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Robert Wolcott
Robert Wolcott

TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT; ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION
Lecturer of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Executive Director of Kellogg Innovation Network

Print Overview
Professor Wolcott is Lecturer of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the Kellogg School of Management. He teaches corporate innovation and entrepreneurship in Evanston and for Kellogg’s Executive MBA Programs in Hong Kong (with HKUST) and Miami. In 2002 and 2005, he served as Visiting Professor at the Keio Business School (Tokyo).

Professor Wolcott's article, Four Models of Corporate Entrepreneurship, with collaborator Dr. Mike Lippitz, appeared in the Fall 2007, issue of the MIT Sloan Management Review. His article with Mohan Sawhney and Inigo Arroniz, Twelve Different Ways for Companies to Innovate, was the most downloaded article of 2006 from the MIT Sloan Management Review.

In 2003, Professor Wolcott co-founded (with Mohan Sawhney) and directs the Kellogg Innovation Network (KIN), a network of senior executives dedicated to driving sustainable innovation. Members include Cargill, Cisco, PepsiCo, IBM, DuPont, FedEx, Chamberlain Group, Microsoft, Motorola and SC Johnson, among others.

He also co-founded and serves as Managing Partner of Clareo Partners LLC, a corporate strategy and innovation management consultancy. Clients include ABN Amro, Kraft, Microsoft, ADT, Herman Miller, HP, Chamberlain, Ricoh, TKH Group (Netherlands), Rio Tinto Iron Ore, SAP and Motorola. Clareo partners with clients, both global corporations and entrepreneurs, to build plans for and launch new businesses. Dr. Professor Wolcott also consults to the Pentagon as an adjunct of the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), Alexandria, VA.

Through 2001, Professor Wolcott served as Director of Innovation Process at XL Tech Group (xltg.com), a publicly traded firm (UK) located in Melbourne, Florida, building new technology-based businesses. XLTG owns a $1 billion+ portfolio of firms traded on the public markets in addition to its private holdings.

Areas of Expertise
Corporate Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Innovation
Small Business Management
  • Recent Media Coverage

    Fast Company (FC Expert blog): Iceland, back from the brink - 1/8/2010

    Hamilton Spectator (Canada): Unleashing your entrepreneurial spirit at work - 12/21/2009

    BusinessWeek: India's Next Global Export: Innovation - 12/2/2009

    Fast Company (FC Expert Blog): Five Ways to Know If You're Cut Out to Be a Corporate Entrepreneur - 11/30/2009

    See all Kellogg in the Media
Print Vita
Education
PhD, 2001, Industrial Engineering & Management Science, Northwestern University
MS, 1997, Industrial Engineering & Management Science, Northwestern University
BA, 1991, European History, Northwestern University

 
Print Research
Articles
Wolcott, Robert and Mohanbir Sawhney. 2007. Eight Innovation Myths. Peking University Business Review. 37
Wolcott, Robert and Michael J. Lippitz. 2007. The Four Models of Corporate Entrepreneurship. MIT Sloan Management Review. 49(1): 75-82.
Sawhney, MohanbirRobert Wolcott and Inigo Arroniz. 2006. The 12 Different Ways for Companies to Innovate. MIT Sloan Management Review. 47(3): 75-81.
Sawhney, Mohanbir and Robert Wolcott. 2004. The Seven Myths of Innovation. Financial Times.
Book Chapters
Conley, James Gerard and Robert Wolcott. 2006. "Scaling from Prototype to Production: A Managed Process for Commercial Offerings." In Scale-up in Education: Ideas in Principle, edited by Barbara Schneider and Sarah-Kathryn McDonald, vol. 1, 103-122. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Cases
Conley, James GerardRobert Wolcott and Eric Wong. 2006. AstraZeneca, Prilosec, and Nexium: Case Supplement. Case 5-404-753 (KEL335).
Conley, James GerardRobert Wolcott and Eric Wong. 2006. AstraZeneca, Prilosec, and Nexium: Marketing Challenges in the Launch of a Second-Generation Drug. Case 5-404-775 (KEL336).
Conley, James GerardRobert Wolcott and Eric Wong. 2006. AstraZeneca, Prilosec, and Nexium: Strategic Challenges in the Launch of a Second-Generation Drug. Case 5-404-752 (KEL334).
Wolcott, Robert and Michael J Lippitz. 2007. BP's Office of the Chief Technology Officer: Driving Open Innovation through an Advocate Team. Case 5-407-752 (KEL366).
Wolcott, Robert and Michael J Lippitz. 2008. From Low Cost to Global Leadership: Computime Leads Through Innovation. Case 5-208-254 (KEL340).
Wolcott, Robert and Michael J Lippitz. 2007. Innovation in Government: U.S. Department of Defense. Case 5-207-251 (KEL346).
Wolcott, Robert. 2007. PTC: Launching an Entirely New Product Platform. Case 5-405-752 (KEL316).
Sawhney, Mohanbir and Robert Wolcott. 2006. Thomson Financial: Building a Customer-Centric Firm. Case 5-405-753 (KEL237).

 
Print Teaching
Full-Time / Part-Time MBA
Corporate Innovation & New Ventures (ENTR-903-0)
This course addresses the emerging practice of "corporate entrepreneurship," also called "intrapreneurship," broadly defined as the application of entrepreneurial capabilities to the development of new ventures within an existing firm. In this course, we will examine intrapreneurship from the perspective of corporate strategy; relate intrapreneurship to other functions such as corporate venturing, new product development (NPD), research and development (R&D) and corporate labs; examine entrepreneurship for clues to the successful practice of intrapreneurship; explore actual intrapreneurial ventures with practicing executives; and develop an “intrapreneurial toolset.” Although there are no textbooks required for this course, Peter Drucker’s "Innovation & Entrepreneurship" is recommended for context. All readings will be included in the course pack, including a summary article of Drucker’s book from the HBR.

Corporate Innovation & New Ventures (ENTR-903-B)

This course counts toward the following majors: Entrepreneurship & Innovation

This course addresses the emerging practice of "corporate entrepreneurship," also called "intrapreneurship," broadly defined as the application of entrepreneurial capabilities to the development of new ventures within an existing firm. In this course, we will examine intrapreneurship from the perspective of corporate strategy; relate intrapreneurship to other functions such as corporate venturing, new product development (NPD), research and development (R&D) and corporate labs; examine entrepreneurship for clues to the successful practice of intrapreneurship; explore actual intrapreneurial ventures with practicing executives; and develop an “intrapreneurial toolset.” Although there are no textbooks required for this course, Peter Drucker’s "Innovation & Entrepreneurship" is recommended for context. All readings will be included in the course pack, including a summary article of Drucker’s book from the HBR.

Global Innovation: Kellogg Innovation Network (ENTR-915-0)
This course, which focuses on global business challenges to be addressed at the Kellogg Innovation Network Global Summit (KIN Global), challenges students to put their professional experiences and classroom knowledge to work. Teams of four or five students produce research projects concerning real-world challenges outlined by our partner organizations — the U.S. Department of State, The Nordic Council, Kraft, Raytheon and others. The teams will work closely with faculty advisors, corporate delegates and other partners. Students are then invited to not only present their projects, but also to enhance and expand their research with KIN Global delegates at the summit. This one-credit course spans both winter and spring quarters. Students may designate the full quarter for either winter or spring, or they may count one half-credit per quarter. As a member of the class, you will also be a delegate at KIN Global, May 17 to 19, 2010. For more information, please visit kinglobal.org.

Global Innovation: Kellogg Innovation Network (ENTR-915-A)
This course, which focuses on global business challenges to be addressed at the Kellogg Innovation Network Global Summit (KIN Global), challenges students to put their professional experiences and classroom knowledge to work. Teams of four or five students produce research projects concerning real-world challenges outlined by our partner organizations — the U.S. Department of State, The Nordic Council, Kraft, Raytheon and others. The teams will work closely with faculty advisors, corporate delegates and other partners. Students are then invited to not only present their projects, but also to enhance and expand their research with KIN Global delegates at the summit. This one-credit course spans both winter and spring quarters. Students may designate the full quarter for either winter or spring, or they may count one half-credit per quarter. As a member of the class, you will also be a delegate at KIN Global, May 17 to 19, 2010. For more information, please visit kinglobal.org.

Global Innovation (ENTR-915-B)
This course, which focuses on global business challenges to be addressed at the Kellogg Innovation Network Global Summit (KIN Global), challenges students to put their professional experiences and classroom knowledge to work. Teams of four or five students produce research projects concerning real-world challenges outlined by our partner organizations — the U.S. Department of State, The Nordic Council, Kraft, Raytheon and others. The teams will work closely with faculty advisors, corporate delegates and other partners. Students are then invited to not only present their projects, but also to enhance and expand their research with KIN Global delegates at the summit. This one-credit course spans both winter and spring quarters. Students may designate the full quarter for either winter or spring, or they may count one half-credit per quarter. As a member of the class, you will also be a delegate at KIN Global, May 17 to 19, 2010. For more information, please visit kinglobal.org.

Executive MBA
Innovation Strategy & Management (MGMTX-450-0)
The course will focus on innovation within business entities, from the typical technology and product innovation programs, to broader, process, marketing and other forms of innovation. The course will address innovation as a holistic strategic management imperative not limited to Research & Development or New Product Development. While the course will provide a theoretical foundation, the focus will be on real world issues, products and systems.