21227 Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Undergraduate
Result type: Grade and marksDescription
This subject provides students with an understanding of the fundamental theories and practices underpinning innovation in organisations. Students learn to recognise and implement different types of innovation, and assess related strategies, structures and processes to manage organisational innovation. The subject examines how classical and contemporary forms of innovation occur across multiple industries and contexts, spanning large established organisations as well as small new startups. Students gain skills in applying relevant frameworks to analyse how innovation can be developed and organised strategically in complex and dynamic environments. The aim is also to provide students with practical insights into developing innovative business models and explore how open, collaborative, digital modes of innovation such as crowdsourcing help organisations create and capture value in novel ways.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 1. | Evaluate and apply key theories, practices and tools that underpin innovation and entrepreneurship in contemporary organisations |
|---|---|
| 2. | Analyse and design organisational structures, processes and strategies to enable different types of innovation and entrepreneurship |
| 3. | Analyse the impact of complex and dynamic environments on innovation and entrepreneurship in contemporary organisations |
| 4. | Develop innovative business models that help create and capture value for organisations in novel ways |
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject is aligned with the graduate attributes of communication and collaboration.
Specifically, this subject contributes to developing skills in developing and managing new products, services, processes, or business models. The subject builds the students’ ability to conduct a strategic analysis to examine ways to innovate a business, and critically reflect on different types of business and organizational innovation. Particular attention is given to enabling students apply relevant theories, concepts, and frameworks to understand how innovation manifests in practice and make decisions about managing innovation in contemporary real-world settings.
This subject also contributes specifically to the development of the following Program Learning Objective for the Bachelor of Management:
- Develop effective communication skills to enable cogent knowledge transfer with colleagues, this enabling productive project outcomes relevant to professional practice (2.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
The subject comprises a 1.5 hour lecture and a 1.5 hour tutorial each week. A variety of teaching and learning activities are used, including lectures where theoretical concepts and frameworks are discussed and analysed, and students are led through case studies and practical application exercises. Tutorials feature collaborative discussions, exercises and group project work. Face-to-face lectures are supplemented in many ways, including electronic learning materials and resources and online pre-class preparation activities. The UTS Learning Management System and other digital applications are used to share information and feedback, and encourage interaction between teaching staff and students.
Content (topics)
- Innovation concepts and theories
- Classical and contemporary forms of innovation
- Product and service innovation
- Business model innovation
- Open innovation and crowdsourcing
- User innovation and user entrepreneurship
- Social innovation and social entrepreneurship
- Organizing and managing innovation
- Innovation strategy, structure and processes
- Innovation systems and networks
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Weekly Online Quizzes (Individual)*
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2 and 3 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | 30 minutes for 5 questions. |
| Criteria: |
*Note: Late submission of the assessment task will not be marked and awarded a mark of zero. |
Assessment task 2: Research Report (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2 and 3 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 2000 (+/-10%) words (excluding references, tables and figures). |
| Criteria: |
|
Assessment task 3: Innovation project and reflection (30% Group and 20% Individual)*)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2, 3 and 4 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 5-minute group presentation, 600 word (+/- 10%) individual reflection |
| Criteria: | Part 1: Pitch*
*Note: Late submission of the assessment task will not be marked and awarded a mark of zero. Part 2: Reflection
|
Minimum requirements
To pass the subject, students need to achieve at least 50% of the total marks.
Required texts
Guide to Writing Assignments, Faculty of Business, University of Technology, Sydney. This guide is available as a FREE download here. Alternatively, you may purchase a hard copy from the CoOp Bookshop.
Further esssential readings will be made available via Canvas. Students are also expected to conduct their own research and draw on articles from academic journals accessible via the UTS Library.
Recommended texts
1. Bessant, J. and Tidd, J. (2015). Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 3rd Edn. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken.
2. Keeley, L., Pikkel, R., Quinn, B. and Walters, H. (2013). Ten Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building Breakthroughs. John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey.
Note: No. 1 is available in print; No. 2 is accessible online in e-book format in the UTS library.
References
The following are suggested readings and indicative only. Further references will be provided via Canvas:
- Chesbrough, H., 2003. The logic of open innovation: managing intellectual property. California Management Review, 45(3): 33-58.
- Randhawa, K., West, J., Skellern, K., & Josserand, E. (2021). Evolving a Value Chain to an Open Innovation Ecosystem: Cognitive Engagement of Stakeholders in Customizing Medical Implants. California Management Review, 63(2), 101-134.
- Von Hippel, E., 2005. The Democratization of Innovation. Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- Chesbrough, H. 2010. Business Model Innovation: Opportunities And Barriers. Long Range Planning, 43(2): 354-363.
- Randhawa, K., Wilden, R., & Gudergan, S. (2018). Open service innovation: the role of intermediary capabilities. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 35(5), 808-838.
- Randhawa, K., Wilden, R., & Gudergan, S. (2021). How to innovate toward an ambidextrous business model? The role of dynamic capabilities and market orientation. Journal of Business Research, 130, 618-634.
- Christensen, C. M., Baumann, H., Ruggles, R., and Sadtler, T. M. 2006. Disruptive Innovation For Social Change. Harvard Business Review, 84(12): 94.
- Randhawa, K., Wilden, R., & West, J. (2019). Crowdsourcing without profit: the role of the seeker in open social innovation. R&D Management, 49(3), 298-317.
- Frederik, H., O'conner, A. and Kuratko, D.F. 2013. Entrepreneurship Theory, Process, Practice, 3rd Ed, Cengage, Melbourne, Australia.
- Osterwalder, A. and Pigneur, Y. 2010. Business Model Generation: A Handbook For Visionaries, Game Changers, And Challengers: Wiley.