FutureLearn

Innovation: the Key to Business Success (FutureLearn)

Offered by University of Leeds,

Understand commercial innovation, how ideas emerge and become reality, with this free online course developed with Marks & Spencer. This short free online course, which benefits from CPD accreditation, is designed for anyone interested in commercial innovation. Whether you run your own business or are a cog in a bigger wheel, work on your own or are part of a large multinational organisation, this course will help you see how you can be an agent for change and help push forward innovation.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Learn how innovative ideas emerge and become reality
You will see that very few innovative ideas are new; the vast majority take something that is already working and improve it. This may be a product, service or process. Those who are closest to the business often have the most innovative ideas.

At the end of the course you will have a better understanding of:

how to encourage and contribute to innovation in your business;
how to turn ideas into reality (for the benefit of the business);
the role of people in successful innovation.

Explore case studies from major high street retailer, Marks & Spencer
Using case studies from the University of Leeds and major high street retailer, Marks & Spencer, we connect theory and practice to demonstrate the importance of innovation in growing and sustaining a business.
You will explore a range of important innovations, including the introduction of chilled foods and the development of man-made fibres. You will look at how ideas emerge and develop, and their impact not only on the business, but on how we live our lives today.
Through the course you will see that innovation can take many forms and that innovation needs people and organisations with a willingness to embrace change, to wonder “‘what if’,” to challenge the status quo and most importantly to work together.
Successful innovations need both determined individuals and a collaborative approach. Join this course to start your journey of innovation.

Go to Class

MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

FutureLearn

Central Queensland University

Unlocking The Creative Brain: Develop and Teach Skills For Creative Thinking (FutureLearn)

Teacher Professional Development

Explore the neuroscientific principles underpinning creativity, and learn the scientific methods to foster creative classrooms. Discover the neuroscience of creativity. Creativity is an extremely important skill but it can be difficult to explain and to teach others. There is a science to it though, and we can link research into the brain’s functions to the creative process.

Self Paced

4 Weeks

Neuroscience Innovation Brain

FutureLearn

University of East Anglia

The Secret Power of Brands (FutureLearn)

Management & Leadership Marketing & Communication

Understand the role of brands and brand management in the modern world, and start developing your career in the sector. Brands are the most potent commercial and cultural force on the planet. Think McDonald’s, Apple, Manchester United, Tate, Google or Harry Potter. Get under the skin of such brands, and ask how and why they become so powerful.

Self Paced

5-12 Weeks

Business Marketing Branding

FutureLearn

University of Bath,AHSN

An Introduction to Innovation in Healthcare (FutureLearn)

Management & Leadership Health & Society

Explore the need for innovation in healthcare, the development, adoption and spread of an innovation, and blockers to adoption. Discover the tools needed for healthcare innovation. On this four-week course from the University of Bath and the West of England AHSN, you’ll be introduced to some of the tools and techniques that individuals and teams can use to develop and refine new products, processes, and services. By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped to initiate and support innovation initiatives in your own organisation.

Self Paced

4 Weeks

Innovation Healthcare Healthcare Innovation

FutureLearn

Accenture

Digital Skills: Digital Skills for Work and Life (FutureLearn)

CS: Information & Technology Business

Learn about how digital is changing the world of work, and how you can successfully grow your career in the digital age. Digital technology now touches almost every aspect of our lives, including work. On this course, you will explore how you can build a successful career in the digital age. You’ll get a closer look at the meaning of digital, and how it has changed the way we work.

Self Paced

2 Weeks

Business Career Digital Skills

FutureLearn

Accenture

Digital Skills: Web Analytics (FutureLearn)

Statistics & Data Analysis Data Science

Learn about the role of web analytics in business, the types of analytics and how to use different techniques. Explore the world of web analytics and develop skills to grow your career. What is web analytics? And why are web analytics important? With this course, you’ll explore some of the fundamentals of this increasingly popular skill and learn how to apply it to your own online business. You’ll begin by looking at the basics of web analysis, including the different types of analytics and what they’re used for, before exploring some key areas in more detail.

Self Paced

2 Weeks

Business Analytics Digital Skills

FutureLearn

Hanken School of Economics

Principles of Service Management (FutureLearn)

Business

Your customers are your key resource. Explore a service-based approach to marketing and management that can better serve them. Find out what the discipline of Service Management can do for your business. Today an increasing number of companies compete on service, not product. As a result, understanding a service-based approach to business is essential - even for product-based businesses.

Oct 21st 2024

5-12 Weeks

Business Management Marketing

FutureLearn

St George's, University of London,Bayer

Managing Innovation: Learning to Prototype for Business (FutureLearn)

Business

Understand how to pitch innovative ideas using prototypes, and develop your skills by creating your own prototype. In order for companies to remain competitive, they have to create innovative products, processes or services to satisfy new or existing customers. Prototypes allow you to test your ideas early on to get invaluable feedback informing you about what the customers really want.

Self Paced

3 Weeks

Business Innovation Prototyping

FutureLearn

Keio University

Methodologies for Service Design (FutureLearn)

Business

Explore what service design is and how it can help push your business thinking outside of its comfort zone. In an era of unprecedented challenge and change for business, stability is no longer a given. In a time of sudden changes and sharp shocks, its never been more important to be able to think outside the box. On this course, you’ll learn what service design is, and how its methodologies can support business domains and entrepreneurial challenges, with a focus on cases from Japan and around.

Self Paced

4 Weeks

Business Strategy Innovation Management

FutureLearn

University of Leeds

Starting a Business 6: Funding Your Business (FutureLearn)

Management & Leadership

Raising funds in an important when starting a business; find out which source of funding is most suitable for your business idea. A successful business requires funding to get it started. There are many ways to get your business up and running, from the informal such as personal savings and borrowing, borrowing from friends and family, to the more formal avenues like bank loans, raising equity to crowd-funding. This course will help you consider the finance options available for businesses, and how to fund the expansion of a business.

Self Paced

2 Weeks

Business Fundraising Funding

FutureLearn

Accenture

Digital Skills: Social Media (FutureLearn)

CS: Information & Technology Business

Learn how to use social media for business, from creating a social media presence to measuring success. Learn how to effectively use social media for business. What is social media, and how can it help your business? With this course, you’ll explore these questions and more. You’ll find out why social media marketing skills are becoming essential for all kinds of organisations, as well as some of the ways you can use them. You’ll explore how you can use social media to create and develop your brand, as well as some of the tools that can help as you do so.

Self Paced

2 Weeks

Business Social Media Digital Skills

FutureLearn

Coventry University

Uncovering Your Entrepreneurial Potential (FutureLearn)

Business

Explore what makes a good entrepreneur and how applying an entrepreneurial approach can create economic and social value. Reflect on and develop your own entrepreneurial approach to work. Taking an entrepreneurial approach to work can be useful in a range of contexts, not just starting your own company. This course will challenge your ideas about entrepreneurship and innovation and demonstrate how you can adopt an entrepreneurial mindset to benefit yourself and others. You will explore different ways to approach innovation and entrepreneurship in the workplace.

Self Paced

2 Weeks

Business Innovation Entrepreneur

FutureLearn

The University of Law,University of Law Business School

Ethical Management and Decision Making (FutureLearn)

Business

Get to grips with how to manage ethically with this MOOC developed by the University of Law Business School. Learn how to manage within an ethical manner. In today’s working world, the terms ‘corporate responsibility’ and ‘sustainability’ are more important than ever. Corporations and organisations are increasingly about doing what is best for the community, the society and the environment. This three-week course from the University of Law Business School will teach you how to manage people within an effective manner, and also explore how not to manage people within a business.

Self Paced

3 Weeks

Business Management Ethics