module specification

This final-year core module “Leading Innovation” aims to enable students to study and apply in practice, a range of innovation theories and techniques. It will also allow students to critically evaluate contemporary innovation processes, and organisations in a range of aviation organisations

The Module will be based around two themes: 
Theme 1: Innovation, where students will study, analyse, and evaluate the innovation processes of selected organisations and industries (by critiquing, for example, Case Studies), and how innovation is achieved and operates within the contemporary economy (by critiquing, for example, classic and contemporary examples).  In addition, students will study the synergies between leadership and innovation, an emerging area in academic research and in practice.  By doing this, students will be closely engaging with and evaluating innovation practice performance.
Theme 2. Students will then evaluate how this innovation can be used to solve real world problems in the aviation industry to lead to sustainable corporate growth.
 
Each theme will conclude with one overarching single assignment covering both themes that will comprise of 100% of the marks available for this module.

NONE

The syllabus may include some or all of the following outlined below depending on the changes occurring in a dynamic market sector.

1. Airports – LO1,2 and3
a. Passenger Experience & Processing
· Biometric end-to-end journey (face-as-boarding-pass)
· AI-powered crowd management for real-time queue rerouting
· Smart luggage tracking via RFID and blockchain
b. Sustainability & Infrastructure
· Airport-wide electrification (GSE, shuttle buses, etc.)
· Net-zero energy terminals using smart energy grids and solar integration
· Circular waste systems with robotic sorting and reuse
c. Airside Operations
· Autonomous airside vehicles (tugs, baggage carts)
· Drone-based runway/taxiway inspections
· AI-based aircraft turnaround optimization

2. Airlines LO1,2, and 3
a. Customer Personalization
· AI-based dynamic pricing and real-time personalization of inflight services
· Virtual reality/Augmented reality immersive experiences in premium cabins
· Digital twin for frequent flyer profiles (hyper-personalised loyalty programmes)
· Chatbots use in customer service
b. Operational Efficiency
· Predictive fuel planning using real-time weather and traffic data
· Advanced flight plan optimization with sustainability scoring
c. Sustainability
· Integration of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) analytics and lifecycle tracing
· Onboard waste management systems using micro-compaction and sorting
· Hybrid-electric or hydrogen-powered regional routes

3. Air Traffic Control (ATC) LO1,2 and 3
a. Automation & AI
· AI-assisted conflict detection and resolution in en-route and terminal control
· Voice recognition systems for pilot-controller communications
· AI-enhanced trajectory prediction using machine learning on past data
b. Remote & Digital Towers
· Expansion of remote digital towers with 360° VR/AR overlays
· Satellite-based surveillance
· Integrating drone/Urban air mobility
c. Safety & Human Factors
· Cognitive workload monitoring of controllers using biometrics
· Adaptive HMI (Human-Machine Interface) to reduce alert fatigue
4. MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) & Training LO 1,2 and 3
a. Predictive & Smart Maintenance
· Use of digital twins for aircraft systems/components to predict failures
· AI-driven maintenance scheduling integrated with real-time operations
· Blockchain for traceability of parts and maintenance records
b. Advanced Inspection Techniques
· Drone-based visual and thermal inspections
· Robotic crawlers for confined space inspections (fuel tanks, etc.)
· Augmented reality for maintenance guidance and remote expert support
c. Training & Skills
· XR (Extended Reality) for immersive technician and pilot training
· Gamification of procedures to improve retention and performance
· AI-powered adaptive learning platforms for continuous skills refreshment

5. Air Cargo
a. Digitisation & Visibility
· Blockchain-enabled digital air waybill and smart contracts
· IoT(Internet of Things) sensors for real-time cargo condition and location monitoring
· AI for demand prediction and cargo space optimization
b. Automation
· Autonomous cargo loaders and tugs
· Robotic sorting and loading systems in cargo terminals
· Drone-based last-mile air cargo delivery in rural or congested areas
c. Sustainability & Modal Integration
· Electric/hybrid aircraft for short-haul freight (e.g., feeder flights)
· Modal integration with rail/truck through AI-driven logistics platforms
· Carbon impact transparency tools for shippers

6. Employability and Skills Reflection LO 3
How to identify and articulate transferable skills from your academic experience.
Techniques for presenting these skills through job recruitment processes

Overall thoughts relating to the syllabus to consider: Who leads in innovation? The airlines, the airport, the regulators etc and, how do these stakeholders interconnect?

The formal delivery of teaching and learning for this module will comprise an average of three contact hours per week across 12 teaching weeks, supplemented by additional enrichment weeks throughout the semester.
Each week will typically include a two-hour interactive session employing a range of teaching and learning strategies. These include workshops, lectures, guest speakers, case study discussions, panel debates, video analysis, as well as scenario-based activities and real-time simulations. Peer-to-peer learning is embedded within the module, as students collaborate to develop practical solutions and critically assess their impact.
Group work is a core component of the learning experience, encouraging active engagement as students share their knowledge and experience through discussion and collaboration. In addition, a one-hour seminar each week will adopt a more focused, discussion-led approach to explore current themes and emerging trends within the aviation industry. This will be further enriched through input from alumni, who will offer career insights, and guest lecturers who provide industry-specific context.
The module also makes extensive use of interactive learning spaces, supporting dialogue between students and staff, and facilitating access to a range of academic resources, including journal articles, professional websites, and external materials. Active participation in class discussions and debates is encouraged, recognising the diverse professional backgrounds and experiences that students bring to the programme.
Students are expected to prepare in advance for each session by reviewing the module schedule, which will be shared online and summarised by tutors at the end of each lecture. This preparation involves independent research and reading around the weekly themes to enable meaningful contributions to class discussions and Q&A activities.
Opportunities for reflective learning are embedded throughout the module. Students are encouraged to consider their approaches to tasks and discussions, and to reflect on informal feedback received during lectures and in relation to their submitted assessments.

LO 1
Critically analyse innovation processes in aviation organisations, and to evaluate the synergies between leadership and innovation
LO2
Critically evaluate the application of innovation within companies to ensure long term corporate viability and sustainability.
LO3
Evaluate in a self – reflective capacity, what innovation and leadership mean to your personal approach to personal, professional and academic life

Link to Reading List:

https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/229BA7A4-731B-90B9-207A-0D5EF1B0ED57.html

Core (all either online or will be made available online with PDFs):
Bocken, N (2019) Innovation for Sustainability: Business Transformations Towards a Better World, Palgrave Macmillan (selected chapters will be made available online)
Hill, L, et al (2014) Collective Genius: The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation, Harvard Business review Press (selected chapters will be made available online)
Northouse, P (2021) Leadership: Theory and Practice, 8th Edition, SAGE (selected chapters will be made available online)
Soleas, E (2020) Leadership strategies for motivating innovation in individuals: a systematic review, in Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Vol 9, May 2020, see:
https://innovation-entrepreneurship.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13731-020-00120-w#citeas
Federico de Andreis and Ilaria Cova (2019). Leadership Styles And New Business Models In The European Aviation Market. LAP Lambert Academic Publishing.
Marc-Philippe Lumpe (2016). Leadership and Organization in the Aviation Industry. Routledge; 1st edition
Nawal K. Taneja (2021). Airlines in a Post-Pandemic World: Preparing for Constant Turbulence Ahead. Routledge; 1st edition.
Rook, S (2025) The Graduate Career Guidebook. 3rd edn. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Websites:

Chartered Management Institute on ‘Leadership’, see:
https://www.managers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/CHK-256-Understanding_Management_and_Leadership_Styles.pdf

Innovation Leadership Forum (global consultancy)
https://innovationleadershipforum.org/our-wisdom/10-billion-people-to-feed/

Journals:

Journal of Leadership (SAGE), see: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/lea

Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies (SAGE), see:
https://journals.sagepub.com/home/jlo

Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, see:
https://innovation-entrepreneurship.springeropen.com/

Journal of Creativity and Innovation Management, see:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14678691

Various articles from The Stanford Social Innovation Review, see: https://ssir.org/#

Companies associated with Leading Innovation
Hatch Innovation, https://www.hatchinnovation.co.uk/
  IDEO, see: https://www.ideo.com/eu
Center for Creative Leadership https://www.ccl.org/
Fujitsu  https://www.fujitsu.com/global/ / Also see: https://www.fujitsu.com/global/vision/insights/201907event/
EFMD Global (global leadership consultancy) https://www.efmdglobal.org/