MG482      Half Unit
Innovation and Technology Management

This information is for the 2015/16 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Jonathan Liebenau NAB5.14 and Mr Dimitris Boucas

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in Management, MSc in Management of Information Systems and Digital Innovation and MSc in Management, Organisations and Governance. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

Course content

The main focus of this course is on how innovative technologies are managed and their consequences. It includes technological innovation in areas such as telecoms, hi tech industries, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, space technology, financial technologies. Aspects covered are how new industries are created, how existing industries can be transformed by new technologies, linkages between technological development and the creation of wealth, and implementation success and failure of technological systems. Topics include: technology and entrepreneurship, technology strategy, R&D management, patents and intellectual property, disruptive technologies, project escalation, technological disasters. Economic, systems, managerial and sociological approaches will be compared using a variety of case studies.

Teaching

20 hours of lectures and 16 hours and 30 minutes of seminars in the MT.

Students on this course will have a reading week in Week 6, in line with departmental policy.

Formative coursework

Classes are based around reading and discussing selected journal articles and case studies available on or through the course Moodle site. Formative feedback is provided on class participation. In addition, students will present an essay plan in preparation for the final case-based essay, on which formative feedback will be provided.

Indicative reading

JJ Howells, The Management of Innovation and Technology, Sage, 2005;

J Fagerberg, D.C. Mowery, and R.R. Nelson (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of innovation (Series Oxford Handbooks in Business and Management), Oxford University Press, 2006;

D MacKenzie, Knowing Machines: Essays on Technical Change, MIT Press, 1998;

M Bauer (Ed), Resistance to New Technology: Nuclear Power Information Technology and Biotechnology, CUP 1995;

M Biagioli (Ed), The Science Studies Reader, Routledge, 1999;

H Collins & T Pinch, The Golem at Large: What you should know about technology, Cambridge University Press, 1998;

C Perrow, Normal Accidents: living with high-risk technologies, Basic Books, 1984;

H Drummond, Escalation in Decision-making: The Tragedy of Taurus, Oxford University Press, 1996;

D Mowery & N Rosenberg, Paths of Innovation: technological change in 20th century America, Cambridge University Press, 1998;

J McLaughlin, P Rosen, D Skinner & A Webster, Valuing Technology: organisations, culture and change, Routledge, London and New York, 1999;

J R Chiles, Inviting Disaster: Lessons from the edge of technology, 2001;

P Hall, Great Planning Disasters, 1982;

C Sauer, Why Information Systems Fail: A Case Study Approach, Alfred Waller, 1993.

Assessment

Essay (80%, 5000 words) in the LT.
Presentation (20%) in the MT.

Key facts

Department: Management

Total students 2014/15: Unavailable

Average class size 2014/15: Unavailable

Controlled access 2014/15: No

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Communication
  • Commercial awareness
  • Specialist skills