ASOA05006U Organizations - Innovation and Change

Volume 2014/2015
Education

Elective course BA + MA

Sociologistuderende skal være indskrevet på BA-studieordningen eller KA-studieordningen af 2005 for at kunne tage dette kursus.

Content

Innovation and change have always accompanied mankind. However, since the last decades, the relationship between innovation and change has increasingly been discussed as being crucial for the development of organisations, due to the rising global competition. This is fascinating, because managing innovation depends on highly committed organisational members and what is more, it goes along with the increased emphasis on the individual within sociology since the mid-20th century. Within related and interdisciplinary founded disciplines, such as management theories, a similar development is the case. Subsequently, the present interest for innovation and change in today’s working life is linked to the appearance of a more knowledge-based production and the following growing need for optimising the management of human assets.

The well known shift in organisational studies from so-called closed to open systems during the last century indicated an increasing interdependency between organisations and their environment, due to a permanent rising complexity within modern and thus highly differentiated societies. The concept of innovation seems to go one step further in terms of organisational adaptation to an increasing turbulent environment as regards technological, socio-economic and institutional changes. However, organisations are still the primarily space in contemporary societies facilitating knowledge based production and innovation. Until the 1980s, innovation was seen in more linear terms – from invention, over imitation, to diffusion – but since, it has increasingly changed to be a highly complex process of interaction and mutual learning based on a higher degree of network coordination as a solution to increasing fluid organisational boundaries, i.e., public-private partnerships or the increasing importance of voluntary organisations as coordinating measures in the interplay between economy, state and civil society.

Furthermore, comparisons of various capitalist cultures in terms of regulation are important when it comes to the issue of the implementation of innovation, focusing on how national business systems differ in terms of institutional configurations. This is important when considering whether different national management strategies are characterised by convergence or divergence. Finally, the institutional embeddedness of enterprises is an important issue, for instance, regarding the role of the labour market parties due to an increased implementation of innovative concepts at enterprise level.

The relationship between societal changes and the need for organisational adaptation in terms of innovation policies may be mirrored in a variety of organisational sociological positions, i.e. institutional, action theoretical (RC), systems theoretical, and cultural (symbolic interpretative) approaches. During the course, students will be encouraged to apply the acquired theoretical and methodological approaches on selected cases in a Danish context as well as in a cross-national perspective.

Learning Outcome

The aim of the course is to give students the skills required for:

  1.  
  • analysing organisations according to the topic of innovation and change,
  • assessing changes in strategies, structures and processes as regards the organisational agenda of innovation,
  • doing further studies in the field of organisations and innovation both regarding the enterprise level as well as the comparative perspective,
  • classifying studies of the relationship between organisations and innovation to related disciplines.

e-Compendium (400 pages):

The texts will firstly introduce to the overarching concepts, regarding various perspectives on organisations, innovation and change (Clegg, Kornberger & Pitsis), as well as the heritage of the concept of innovation in economic terms (Schumpeter).

Secondly, texts about organisational culture (e.g. Hatch, Schein), management (e.g. Yukl) and learning (e.g. Argyris & Schön) will enable basic understanding for the development of innovation in organisations (i.e. Hislop).

Thirdly, theoretical contributions and case studies are included, as regards the topics of ‘innovation and markets’ (e.g. Cohen & Sauermann), ‘innovation and the public sector’ (Farnham, Hongehem & Horton), ‘social innovation and change’ (e.g. Kanter) and ‘the comparison of national systems of innovation’ (e.g. Rammer).

All students are welcome. However, basic knowledge in the field of sociology might be an advantage.
Lectures including discussions. During the course, students will be encouraged to apply the acquired theoretical and methodological approaches on selected cases, e.g. by using some of the cases discussed in the course or by selecting some individually.

Students may expect to receive advice during the course, regarding the three ways of meeting the requirements for the exam. See exams below.
• Oral exam based upon a synopsis.
Assesment: The exams are marked according to the 7-points-scala
Examiner: Two internal examiners.
Size: A synopsis of maximum 1 page of 2400 characters. The synopsis itself is meant as a discussion paper and does not enter into the assessment

• Free written take-home essay with petitum
Assesment: The exams are marked according to the 7-points- scala
Examiner: Two internal examiners.
Size: A Free written take-home essay of maximun 7½ pages of 2400 characters each page.

• Active participation with small essays
Assesment: Evaluated pass/fail
Examiner: Internal examiner.
Size: Handing in two working papers (total: 7½ pages of 2400 characters each page) during the course.
Kurset fungerer samtidig som liniefag i specialseringsretnigen: Organisation, Ledelse og Arbejdsmarked.

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  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 63
  • Lectures
  • 14
  • Preparation
  • 60
  • Total
  • 137
Credit
5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Continuous assessment
Individual
Size: Handing in two working papers (total: 7½ pages of 2400 characters each page) during the course.
Marking scale
passed/not passed
Censorship form
No external censorship
Criteria for exam assesment

See course aims

Credit
5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Individual/group
Maximum 7 ½ pages of 2400 characters
See further details in the curriculum
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Exam period

See KUnet - www.kunet.dk

Criteria for exam assesment

See course aims

Credit
5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination
An oral exam based upon a topic chosen by the student.
Individual or group
A synopsis of maximum 1 page of 2400 characters.
The oral exam is on individual basis.
The synopsis itself is meant as a discussion paper and does not enter into the assessment.
See further details in the curriculum
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal examiner
Exam period

Handing in of papers: 12.00 o’clock in the secretariat (16.1.34) Submission date:

Criteria for exam assesment

See course aims