This mini course focuses on the development of innovative thinking in a business environment. Students will be taught systematic approaches to technology-driven business innovation in services industries. The course focuses on the role of technology as a key driver of business change. Students will learn: ¿ How emerging technologies often dramatically alter the economics underlying many business processes ¿ How to evaluate the potential impact of various emerging technologies ¿ How to spot likely areas for business innovation ¿ How to create convincing visionary scenarios for new business processes; analyzing social, economic, environmental and other factors ¿ How to think creatively in a business context and how to present their ideas to future employers or sponsors The course is a seminar emphasizing student presentations and discussions. The first two weeks of the course focus on technology trends and the remaining five weeks focus on technology applications to services. One week each is dedicated to the following four sectors of services: financial services; healthcare; retail; and, media and entertainment. Students are asked to identify critical problems and issues and to find examples of both successful and unsuccessful technology-driven innovations. An invited industry practitioner gives an overview of the sector and shares his or her professional experiences and challenges. For the final project, students develop a specific idea for service innovation in an area of their choice.