Strategic Challenges, Innovation and Change

Just when organisations think they have found the formula for success, they start to fall behind. In today’s constantly changing environment standing still is the fastest way of moving backwards. This unit will address the need for change, the challenges of change and introduces students to theories and processes for innovation. This unit also looks at how innovative and entrepreneurial thinking can be used to expand God’s kingdom.

Awards offering Strategic Challenges, Innovation and Change

This unit is offered as a part of the following awards:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Applied Social Science
• Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business
• Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education (Secondary)
• Bachelor of Business
• Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Ministry
• Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Theology
• Bachelor of Ministry

Unit Content

Curriculum Objective

The course looks at the development of business strategy in a global and constantly changing environment. It integrates key elements of earlier courses into a holistic analytical approach to case studies approximating real world business challenges. It discusses the need for change, the challenges of change and introduces students to the stages-and-gates process for innovation. This unit also looks at how innovative and entrepreneurial thinking can be used to expand God’s kingdom.

Outcomes

Students should be able to:

1. Explain approaches in identifying key trends that will influence the future and applying these to local contexts. This includes understanding the basic interaction between global and local forces that precipitate change;
2. Create and assess creative strategic responses to change. This includes factors such as social, environmental and community impact.
3. Explain innovation for organisations. This includes key approaches and processes for innovation; methods of analysing new venture projects; how to encourage innovations in organisations; and how to manage innovation in organisations;
4. Discuss approaches to change management including various change theories, models and frameworks. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the models discussed;
5. Create and assess ethical responses to change in a way that does not compromise the well-being of individuals and the larger community. This includes practical skills such as applying conflict management, assessing resource needs, and effective communication particularly in NGOs and NFP organisations.

Subject Content

1. Living in the age of discontinuity
2. Mega-trends reshaping our world
3. Competing for the future: restructuring – reengineering – reinventing
4. Thinking differently - Learning to forget
5. Good to Great: why some organizations make the leap and others don’t
6. Building gateways to the future
7. Creating a culture of innovation
8. Skills of the innovators
9. The innovation process: stages and gates
10. Leading innovation

This course may be offered in the following formats

Lectures, guided reading and reflection, seminar presentations, case studies and group project

Please consult your course prospectus or enquire about how and when this course will be offered next at Alphacrucis University College.

Assessment Methods

• Forum Postings 20% (2500 words)
• Strategic Project 40% (2000 words)
• Group Presentation 40% (30 mins plus 2500 word write up)

Prescribed Text

• Primary readings provided

Representative References

Recommended Reading:

• Australian Institute of Management. Innovation and Imagination at Work. North-Ryde NSW: McGraw-Hill, 2004
• Belasco, J.A., Teaching the Elephant to Dance: Empowering Change in your Organization, New York, N.Y: Crown, 1990.
• Bhidé, A., The Venturesome Economy: How Innovation Sustains Prosperity in a More Connected World, Boston: Princeton University Press, 2008.
• Christensen, C.M., & Raynor, M.E., The Innovators Solution, Boston, Mass.:Harvard Business School, 2003.
• Caldwell, K. & Kallestad, W. with Sorensen, P., Entrepreneurial Faith: Launching Bold Initiatives to Expand God's Kingdom, Colorado Springs, Colo.: WaterBrook Press, 2004.
• Collins, J., Good to Great: Why some companies make the leap--and others don't,  New York, NY: HarperBusiness, 2001.
• Davenport, Thomas H., Marius Leibold, and  Sven C. Voelpel, Strategic Management in the Innovation Economy: Strategic Approaches and Tools for Dynamic Innovation Capabilities, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2006
• Frederick, H.H., & Kuratko, D.F., Entrepreneurship: Theory, Process, Practice, Melbourne: Cenage Learning, 2010.
• Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C.K., Competing for the future, Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1994.Kotter, J.P., Leading change, Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press, 1996.
• Hanson, D, ...[et al], Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalisation, 4th Ed, Melbourne: Cengage Learning, 2011.
• Mintzberg, H. The Strategy Process: Concepts, Context, Cases. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2003.
• Nicholls, A., Social Entrepreneurship: New Models and Sustainable Change, Oxford: OUP, 2008.
• Ohmae, K., The borderless world, New York: Harper Business; London: Collins, 1990.
• Raelin, Joseph A.. ‘Toward an Epistemology of Practice’, Academy of Management Learning & Education, Vol. 6 Issue 4 (December 2007), pp.495-519.
• Smith, D., Exploring innovation, 2nd Ed, London: McGraw Hill, 2009.
• Spencer, J., Who moved my cheese?: An amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life,  New York : Putnam, 1998.
• Snyder, Nancy Tennant, and Deborah L. Duarte, Strategic Innovation: Embedding Innovation as a Core Competency in Your Organization, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003
• Waddell, D., ...[et al], Organisational Change: Development & Transformation, 4th Ed, Melbourne: Cengage Learning, 2011.

Journals:

• Creativity
• Creativity and innovation management
• European journal of innovation management
• Innovation: Management, Policy & Practice
• Innovation: the European journal of social sciences
• Psychology of aesthetics, creativity, and the arts
• Studies in learning, evaluation, innovation and development