BEMM178 Innovation Management – Module Handbook (2024-25, September Start)

Dates & Venues

Please note that lecture and seminar times and locations may vary weekly due to timetable constraints. Check your timetable regularly to ensure attendance at the correct sessions.

Module Convenor

Dr Tausif Bordoloi FHEA
Lecturer in Innovation and Circular Economy
(MBA, Exeter; PhD, Manchester)

Profile:
Dr Bordoloi is a biochemist by training, with an MBA from the University of Exeter Business School (Chevening Scholar) and a PhD in Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy from the University of Manchester. His research focuses on understanding advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and 3D Printing from economic, sustainability, and policy perspectives, exploring how firms adopt these technologies. He integrates academic research into practical experiences, encouraging curiosity in the classroom.

Professional Background: Prior to his PhD, Dr Bordoloi held strategy, innovation, and finance roles in biotechnology and automotive multinational firms across Asia and Europe.

Department: Management (Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship)
Office: 1.74, Streatham Court, University of Exeter Business School, EX4 4PU
Email: t.bordoloi@exeter.ac.uk
Office Hours: By email appointment

Module Overview

We operate in an era of continuous disruption, defined by significant events that reshape how individuals, organisations, societies, and ecosystems interact. The 21st century has already witnessed major global events such as the 9/11 attacks, the 2007/2008 financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Ukraine conflict.

Simultaneously, technology-driven firms like Alibaba, Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Tencent have leveraged the internet to dominate new digital markets. Global challenges, including climate change, are increasingly central to business, political, and societal discussions.

This module explores how organisations innovate to sustain growth amidst such dynamic environments and why some fail. It focuses on the management of digital innovation and considers the impact of emerging contextual factors on the innovation process. Students will examine how organisations can manage innovation effectively in rapidly evolving digital and technological landscapes.

Module Aims and Learning Outcomes

Module Aims

• Develop a foundational understanding of the principles, processes, and practice of innovation.
• Explore innovation in different business contexts, including start-ups, SMEs, and large firms.
• Equip students with the ability to recognise and leverage innovation to create competitive advantage.
• Use case analyses and feedback to develop both theoretical understanding and practical cognitive skills.

Learning Outcomes

Module-Specific Skills

1. Critically discuss technological change and its impact on firms.
2. Analyse tools and techniques of innovation management across various business contexts.

Discipline-Specific Skills
3. Justify management behaviours and factors that support innovative cultures.
4. Evaluate market-led and internally-driven innovation and its effective management.

Personal and Key Skills
5. Present persuasive analyses of innovation’s contribution to business performance.
6. Demonstrate independent research and communicate findings in written and oral formats.

Module Description

Innovation is central to maintaining competitiveness and ensuring long-term organisational survival. This module examines the interface between technology and innovation from a managerial perspective, providing a deep understanding of innovation’s role in business strategy and the challenges managers face in sustaining long-term business development.

Learning Goals

• Confident Thinkers: Understand contemporary issues and themes in innovation management.
• Determined Creators: Develop well-structured arguments and apply knowledge to real-world business scenarios.
• Ambitious Enquirers: Analyse innovative firms using case studies and provide informed recommendations.

Learning and Teaching Methods

• Lectures: Weekly in-person sessions introducing new topics. Attendance is expected unless studying remotely.
• Seminars: Interactive sessions with group discussions and presentations to reinforce learning.

Teaching Schedule

Note: Reading week is w/c 28 Oct 2024.

Core Learning Materials

Essential Texts

• Tidd, J. & Bessant, J. (2020). Managing Innovation: Integrating Technological, Market and Organizational Change (7th ed.). Wiley.
• Trott, P. (2021). Innovation Management and New Product Development (7th ed.). Prentice Hall.
• Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y., Etiemble, F., & Smith, A. (2020). The Invincible Company. Wiley.

Additional References

• Dodgson, M., Gann, D., & Phillips, N. (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Innovation Management. Oxford University Press.
• Chesbrough, H. (2006). Open Innovation. Harvard Business School Press.
• Dicken, P. (2015). Global Shift. SAGE.
• Schwab, K. (2016). The Fourth Industrial Revolution. World Economic Forum.
• Gershenfeld, N. (2012). How to Make Almost Anything. Foreign Affairs, 91, 43–57.
• Harvard Business Review (2024). Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review – Generative AI. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Stilgoe, J., Owen, R., & Macnaghten, P. (2013). Developing a Framework for Responsible Innovation. Research Policy, 42(9), 1568–1580.

Module Assessment

Formative Assessment

• Student Group Presentations: 4–6 groups, 10–12 min presentations with Q&A.
• ILOs Assessed: 1–6
• Feedback: Verbal, on presentations and discussions.

Summative Assessment

• Individual Project Report: 100% of module grade, 4,000 words (+/-10%)
• ILOs Assessed: 1–6
• Feedback: Written

Purpose: Demonstrate understanding and application of innovation management theory, and evaluate internal and external factors influencing innovation.

Submission: Via ELE by 12:00 pm, Wednesday 22 January 2025

Individual Project Report Guidelines

Assignment Task

1. Select two topics from the module (e.g., Open Innovation, Generative AI, Technological Convergence, Fab Labs, Responsible Innovation).
2. Choose a real-world organisation for each topic that has implemented or engaged with that innovation.
3. Analyse how the Simplified Model of the Innovation Process or Business Model Canvas has been impacted by each topic, using evidence to support your analysis.

Report Structure (Optional Template)

Support and Resources

• Individual assessment clinic (1-hour session, w/c 25 Nov 2024) for guidance.
• PowerPoint guidance slides available on ELE.

Marking Criteria – Individual Project Report

GenAI Policy

• BEMM178 Assessment: AI-Supported. Responsible and transparent use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) is allowed.
• Declaration: Include a GenAI Declaration Cover Sheet specifying tools used and how they contributed to your work.

Academic Guidance

• Referencing: Use APA 7th Edition for all sources. Include theoretical and practical evidence.
• Plagiarism: Academic misconduct is strictly prohibited. More details: University TQA Manual
• Submission Guidance: Exeter Assessment Info
• Word Limit: 4,000 words ±10%, excluding title page, table of contents, tables, figures, bibliography.
• Late Submission:
  • Within 1 hour of deadline: 5% penalty if pass mark reached
  • Up to 24 hours late: capped at pass mark

24 hours late: zero mark

This version is professional, structured, and clearly communicates all module and assessment requirements.