Innovation and Project Management, 15 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Entry requirements

• Bachelor’s degree equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen in Business Administration or Economics or equivalent
  or
• Bachelor's degree in other relevant subject area with at least 60 ECTS credits in Business Administration (for example Accounting, Marketing, Organization Theory, Strategy, Finance, HRM)
  and
• English corresponding to the level of English in Swedish upper secondary education (Engelska 6)
  Exemption from Swedish

Intended learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding
After having successfully completed the course, the student should, on an advanced level, be able to

• synthesize knowledge gained through reading, discussions, experiences and cases, and express it orally and in writing.

Skills and abilities
After having successfully completed the course, the student should, on an advanced level, be able to

• analyze complex situations, identify patterns and problems in order to propose solutions in the field of innovation and project management, 
• reflect on the outcomes of different choices on the basis of the theoretical perspectives in the field.

Values and attitudes
After complition of the course, the student should have developed a critical and reflective attitude towards what they read and experience within the field of innovation and project management.

Course content

This course takes its point of departure in the knowledge-based theory of the firm to suggest that the ability of firms to integrate the knowledge of various specialists is vital for innovative and new product development activities to be successful. From such a point of departure research on knowledge integration in and between development projects are discussed. Further, the particular challenges of project-based organizations, which are commonly used to organize innovative and new product development activities, are discussed. So far, the focus has been on innovation and new product development which takes place within the boundaries of a single firm. However, during the last decade many firms have opened up their innovative activities to include e.g. customers, suppliers or even competitors and we therefore discuss the implications of this development and particularly discuss and analyze different kinds of collaborative R&D projects and how they can be governed and coordinated. In the last part of the course we focus on radical innovation and dynamics of innovation to take a more critical approach to the possibilities of managing innovation and acknowledge the fact that some of the most radical innovations have not been generated in carefully managed projects where specialists have integrated their knowledge.

Teaching and working methods

The basic learning pillars of this course are;

• Lectures, complemented by individual reading to introduce the students to the research areas and lay a theoretical foundation. 
• Cases, where the students will apply what they have learned during lectures and reading to show their ability to analyse complex situations and propose relevant solutions.
• Interactive seminars where the above-mentioned cases are discussed and critically reflected upon.

The course is designed to encourage active participation and the students are involved in interactive and dialogue-based learning situations.

Language of instruction: English

Examination

The course will be examined through a number of exercises that are spread out over the duration of the course.

• Written tests (individual)
• Casework (teams)
• Research proposal (pairs)

If special circumstances prevail, and if it is possible with consideration of the nature of the compulsory component, the examiner may decide to replace the compulsory component with another equivalent component.

If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it.

If the coordinator has recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives.

An examiner may also decide that an adapted examination or alternative form of examination if the examiner assessed that special circumstances prevail, and the examiner assesses that it is possible while maintaining the objectives of the course.

Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course twice are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus. 

The course is carried out in such a way that both men´s and women´s experience and knowledge is made visible and developed.

If special circumstances prevail, the vice-chancellor may in a special decision specify the preconditions for temporary deviations from this course syllabus, and delegate the right to take such decisions.

Department