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Strategy and Innovation

Module description

The module will cover the basic principles of strategic management and how you can use these to support decision making around organisational design, positioning, determination of brand, and marketing communication.  It will cover how organisations, markets and society can recognise and respond to disruptive innovation through effective horizon scanning and the creation of diverse, innovation related competences.

Case study material will be used in masterclasses and weekly tasks to help you contextualise and deepen your’ understanding of relevant theoretical concepts.

The two assessments will encourage you to apply ideas from the module directly to your own and other organisations, encouraging the development and deployment of the relevant competences from the apprenticeship standard that form the module learning outcomes.

This module is a part of MSc Digital and Technology Solutions (Integrated Degree Apprenticeship) programme. It cannot be taken as an elective by students on other programmes.

The apprenticeship standard and other documentation relating to the Level 7 Digital and Technology Solutions (IT/Digital Futures Management Specialist) Apprenticeship can be found here: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/digital-and-technology-solutions-specialist-integrated-degree/

Module aims - intentions of the module

As a Digital Futures leader you must be capable of horizon scanning, setting direction, defining mission and values, and influencing the culture the organisation must develop for success.  In this module you will study the tools and approaches for understanding where your organisation is and where it should go.  This includes the impact of disruptive environmental forces like technological and social change, the design of effective organisational structures, and the need to create a sustainable future.  

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Define how to monitor technology related market trends
• 2. Analyse, research and collect competitive intelligence data
• 3. Critically analyse an organisation’s business objectives and strategy, its position in the market and how it adds value to its clients through the services and/or products it provides

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Apply broader technical knowledge combined with an understanding of the business context, and how it is changing, to deliver to the company’s business strategy
• 5. Create and implement innovative technological strategies to support the development of new products, processes and services that align with the company’s business strategy
• 6. Design and communicate compelling business proposals to support innovative technological strategies

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Be results and outcomes driven to achieve high key performance outcomes for digital and technology solutions objectives

Syllabus plan

• Foundations of strategy and innovation, defining strategy (or not), introducing the field of innovation
• Understanding the organisation’s context and external environment and innovation as a reaction to a complex world.
• The Resource-based View (RBV)   - What business are we in? Why are we doing what we are doing? What are the internal drivers of innovation and innovation culture?
• Identifying competitive advantage - Establishing competitive advantage: on what basis will we win? Ways to evaluate strategic options.
• Re-thinking value creation - What value do organisations contribute to society? Is profit all that matters? How innovation creates value and disrupts established ideas.
• Strategy ideation & creativity
• Introduction to digital innovation and transformation.
• Business ecosystems & open innovation 

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you have been deferred for any assessment you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Thompson et al (2017), Crafting and Executing Strategy, the Quest for Competitive Advantage; e-book
• Clegg., S. et al (2022) Strategy: Theory and Practice – 4^th edition Sage
• Edmondson, V (2018) The Thinking strategist- unleashing the power of strategic management to Identify, Explore and Solve problems – Emerald
• Joseph Tidd, J. & Bessant, J. (2020) Managing innovation: integrating technological, market and organizational change - Wiley
• Mark Dodgson, M & Gann, D. and Phillips, N. (2013) The Oxford handbook of innovation management – Oxford Press
• Osterwalder et al. (2020) The Invincible Company –Strategyzer - Wiley

Key words search

Strategy, Innovation, Culture, Ecosystems, Value creation