures from below and undocumented talent are introduced and reflected. 

Total workload 80 hours.

Evaluation: Final grade 0-5. Evaluation 0-100 points, consisting of:

• In-class assignments and participation 50 points:

Pre-readings combined with active doing, re-reading, collaboration and production of a case in the classes (including theory hackathon, case solutions, seminar participation, group work, presentation and critical discussions)

• Written assignment 50 points:

A short essay on a selected theme (academic writing, APA refs), highly individual reflection and critical thinking application

Study material: Selected journal articles and book chapters are provided as pre-readings and in-class readings throughout the course. Additional in-depth material is provided by request. The course builds on inclusive learning and uses videos, seminars and other types of materials to support the written sources.

Prerequisites: No formal prerequisites. Previous courses in entrepreneurship, international business and management are beneficial but not mandatory.

Overview: New ideas always lighten up faces. It's already a big thing, but they can – depending on their size and strength – to save a project or a business, to become a device, a poem or a patent, to change life or just to add sparkling moment to it. In the course we teach the tools of systematic creativity, how to think out of the box. We introduce the theory for inventive problem solving, TRIZ, and some other methods. About 150 inventive problems are solved together in (and outside of) the class. The teaching is flipped, blended, problem-based, supported by MOOC (Massive Open Online Course).

Year and period: M.Sc. 1-2 (suitable for postgraduates), 24−28 June 2024

Teachers: Leonid Chechurin, Professor, LUT University

Anastasia Chakir, Junior Researcher, LUT University

Aims and Learning Outcomes: After having completed the course, the student should be able to:

• Recognize the role and place of creativity and inventing in innovation process/business, Identify inventive problems in the complex process of product development
• Apply several tools for systematic idea generation (Function modelling, Ideal final result, Function-oriented search, Contradiction analysis, biomimetics)
• Act step-by-step, systematically when creative and out-of-box ideas are needed

Content:

Introduction: creativity, invention, innovation. Creativity obstacles and supporters. Place of creativity in modern economy. Invention and Innovation. Basic institutions of invention: know-how, patent, public good (paper). Thinking inertia and other invention killers. Tools for creativity support and place of TRIZ among them. Biomimetics.

Definition of Function. Function Oriented Search. Axiom of Ideal Final Result in TRIZ. Formulation, examples. Operation time, operation zone.

Invention as contradiction elimination. Engineering contradictions and elimination standards. Altshuller Matrix. Physical contradictions and elimination standards. Separation principles.

About 200 creative problems, case studies, examples and projects are discussed/solved through the course.

The course is proposed to be suitable also for doctoral studies.

Mode of study:

• Before the class: theoretical materials are learnt through interactive videos or texts (about 20h workload)
• In class: discussion on the topic, case studies, activities, small projects to be done in teams or individually (about 40h workload)
• Independent work, reading 21h

Total workload 81 hours.

Evaluation: Final grade 0-5:

• Continues assessment in the class 50%
• Quizzes 20%
• Report on project 30%

Study material: cephei.eu, “Artificial Inventiveness” course, additional materials will be provided in the class

Prerequisites: Preferably, students of engineering major or bachelor’s degree in non-technical studies.

Overview: This course unit aims to provide the students with the knowledge of the processes related to the corporate strategic decision making. Since the early 1990’s the global business environment has attracted companies to expand operations beyond national and regional markets. Some companies have succeeded in becoming global players, while the others have struggled, and also failed to make the transition. The course builds on the theoretical foundations of the corporate strategy research. Learning method blends informative lectures with corporate case studies and group work exercises and workshops.

Year and period: M.Sc. 1−2 (suitable for postgraduates), 1−5 July 2024

Teacher: Karl-Erik Michelsen, Professor, LUT University

Aims: The course aims to provide the students with the knowledge of the

processes related to the corporate strategic decision making. Small, mid-size and large companies are constantly looking for opportunities to enlarge and develop operations and conquer new market shares. This requires dynamic capabilities and competences and strategic decision-making processes.

The main objectives of the course are:

1. to inspire students to investigate how companies build competences and how they transfer from local to national and finally to global markets.
2. to increase the understanding of internal and external factors that shape the strategic decision-making process.
3. to equip students with the frameworks that explain why some companies are more capable for succeeding in making transformation and entering to the global markets.
4. to give students practical knowledge on how to study and investigate strategic decision-making processes.

Content: The course builds on the theoretical foundations of the corporate strategy research. The focus is on three case studies of major Finnish corporations (KONE corporation, Vaisala corporation, METSO corporation). The case studies open the complexity of the strategic decision making within a company that explores opportunities to transfer from national into global markets.

The core topics are as follows:

1. How companies move from national into international and global markets?
2. How the strategic decision-making process evolves over time and what are the roles and tasks of corporate institutions (CEO, Board of Directors and Executive team)?
3. How companies recognize opportunities and how they build strategic capabilities and competences?
4. What role technology, innovation and specialization play in the strategic decision-making process?
5. What role tradition and history play in the strategic decision making?

Mode of study:

• Interactive lectures and in-class assignments 30 hours
• Group-work assignments 30 hours
• Workshops 20 hours

Total workload 80 hours.

Evaluation: Final grade 0-5. Evaluation 0-100 points:

• Engagement and activity in lectures 20%
• Workshop activity 40%
• Group-work 40%

Study material:

• Journal articles on the theory of the strategic decision-making process
• Video clips and expert analyzes
• Case study articles
• Magazine, newspaper, and popular journal articles.

All materials will be distributed prior to the lectures, group assignments and workshops. Students are strongly encouraged to prepare before meetings and engage in discussion and learning.

Prerequisites: Previous studies in international business (e.g. Introduction to International Business or International Business Strategy)

Overview: During the course, students will go deeper into MOOC-course contents regarding climate action by participating in a seminar teamwork project.

Year and period: B.Sc., M.Sc., 1-5 July 2024

Teacher: Alex Rosu, University Teacher

Aims: Learning outcomes:

• To inspire to find more information about e.g. currently relevant energy / circular economy themes
• To increase awareness of climate change and how one can affect the surrounding environment by one's own decisions & actions
• To enhance understanding of MOOC-course contents through seminar work
• To enhance teamwork and presentation skills for the student

Content: Acquiring advanced information about the following contents through seminar projects:

• Circular economy and waste management including sustainable development goals (SDGs)
• Sustainable design and production
• Power to X
• Carbon neutral transport

Mode of study:

• Grouping / seminar topic selection (preparation work)
• Introduction lecture
• Teamwork based on a chosen seminar topic
• Tutorial sessions with the instructor
• Seminars and discussion / peer evaluation

Total workload 80 hours.

Evaluation: Passed / failed
In order to pass, students should participate in all teaching activities

Study material:

• Information which can be found from MOOC-courses
• Literature related to seminar topics

Recommended prerequisites: Previous LUT organized Climate Action MOOC-courses (Power to X Modules, Sustainable design
and production Modules, Solutions for Carbon Neutral Transport Modules)

Additional information: Max 40 participants

Overview: This course is designed to explore three critical business topics related to product management strategy in marketing: (1) understanding the concept of product strategy within the framework of marketing strategy, (2) new product development based on the design and development of new ideas for product/service innovations, and (3) the management of new and existing products and services for sustainable business.   First, we will review the concept of product strategy related to marketing strategy. Second, topics in new product development include idea generation and screening, design, planning, and prototyping, and new product roll-out, as well as the development of marketing strategies and implementation plans for new products and services.  Third, management of new and existing products involves in integration of new products into the product line, management of the marketing mix, quality of service, and customer development strategies.   Throughout this project-based course, the importance of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship will be emphasized as the sources of initiating and managing new products and innovation.

The objectives for this course are as follows:

• To understand important elements of marketing strategy that is related to product management.
• To develop an in-depth understanding of new product/service development and management.
• To understand and utilize a process-oriented framework for making new product/service development decisions.
• To enhance business communication skills through preparation and presentation of new concepts for products and services via prototyping as well as its marketing plan

Year and period: M.Sc. 2 (suitable for postgraduates), 8-12 July 2024

Teacher: Subin Im, Professor and Department Head of Marketing, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, TN

Person in charge: Olli Kuivalainen, Professor, LUT University

Aims:

Learning outcomes:At the completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Grasp the concept of creativity and creative process to address creative challenges in new product development.
• Learn techniques for generating creative ideas using different methods.
• Create an organizational and team context for recognizing and unleashing creativity, and for developing innovation by collaboration .

Content:

• Overview of New Product Development Process:
• The New Products Process & Stage-gate process
• Stage I. Opportunity identification and selection
• Stage II. Concept Generation: Preparation and alternative
• Stage III. Concept/Project Evaluation: The Concept Evaluation System, Concept Testing  & Full Screen
• Product protocol
• Stage IV. Development: Design & Product use testing.
• Stage V. Launch:  Strategic launch planning & implementation

Mode of study:

• Lectures, and in-class projects and assignments 30 hours
• Preparing for lectures 25 hours
• Preparing for exam 25 hours

Total workload 80 hours.

Evaluation: Final grade 0-5. Evaluation 0-100 points:

• Final Exam (Comprehensive) - 35% 
• Group project and case study - 30%  
• In-Class Projects - 5%
• Individual projects - 20% Total
• Class Participation/Attendance  - 10% Total

Total 100%

Study material:

• Main Textbook (Recommended): C. Merle Crawford and C. Anthony Di Benedetto, New Products Management, 12^thed. Irwin McGraw-Hill. (11^th or 10^th ed is ok )
• Assigned reading.

Prerequisites: For summer school students: previous studies in business recommended.

For MIMM degree students at LUT: Internationalisation of the Firm

and Global Marketing, Strategic Global Marketing Management.

Overview: During the course, students will get an understanding of the sustainability transitions of food systems. The intensive course provides an overview of the different food system actors and their roles, capacities, and approaches in the sustainability transition.

Year and period: B.Sc., M.Sc., 8−12 July 2024

Teachers: Antti Puupponen, University Lecturer, LUT University. 

Nabaraj Adhikari, Junior Researcher, LUT University. 

Aims: After completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Understand the aspects of the sustainability transition in food systems.
• Recognize the different actors in the food system and their capacities in sustainability transition.
• Recognize justice issues and various ethical perspectives related to food systems and sustainability transition.

Content:

The course is preceded by an independent study of the topic through literature. The course starts with introductory lectures. This will be followed by thematic group work. The results of group work will be presented and discussed in a seminar at the end of the course. Finally, an individual essay on one of the course themes will be written.

The course covers the following topics:

• Sustainability and transition aspects of food systems 
• Systemic approach to food studies, including global and local food systems perspectives.
• Actors and their roles in the food system
• Justice transition and ethical perspectives. Issues include power relations, food security, poverty, and inequality in food systems.

Mode of study:

• Individual reading work
• Introductory lectures
• Group work and presentations
• Individual essay writing

Evaluation: Passed / failed

In order to pass, students should participate in all teaching activities.

Study material:

• Selected journal articles and book chapters are provided as pre-readings
• Literature related to lectures and seminar topics

Prerequisites: No formal prerequisites. Previous courses in social sciences are beneficial but not mandatory.