Information on individual educational components (ECTS-Course descriptions) per semester

None

• Components and archetypes of business models
• Design tools and instruments for business model development
• Creativity techniques for generating business model innovations
• Business model development using the Business Model Canvas and the Customer Development Process
• Pitch training
• Application of tools and methods to a real existing innovative business model of an external partner start-up or for an own business idea

What is obvious for a start-up - having an innovative business model - is equally essential for established companies. Identifying innovative business ideas and developing them into an innovative marketable business model is one of the basic processes of innovation management in any organisation. Students - not only in Marketing and Sales or Entrepreneurship and Innovation - train the necessary skills here.

Students know the central elements of a business model, they understand the development process of new business models. Students are aware of the special challenges of start-ups (= organisations in search of their business model) and can explain them. New, innovative business models can be identified, designed and further developed, students are able to develop convincing and unique customer value propositions and present/pitch them.

Students learn to validate business model hypotheses on concrete cases and they understand how to apply design tools and instruments of business model development.

They experience the importance of the required mindset and learn the tools to develop suitable business models for new business ideas.

Interactive course with lecture, case studies, exercises in individual and group work, presentations and homework.

Pre-assignment, participation during the seminar in the form of contributions and short presentations (individual or group assignments), post-assignment, individual weighting as determined by the instructors, announcement at the beginning of the semester

None

Blank, Steve; Dorf, Bob (2012): The Startup Owners Manual: The Step-By-Step Guide for Building a Great Company. Pescadero, CA: K&S Ranch Press.

Furr, Nathan; Dyer, Jeff (2014): The Innovator-Method; Bringing the Lean Startup into your Organisation. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Review Press.

Osterwalder, Alexander; Pigneur, Yves (2010): Business Model Generation. A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers. Hoboken, New Jersey: Jon Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Osterwalder, Alexander; Pigneur, Yves; Bernarda Gregory; Smith Alan (2014): Value Proposition Design: How to Create Products and Services Customers Want. Hoboken, New Jersey: Jon Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Ries, Eric (2011): The Lean Startup: How Todays Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses. New York: Crown Business.

Classes with compulsory attendance