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Sebastian Fixson

Professor, Associate Dean of Innovation at Babson Olin Graduate School of Business

Visiting Professor at Vlerick Business School Executive Education

Schools

  • Babson Olin Graduate School of Business
  • Vlerick Business School Executive Education

Expertise

Links

Biography

Babson Olin Graduate School of Business

Sebastian Fixson is Professor of Innovation & Design at Babson College. He also served as the founding Faculty Director of Babson's Master of Science in Management in Entrepreneurial Leadership (MSEL) program from 2014-2017.

Trained as both an engineer and a social scientist, Dr. Fixson concentrates his research work on creating knowledge to help organizations build innovation capabilities. His recent research investigates how innovation performance is impacted through the underlying problem structure, through choices in process governance (open vs. closed innovation), through the use of digital design tools, and through the use of innovation practices such as Design Thinking. Results of his research work flow directly into his teaching and advising activities. Dr. Fixson teaches on the subjects of innovation, design, and operations management to audiences across all programs (Undergraduate, MBA/MS, Executive Education) at Babson and around the world.

Prior to joining the Babson College faculty in 2008, he has taught at the University of Michigan's Industrial and Operations Engineering department, MIT's Sloan School of Management, and Northeastern University's School of Technological Entrepreneurship.

Dr. Fixson collaborates with industrial partners in various formats, ranging from joint research projects, to teaching, advising and consulting, to speaking engagements.

Dr. Fixson's work has appeared in books and journals such as Concurrent Engineering, Creativity and Innovation Management, Design Management Review, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management, Journal of Operations Management, Journal of Product Innovation Management, MIT Sloan Management Review, Research Policy, Research-Technology Management, Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, as well as online outlets such as Harvard Business Review online

Academic Degrees

  • Ph D, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • MS, University of Karlsruhe

Vlerick Business School Executive Education

And over 30,000 online and printed journals + well-known business databases like Bloomberg, Euromonitor,... available for you. Professor Fixson teaches innovation, design, and operations management related courses at Babson College, USA, and Universities and Companies in Europe and Asia, on various levels (Undergraduate, MBA/MSc, and executive education programs). He also works with industrial clients and partners. Past partners include firms such as Alcoa, BBVA, Boeing, Delphi, Draeger, Ford, GM, Harley-Davidson, Raytheon, and Spirit Aerosystems. In addition to his teaching, Dr. Fixson is also the founding Faculty Director of Babson’s new Master of Science in Management in Entrepreneurial Leadership (MSEL) program.
In his research, Dr. Fixson investigates various aspects of innovation and design, ranging from product architecture analyses concerning modularity and commonality, to process improvements in product development via better use of tools and design practices, in both established organizations and entrepreneurial contexts. In recent years, Dr. Fixson has also published on challenges and opportunities when teaching design thinking to novices. His work has appeared in books and journals such as Concurrent Engineering, Creativity and Innovation Management, Design Management Review, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management, Journal of Operations Management, Journal of Product Innovation Management, MIT Sloan Management Review, Research Policy, Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, and others. He is a member of the Academy of Management, INFORMS, and POMS. From 2004-2008 he has served in various officer roles, including chair, of the Technology Management Section at INFORMS. Since 2012 he has been serving as an officer in the College of Product Innovation and Technology Management at POMS.

Prior to joining Babson, he was assistant professor in industrial and operations engineering at the University of Michigan, and has taught at MIT’s Sloan School of Management and Northeastern University’s School of Technological Entrepreneurship.

 

Job Title : Visiting Professor

Management Domain

Publications

Expert in

Innovation & Technology Management
Product development and design management
Operations Management
Entrepreneurship

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