In a world characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, leaders require innovation skills. Thinking flexibly and developing an entrepreneurial mindset are critical to thriving in uncertain business environments. This specialization addresses how to recognize and question assumptions and constraints so as to identify and capitalize on opportunities. Innovation is needed within existing organizations and to found new organizations. Learning to change the rules of the game by creating innovative value propositions and discovering new market positions for sustained competitive advantage are some of the actionable lessons in this specialization.
This specialization will be of value to both aspiring and practicing entrepreneurs as well as employees in established firms who are interested in becoming innovative leaders in an interconnected world.
Innovation: From Creativity to Entrepreneurship Specialization
Innovate in a Connected World. Learn about frameworks to manage and innovate in uncertainty
Offered By
Innovation: From Creativity to Entrepreneurship SpecializationUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
How the Specialization Works
Take Courses
A Coursera Specialization is a series of courses that helps you master a skill. To begin, enroll in the Specialization directly, or review its courses and choose the one you'd like to start with. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. It’s okay to complete just one course — you can pause your learning or end your subscription at any time. Visit your learner dashboard to track your course enrollments and your progress.
Hands-on Project
Every Specialization includes a hands-on project. You'll need to successfully finish the project(s) to complete the Specialization and earn your certificate. If the Specialization includes a separate course for the hands-on project, you'll need to finish each of the other courses before you can start it.
Earn a Certificate
When you finish every course and complete the hands-on project, you'll earn a Certificate that you can share with prospective employers and your professional network.
There are 7 Courses in this Specialization
Course1
Strategic Innovation: Building and Sustaining Innovative Organizations
4.8
(246 ratings)
Innovation strategy is about creating unique value for consumers by delivering a great product that satisfies their needs and capturing value back from consumers.
At the core of a successful innovation strategy is a great product concept. Product is an all-encompassing term that includes physical goods, intangible services, and even ideas. There are three pillars to a successful product strategy: a clear understanding of (a) the target customers (WHO), (b) the specific elements of the product offering (WHAT) that satisfies consumer needs and dovetails with company capabilities, and (c) the tactical plans to reach end consumers (HOW). The value proposition has to be embedded in a coherent business model in order to create and capture value. But well-laid innovation plans can go awry without a consideration of the business ecosystem that includes competitors, collaborators, including suppliers, distributors, and retailers, or the contextual environment in which the company operates. In an interdependent world, fostering an integrated ecosystem is critically important for companies interested in maximizing the odds of innovation success.
Drawing from many years of research, this course will offer a set of frameworks, tools, and concepts in order to develop innovative strategies in a holistic way so as to achieve leadership positions.
Course2
Strategic Innovation: Managing Innovation Initiatives
4.8
(179 ratings)
You may have noticed that what is new often behaves differently than what has become accepted over time, whether it is in a market, or a technology, or involves people and firms. Much research supports these general ideas, and this course builds on them to help you develop a perspective on managing innovation. That is, you will build your capability to lead and design your organization in effectively implementing innovation initiatives and achieving their strategic intent.
To do this, you will learn a set of frameworks, tools, and concepts that can help you address several important challenges in managing innovation. The first challenge regards how to successfully implement innovation efforts within established firms and alongside established businesses. You then investigate the particulars of managing innovation when disruptive technologies are involved. Other topics include leadership of new product development teams, planning and evaluation of innovation initiatives, and management of innovation across organizational boundaries, as happens with alliances or virtual firms.
Course3
Creativity Toolkit I: Changing Perspectives
4.7
(134 ratings)
Thinking and doing the same things faster and better is not enough; we need creativity. Fortunately, creativity is a skill you can learn. This course will examine when, why, and how we can be creative. It examines the cues that trigger us to consider being creative. It provides a road map of the creative process – the process of changing our perspectives – and the kinds of outcomes that result from creativity. It examines how we can go through the creative process more efficiently and more effectively by examining what is changing about our thinking and how we can make those changes. The end result is more flexible thinking that can be used to recognize and develop new opportunities.
Course4
Creativity Toolkit II: Creative Collaboration
4.7
(119 ratings)
Creativity requires us to collaborate with others. This course is designed to make you a better creative collaborator. Creativity can require us to bring together knowledge from different areas, often known by different people. We need to foster effective collaboration rather than have those differences lead to misunderstandings and conflict. The ideas that we generate, individually or collectively, will be evaluated by others, such as bosses, funders, and customers. These audiences will likely have different concerns when they hear about your ideas and are likely to evaluate ideas differently than you do. We need to pitch our ideas in ways that get others excited about them, rather than bored or confused, so that we can expand the group of collaborators in our creative efforts.
Instructors
E. Geoffrey Love
Associate ProfessorDepartment of Business Administration, Gies College of Business
Thomas E. Parkinson
Visiting ProfessorUniversity of Illinois College of Business
Raj Echambadi
Alan J. and Joyce D. Baltz Professor | Sr. Associate Dean for Strategic InnovationDepartment of Business Administration, College of Business
Jeffrey Loewenstein
Associate Professor of Organizational BehaviorDepartment of Business Administration
Jack Goncalo
ProfessorDepartment of Business Administration
Jeff Flesher
PhDGet a head start on your degree
This specialization is part of the 100% online Master of Business Administration (iMBA) from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Start an open course or Specialization today to watch courses featuring iMBA faculty and complete self-paced assignments.
When you complete each course, you’ll earn a certificate that you can add to your LinkedIn and resume.
If you apply and are admitted to the full program, your courses count towards your degree learning.
About University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a world leader in research, teaching and public engagement, distinguished by the breadth of its programs, broad academic excellence, and internationally renowned faculty and alumni. Illinois serves the world by creating knowledge, preparing students for lives of impact, and finding solutions to critical societal needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the refund policy?
Can I just enroll in a single course?
Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.
Is financial aid available?
Can I take the course for free?
Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?
This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.
How long does it take to complete the Specialization?
Time to completion can vary widely based on your schedule, most learners are able to complete the Specialization in 3-6 months.
What background knowledge is necessary?
No background knowledge is required to complete this specialization.
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
It is recommended that the courses in the Specialization be taken in the order outlined. Some courses do list other courses as prerequisites. In the Capstone Project, you will have the opportunity to synthesize your learning in all six courses and apply your combined skills in a final project.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?
iMBA courses in Coursera do not carry University of Illinois credit on their own. Each course has an enhanced for-credit component. You can earn academic credit if you combine an iMBA Coursera course with the enhanced for-credit component offered on the University of Illinois platform. Some universities may choose to accept Specialization Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more.
What will I be able to do upon completing the Specialization?
Once you complete the specialization, you will be able to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and understand how to manage and innovate in uncertainty. Understand when, why, and how to think creatively. Assess the feasibility of a new venture and the diversity of challenges involved.
How often is each course in the Specialization offered?
Each course in the Specialization is offered on a regular schedule with sessions starting about once per month. If you don't complete a course on the first try, you can easily transfer to the next session, and your completed work and grades will carry over.
I’m interested and have more questions about the iMBA. Where do I go for more information?
Please find more information at https://www.coursera.org/course/imba and http://onlinemba.illinois.edu/, or email your questions to onlineMBA@illinois.edu.
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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