Length: Maximum 5000 words (exclusive ref.).
Make a word count and show it on the front page or at least in the beginning of the report.
Alternatively: A popular paper of 1½ page A4 plus figures and tables AND a business report of maximum 3000 words.
Layout: 12 p format (corresponding to Times New Roman) with 1½ spacing and 2 cm margins. Appendix is allowed but will not be assessed. Remember to make explicit references to literature, as well as a reference list at the end of the report. Reference style is optional.
Deadline: Two weeks prior to the oral presentation – complying with secrecy agreements. Uploaded to CampusNet in the designated folder “business report” (Can only be accessed by the teachers and evaluators).
The learning objectives with the business report
-
To strengthen your insight into the creation of knowledge, management of research and business aspects of your research
-
To be better to manage your research project
-
To be better to see and promote the business and societal value of your research
The commercial perspective of the project must be the focus of the report describing:
-
The project's research and application / commercial purpose, deliverables (goals), success criteria, stakeholders, risks, and how the challenges identified in the project will be handled.
-
How research results are translated into innovation and business enterprise or innovation in the institution and how barriers in the innovation process can be overcome.
-
How the student can personally lead the project on the research and business goals, as well as independently overcome barriers to research, innovation and relevant application
The business report should contain the following
Introduction:
Unless relevant for the commercial aspect of your project do NOT include long descriptions of company and its history, University Department and scientific domain or your scientific project
-
What is the overall purpose of the report (hint: se learning objectives above)? For example:
-
Why is this course relevant (from the ministries perspective, from your own)
-
What is it you document by this report
-
How your research can contribute to wealth and/or welfare in our society
-
How your project can create value to your host organisation
-
Problem formulation of your PhD-project (to be understood by a lay person)
Project and Research Management (module 1)
Please address the following issues:
-
Planning and managing your research project
-
Relations between your project and your host organisation, The University and your network
-
Constrains and challenges?
The following questions might help as inspiration:
-
What is the status of your project and your challenges? (slide 11)
-
How can you characterize your product using the PL concepts? (slide 19)
-
Describe how your project goals/deliverables are connected to value and business? (slide 23)
-
Who are your stakeholders (stakeholder analyses)? (slide 30)
-
How is your project planned? (slide 47)
-
How can you describe your network? (slide 51 og 52)
Commercialization and Innovation (module 2)
Please address the following issues:
-
Value creation for your host organisation
-
Relevance of IPR and copyrights
-
Application barriers of the project’s results in the company
-
Constrains and challenges
-
Dissemination of the results of your project
The following questions might help as inspiration:
-
What are the challenges, importance and consequences of your innovation? (2.1 slide 11,20, 28)
-
What Intellectual Property can you identify in your own project? (2.2 slide 11)
-
What characterizes your innovation project: Radical / incremental innovation, market/ technology driven? (2.3 slide 21, 22)
-
How is your project a part of sectorial innovation processes? (2.3 slide 41, 44, 48)
-
To what extent can your project / company benefit from open innovation? (2.4 slide 34)
-
How is discovery, incubation (learning plan) and acceleration capabilities relevant for your project / company ? (2.5 slide 26, 40, 45)
Research as a Personal Challenge in Social Network Relations (module 3)
Please address the following issues:
The following questions might help as inspiration:
-
Identify sources of enthusiasm and strain in your study à How can you be more aware of these aspects in your PhD process? (3.1)
-
What challenges do you experience in managing your project on a monthly/weekly/daily basis and how do you anticipate them? (3.2)
-
When and what kind of controversies do you experience in relation to your PhD process and how can you deal with them and eventually make them constructive (you can use your stakeholder analysis to identify present or potential personal conflicts)? (3.6)
-
Identify your strengths and weaknesses in relation to your collaboration with supervisors and other networks relations à How can you use yourself as a resource? (3.7)
-
How can you use your personal network as a resource and for what purposes (fellow PhD student, colleagues, supervisors, family, etc.)? (3.7)
References
Evaluation
The report must use the theory and concepts presented at the course but you do not need to use all theory presented at the course.
Oral presentation of the report
-
Building 101 at DTU – for date see the front page of the homepage
-
Presented at a seminar (15 minutes) you may chose to make a power point presentation, but other resources such as posters or whiteboard are also welcome
-
Discussed in plenum (15 minutes)
-
Evaluated by teaching staff
-
Videnskab.dk can give you advice on the presentation