Jenkins MBA Academic Preparation:
A concentration in Innovation Management provides hands-on, cross-disciplinary experiences that challenge students to design creative solutions that meet the needs of today’s marketplace. Opportunities with industry allow for utilization of innovation processes, tools, and techniques, such as prototyping and designing new products or services to practice and apply knowledge. Creating superior function and value, effective new product marketing, and attractive design are primary challenges for innovation management students.
Because of the interdisciplinary nature of this concentration, students often pair Innovation Management with another concentration such as Marketing or Finance, for example.
Sample Courses:
- Product Design and Development (“Product Innovation Lab”) (Practicum)
- Experience Innovation and Strategic Design
- Consumer Behavior
- Methods in Marketing Research
- Product and Brand Management
- Innovation and the Internet of Things (Practicum)
- Digital Marke
Skills Acquired Through Coursework:
* Identifying opportunities for and designing new ideas, products & services * Business development
* Utilizing interdisciplinary approaches for new product design and development
* Strategy and execution * Formulating, evaluating, and developing a new product concept
* Practicing design-thinking tools and techniques * Market opportunity assessment
Additional Skills and Competencies Needed for Career Success:
- Highly creative and open to new ideas
- Imaginative and resourceful
- Analytical and strategic
- Comfort with technology and social media
- Ability to foster and maintain collaborative relationships
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
Potential Long-term Career Paths:
- Entrepreneur
- Executive Management (C-Suite)
- Vice President of Innovation or Strategy
- Consulting
Common MBA-level Innovation Management Job Titles:
- Product Manager
- Innovation Project Manager
- Manager, Innovation Strategy
- Product Developer
- New Business Development
- Strategic Consultant
Culture / Outlook for those Pursuing Careers in Innovation:
More companies are incorporating roles specifically focused on strategy and innovation within their organizational charts. These roles are often hybrid positions, and are staffed by people with a variety of backgrounds and skill sets. Those wishing to pursue such roles need to be comfortable with ambiguity and advocating on their own behalf, as often these roles are designed collaboratively with the target employee in mind.