In this module, students that are interested in (technological) innovations learn about innovation theory and processes and about why organizations exist, how they operate, how they can be structured, how they develop, how they interact with their external environment, and how they innovate. 

NOTE: following this module does not guarantee direct access to the master Innovation Sciences.  

This module has one course taught in English and one taught in Dutch.

Programme
This module consists of two courses:
Period 1: Introductie Technologie & Innovatie - 7,5 EC (NL)
Period 1: Organisation Theories - 7,5 EC (ENG)

Na afronding van de cursus Introductie Technologie en Innovatie is de student in staat om:

• Te begrijpen wat een innovatie is;
• Het lineaire model van innovatie te kennen en de sterkten / zwakten van dit model te kunnen aangeven;
• De verschillende beslissingsstadia te kennen die spelen bij de adoptie van innovatie;
• De verschillende factoren te kennen die snelheid van diffusie bepalen;
• De standaardindeling te kennen van adoptorcategorieën;
• Inzicht te hebben in de dynamiek van innovatieprocessen die ontstaat door concurrentie tussen innovaties (het Utterback-model);
• Te kunnen uitleggen hoe de innovatiedynamiek verschilt tussen samengestelde en bulkproducten;
• Te kunnen uitleggen wat de invloed is van innovaties op industriedynamiek;
• Inzicht te hebben in de invloed van radicale en disruptieve innovaties op bestaande bedrijven;
• Te kunnen uitleggen wat typische karakteristieken zijn van disruptieve innovaties;
• Inzicht te hebben in de factoren die bepalen waarom bedrijven verrast kunnen worden door disruptive innovaties;
• De theorieën van Rogers, Utterback en Christensen toe te passen op actuele of historische innovaties en dit te rapporteren;
• In kleine groepen samen te werken;
• Beter geëquipeerd te zijn om te studeren aan een universiteit.

After completion of the Organisation Theories course, the student is able to:

• explain the basic concepts related to organizations and organization theory.
• understand the principles of organizational power, politics, and cognitive limitations and their effect on decision making
• apply the learned theories to explain how organizations are designed and how and why they change
• evaluate which theories best explain different organizational phenomena.

• Having passed at least 120 EC from your Bachelor programme including the propaedeutic year
• Interest in novel technologies, innovation, complex multidisciplinary societal challenges, (e.g. sustainability, drug development, mobility, digitalization)

For Introductie Technologie en Innovatie: There will be a reader.

For Organisation Theories: 
Jones, Gareth R. (2013), Organizational Theory, Design, and Change (7th Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
And additional material will be announced through the course.

Information about the timetable can be found in MyTimetable. The timetable is definitively known approximately 4 weeks prior to a new teaching period.

Period 1: 2 September 2024 – 1 November 2024

Information about the assessment can be found under 'tests' in the OSIRIS course catalogue for each course. Per course, you can see which assessment methods will be used and how each component has been weighted.

It is important to know that when you register for a course, you are automatically registered for the first test options of that course.

There is a maximum of 5 places for this module. If there are more interested students, students will be placed in the order of application in OSIRIS.

You can hand in the learning agreement until 15 June 2024.