The Seminar

A virtual event 

Objective

One of the great challenges for doctoral students is to develop publishable results from their research. This all starts with a well-designed research plan, followed by collecting and analyzing good data. Thus, the objective of the CINet PhD seminar on “researching continuous innovation” is to help students mastering the process of getting from a research idea, through a robust research design, good qualitative and/or quantitative data, to a publishable theoretical and/or managerial contribution, in the field of (continuous) innovation. Hence, the title of the seminar: Researching Continuous Innovation – getting in, getting through and getting (it) out.

Continuous Innovation

Continuous innovation, the basis for sustainable success, requires companies to combine continuity and innovation in several different ways. World-class companies:

• Make the right strategic choices.
• Implement their strategies by continuously developing new products, markets, processes, forms of organization and management approaches.
• Ensure continuity and improvement of their existing business.

Thus, continuously innovative companies successfully combine strategic, innovation and operational excellence or, as James March would put it, exploration and exploitation.

Work mode

The seminar provides a unique platform for doctoral students to present and discuss their research, and to get feedback from, and exchange comments and views with, fellow students and experienced researchers in the field. The program is highly interactive and includes ample opportunity for exploring emerging themes in continuous innovation theory and methodology. In the morning sessions of approx. three hours, the seminar faculty will deliver interactive lectures on topics such as research design, epistemology, collaborative, case study and action research, and writing scientific articles. The afternoon sessions of maximum two hours will focus on peer-prepared discussions of the participants’ research designs. Some social events, to be designed, will stimulate the participants to interact, network and set-up future collaboration.

The program will include links to the sessions. Just click, and you are in. Simple instructions will be available at least one week before the seminar.

Participants

The seminar offers space to max. 15 doctoral students or other researchers developing a PhD thesis, who are researching continuous innovation or a related topic, and are in a relatively early phase of their studies.

Date and "place"

The seminar takes place on 19-23 April 2021, using Microsoft teams, and is hosted by Associate Professor Luca Gastaldi from Politecnico di Milano.

Credits

Upon successful completion of the seminar, the participants are given a certificate and granted 5 ECTS.