Technology and Innovation Management Strategy (ETIM) 686
Status:
Open
Delivery mode:
Cohort-based, Paced and Online. Delivered via Brightspace.
Credits:
6
Area of study:
Business
Prerequisites:
Students must have successfully completed Phase 1 of the MBA.
Precluded:
None
Faculty:
Academic Area Manager:
Overview
This course has several areas of emphasis: the management of technology, the nature and sources of innovations, and the adoption of innovation strategies within organizations. This course is primarily readings based. Through a combination of readings, group discussions, access to web-based resources, and case studies, the course will provide students the opportunity to attain a deeper understanding of contemporary technology and innovation management issues.
The course will assume the perspective of a general manager at the product, strategic business unit (SBU), or corporate level. It will examine each of these levels and address the interaction of general management in the technology-savvy firm; for example, the fit between product strategy and the business unit strategy and the link between the business unit and the corporate level technology strategy.
Outline
Students will be required to participate in online discussions each week. Two case study assignments are due in weeks 3 and 7, and two individual assignments are due in weeks 6 and 10.
The course is divided into ten lessons:
- Week 1: Introduction to Technology and Innovation Strategy
- Week 2: Digital Transformation and the Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Innovation
- Week 3: Developing an Innovation Strategy
- Week 4: Sources and Search Strategies for Innovation
- Week 5: Assessment of Current Innovation Strategies & Decision-making
- Week 6: Presentation and Review of Current Organization Innovations—A Canadian Context
- Week 7: Creating New Products & Services and Exploiting Open Innovation & Collaboration
- Week 8: Promoting Entrepreneurship and New Ventures—A Canadian Perspective
- Week 9: Business and Social Values of Innovation
- Week 10: Perspectives and Learnings from the Course
Learning outcomes
By the completion of this course, you should be able to achieve the following:
- Understand the processes of managing innovation within an organization whether it is within a manufacturing, development, services, public sector or not-for-profit milieu or more broadly linked to specific identified sectors with some added emphasis on digital innovation.
- Recognize the importance of focusing upon innovation-based ideas, concepts, and processes rather than focusing on inventions and the traditional forms and functions within value-driven organizations.
- Appreciate collaboration strategies while engaging with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders and/or partners that can enable organizations to enhance their evaluation and potential adoption of viable innovations with particular attention to public public/private sector partnerships.
- Emphasize the accelerating shift away from an analog to a digitally oriented society and market environment and the accelerating impact of generative artificial intelligence facilitating innovation.
- Investigate innovative technologies both internal and external to the organization with the view to assessing the viability of adopting and integrating such technologies, such as the role of the Internet of Things (IoT) on stimulating innovation and the potential impact of digital transformations, including blockchains, on reshaping the 4Ps of the innovation space (product, process, position, and organizational paradigm) as detailed by Tidd and Bessant.
- Appreciate the key role played by sourcing new innovations from lead users and customers or clients.
- Analyze and assess alternative approaches for developing sustained competitive advantage through innovation in a technologically oriented organizational setting.
- Understand the management of the new product development process and the development teams charged with its implementation in the context of innovations especially as related to SMEs.
- Recognize the relationship between entrepreneurship and new venture development in the corporate environment particularly in a Canadian context.
- Assess the importance of organizational learning and knowledge management to the development of technology-driven enterprises.
Evaluation
Your grade will be based on the successful completion of two individual assignments and two case studies, as well as on your participation in moderated group discussions and weekly learnings posts.
| Activity | Weight |
|---|---|
| Collaboration | |
| Weekly Discussions & Weekly Learnings (Weeks 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 9) | 30% |
| Week 3 Case Study | 10% |
| Week 7 Case Study | 10% |
| Individual | |
| Assignment 1 (Week 6) | 25% |
| Assignment 2 (Week 10) | 25% |
| Total | 100% |
To receive a passing grade in this course, you must meet these minimum standards:
- Receive a minimum of 60% (30/50) on the collaboration components.
- Receive an average grade of 60% (30/50) on the Individual Assignments.
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Tidd, J., & Bessant, J. (2024). Managing innovation: Integrating technological, market and organizational change (8th ed.). John Wiley & Sons. (eText)
All other course materials will be accessed online.Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.
Updated May 15, 2025