module specification

The modern business environment is one of the greatest example of constant change. Managers within organisations are at the control of this change and must understand how to adapt both the organisation and its people to its constantly shifting environment. This unit explores theories and approaches to innovation and change management. The unit will require students to apply research skills and develop an understanding of the complexities of managing change and its successful implementation. It will analyse the dynamics of organisational life with a focus on management and the relationships encountered in modern organisations.

This module covers the multi-disciplinary field of innovation in its many contexts. Primarily, the increase in innovation in theory and practice in recent years, and how organisations and institutions, whether start-ups, SMEs, or global corporations, or whether commercial or public, can exploit and manage innovation. Secondarily, innovation in the context of its history, its adoption as governmental / institutional policy, its links with network and globalisation theory and practice, its expression as organisational and entrepreneurial intent, and its links with creativity, leadership, technology and the flourishing digital economy. The module also aims to build upon existing knowledge of change management theories and demonstrate how successful change management is achieved in organisations. Moreover, this module will help developing knowledge of the causes of resistance to change and to equip the students with the skills to evaluate a range of methods for reducing barriers to successful change implementation.

N/A

• The context and meaning of change management and organisational change LO2
• Change management models LO2
• Approaches to managing change LO2
• Building a team for carrying out innovative change LO2
• Innovation as the basis of organisational and entrepreneurial intent LO1
• Successful (and not-so-successful) innovation projects LO1
• Technology, the digital economy, and innovation LO1
• New Product Development (NPD) and the commercial aims of innovation LO1
• Innovation of the self: leadership, creativity, and collaboration LO1
• Innovation institutions and govt. policy LO1

The module will be student centred. Students will be encouraged to research innovation and change management issues from a variety of sources in addition to module materials including newspapers, textbooks and on-line sources to identify aspects relevant to their areas of study.

Workshops will provide the opportunity for the whole class to come together and to interact with the lecturer who will provide the basic knowledge and present a set of examples and real-world cases. These should help students understand the key concepts and ideas related to innovation and change management.

The students will work in groups during seminars and other activities for the duration of the unit. Students will be applying their team working skills and the ability to work towards a common goal.

The students will develop their understanding of the issues a manager faces and the particular challenges in the current business context when planning and implementing change and innovation linked to current thinking and research around relevant business models.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

LO1. Analyse the major aspects of innovation in theory and in practice and relate this understanding to contribute to developing their own ability in managing innovation in practice.

LO2. Appraise and reflect upon change management models within an organisational context as well as synthesise relevant information from a range of sources to support an argument.

The assessment strategy is based on complete transparency between staff and students on the basis on which academic judgements are made. Briefings at the beginning of the module, every assignment brief and every feedback sheet will include the grading schedule, which contains detailed descriptors on how student achievement of specified learning outcomes translates into grades.

Students will receive formative feedback, together with summative feedback at designated points within the module timeframe. Formative feedback will be provided consistently through quick daily in-class quizzes, in-class case studies and student presentations. Students will be offered the opportunity to discuss the formative feedback in class. This helps prepare students for the first summative assignment.

Ongoing in-class and in-person feedback together with the structured summative assignment feedback sheets provide multiple opportunities for students to develop an understanding of the subject and the necessary skills to demonstrate, good academic practice. The students will be able to demonstrate the extent to which they have achieved the intended learning outcomes. The well-spaced two assessments focus on,

A1: Group presentation that requires students to present an analysis of given topic related to innovation.

A2: Individual written report to appraise a given case study on change management. The case study will be provided by the module leader and may change every year. 3500 words.

Textbooks:

Core Texts:

Goffin, K. and Mitchell, R. (2017) Innovation Management. 3rd edn. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Hayes, J. (2018) The Theory and Practice of Change Management. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Other Texts:

Asimakou, T. (2014) Innovation, Knowledge, and Power in Organizations. Oxfordshire: Routledge.

Asimakou, T. (2008) ‘The Knowledge Dimension of Innovation Management’, Knowledge Research Management and Practice, 7 (1) (available at: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/kmrp/journal/v7/n1/pdf/kmrp200834a.pdf

Bartlett, D. and Dibben, P. (2010) ‘Public Sector Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Case
Studies from Local Government’, Local Government Studies, 28 (4), pp. 92-90.
(available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/714004159)

Burnes, B. (2014) Managing Change. 6th edn. UK: Pearson.

Dodgson, M. (ed) (2015) The Oxford Handbook of Innovation Management. UK: Oxford
University Press.

Drucker, P. (2014) Innovation and Entrepreneurship. New York: Routledge.

Kirk, K. and Cotton, C. (2012) The Cambridge Phenomenon: 50 Years of Innovation and
Enterprise.  London: Third Millennium Information.

Patterson, F. et al. (2009) Everyday Innovation: How to Enhance Innovative Working in
Employees and Organisations. NESTA (available at:
http://www.nesta.org.uk/sites/default/files/everyday_innovation.pdf)

Sloane, P. (ed) (2011) A Guide to Open Innovation and Crowd-Sourcing: Advice from
Leading Experts. London: Kogan Page.

Von Stamm, B. and Trifilova, A. (eds) (2009) The Future of Innovation. Farnham:
Gower.

Journals:

Academy of Management Journal
Harvard Business Review
Journal of General Management
Journal of Management Studies
Journal of Human Resource Management

Websites:

http://evhippel.mit.edu , Home Page for Eric von Hippel, Professor of Technological Innovation at MIT Sloan School of Management.

www.nesta.org.uk , National Endowment for Science, Technology, and the Arts.

Electronic Databases: to be provided in class/Weblearn

Social Media Source: to be provided in class/Weblearn
Websites: to be provided in class/Weblearn

Electronic Databases: to be provided in class/Weblearn

Social Media Source: to be provided in class/Weblearn