BE437-6-AU-CO:
Perspectives on Technology, Organisation and Society
2020/21
Essex Business School
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Thursday 08 October 2020
Friday 18 December 2020
15
28 September 2020
Requisites for this module
BE411
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
This module builds upon students' understanding of management and operations to provide an insight into the relationship between management, innovation and the organization of production. Innovation is concerned with both the development of new products and new processes. The module introduces students to theoretical frameworks for understanding and analysing technological change as well as providing an in-depth analysis of changes in organization and operations related to information and communication technologies.
The module has been designed to:
• Provide an understanding of the theory and practice of innovation and technological change.
• Situate innovation and technological change within a wider socio-economic and historical context.
• Develop reasoning skills applicable to the analysis of innovation and technological problems and opportunities.
• Through class discussion and participation, develop the students’ critical reading skills and enable them to present a clear case analysis with reference to academic theory and empirical evidence.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
• Understand the theory and practice of innovation and technological change.
• Develop, through discussion and debate, reasoning skills applicable to a range of technological issues in organisations.
• Critically analyse both academic theories and dominant managerial practices of innovation and technological change.
Skills for Your Professional Life (Transferable Skills)
The module will also enable you to:
1. Develop written communication skills.
2. Practice research skills through collecting and analysing organisation-specific information.
3. Develop critical analytical thinking
4. Develop IT literacy through electronically accessing module materials and completing and submitting assignments.
Lectures, workshops and intensive groupwork (Zoom meeting)
In academic year 2020-2021 the delivery is likely to be different and involve online learning.
- Beniger, James R. (1986) The control revolution: technological and economic origins of the information society, Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.
- Webster, Frank. (2014) Theories of the information society, Abingdon: Routledge.
- Tomaney, J. (1994) '‘A new paradigm of work organization and technology?’ in Post-Fordism: a reader', in Post-Fordism: a reader, Oxford: Blackwell. vol. Studies in urban and social change
- Noble, D. (2001) '‘Present tense technology’ in vol. 4', in Organizational studies: critical perspectives on business and management, London: Routledge. vol. Critical perspectives on business and management, pp.1873-1897
- Buchanan, David; Huczynski, Andrzej. (2019-08-02) Organizational Behaviour, Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.
- Noble, David F. (2001) Digital diploma mills: the automation of higher education, New York: Monthly Review Press.
- Newell, Susan. (c2009) Managing knowledge work and innovation, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Cowan, R.S. (1985) 'How the refrigerator got its hum', in The social shaping of technology, Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
- Morath, F. A.; Schmidt, A. P. (2000) ''Management of knowledge as interface management: from exo- worlds to endo-worlds' in vol. 4 of', in Technology, organizations, and innovation: critical perspectives on business and management, London: Routledge., pp.1682-1694
- Snow, C. C.; Coleman, H. J.; Miles, R. E. (2000) '‘Managing 21st Century Network Organizations’ in vol. 4', in Technology, organizations, and innovation: critical perspectives on business and management, London: Routledge., pp.1621-1638
- McLoughlin, Ian. (1999) Creative technological change: the shaping of technology and organisations, London: Routledge. vol. The management of technology and innovation
- Mcloughlin, I.; Dawson, P.; Preece, D. (2000) '‘Introduction: Theories, concepts and paradigms’ in vol. 2', in Technology, organizations, and innovation: critical perspectives on business and management, London: Routledge.
- Graham Sewell and Barry Wilkinson. (1992) ''SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME': SURVEILLANCE, DISCIPLINE AND THE JUST-IN-TIME LABOUR PROCESS', in Sociology. vol. 26 (2) , pp.271-289
- Harris, M. (1998) '‘Rethinking the virtual organization’ in Teleworking: international perspectives : from telecommuting to the virtual organisation', in Teleworking: international perspectives ; from telecommuting to the virtual organisation, London: Routledge., pp.74-92
- Noble, David F. (c1995) Progress without people: new technology, unemployment, and the message of resistance, Toronto: Between the Lines.
- Harris, Martin. (2006-02) 'F. W. Taylor and the legacies of systemization', in Information, Communication & Society. vol. 9 (1) , pp.109-120
- David F. Noble. (1998) 'Digital diploma mills: The automation of higher education', in First Monday: Valauskas, Edward J. vol. 3 (1)
- Zuboff, S. (2000) '‘The limits of hierarchy in an informated organization’ in vol. 2', in Technology, organizations, and innovation: critical perspectives on business and management, London: Routledge., pp.655-678
- Quinn, James Brian. (c1992) Intelligent enterprise: a knowledge and service based paradigm for industry, New York: Free Press.
- Wajcman, Judy. (2004) TechnoFeminism, Cambridge: Polity Press.
- Warhurst, C.; Thompson, P. (2000) ''Hands, Hearts and minds: changing work and workers at the end of the century' in vol. 4', in Technology, organizations, and innovation: critical perspectives on business and management, London: Routledge., pp.1956-1982
- Rowena Barrett. (2004) 'Working at Webboyz: An Analysis of Control over the Software Development Labour Process', in Sociology. vol. 38 (4) , pp.777-794
- Sabel, C. (1994) '‘Flexible specialisation and the re-emergence of regional economies’ in Post-Fordism: a reader', in Post-Fordism: a reader, Oxford: Blackwell. vol. Studies in urban and social change
- S. Ackroyd, G. Burrell, M. Hughes, A. Whitaker. (1989) 'The Japanisation of British industry?', in Industrial Relations Journal. vol. 19 (1) , pp.11-23
- Child, J. (2000) '‘Managerial strategies, new technology and the labour process’ in vol. 2', in Technology, organizations, and innovation: critical perspectives on business and management, London: Routledge., pp.453-486
- Rangarath-Nayak, P.; Ketteringham, J. (2004) '‘3M’s Post-It Notes: A managed or accidental innovation?’ in The human side of managing technological innovation: a collection of readings', in The human side of managing technological innovation: a collection of readings, New York: Oxford University Press., pp.425-435
- Terry Wallace. (2008) 'Cycles of production: from assembly lines to cells to assembly lines in the Volvo Cab Plant.', in New Technology, Work & Employment. vol. 23 (1) , pp.111-124
- Smith, C.; Valsecchi, R.; Mueller, F.; Gabe, J. (2008) 'Knowledge and the discourse of labour process transformation: nurses and the case of NHS Direct for England', in Work, Employment & Society. vol. 22 (4) , pp.581-599
- Abigail Marks, Dora Scholarios. (2007) 'Revisiting technical workers: professional and organisational identities in the software industry.', in New Technology, Work & Employment. vol. 22 (2) , pp.98-117
- Zuboff, Shoshana. (2018) The age of surveillance capitalism: the fight for a human future at the new frontier of power, New York: PublicAffairs.
- Badham, R.; Matthews, J. (2000) '‘The new production systems debate’ in vol. 2', in Technology, organizations, and innovation: critical perspectives on business and management, London: Routledge., pp.957-1014
- Rhodes, Ed; Wield, David. (1994) 'Technology, innovation theory and the implementation process', in Implementing new technologies: innovation and the management of technology, Oxford: NCC Blackwell., pp.79-95
- Shenhav, Yehouda A. (1999) Manufacturing rationality: the engineering foundations of the managerial revolution, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Barrett, Rowena. (2005) Management, labour process and software development: reality bytes, London: Routledge. vol. Routledge research in employment relations
- Barrett, Rowena. (2001) 'Labouring under an illusion? The labour process of software development in the Australian information industry', in New Technology, Work & Employment. vol. 16 (1) , pp.18-34
- Winner, L. (c1999) 'Do artifacts have politics?', in The social shaping of technology, Buckingham: Open University Press.
- Piore, Michael J.; Sabel, Charles F. (c1984) The second industrial divide: possibilities for prosperity, New York: Basic Books.
- Hippel, Eric von. (c2005) Democratizing innovation, Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.
- Castells, M. (2000) ''The network enterprise: the culture, institutions and organizations of the informational economy' in vol. 4', in Technology, organizations, and innovation: critical perspectives on business and management, London: Routledge., pp.1571-1620
- Orlikowski, W. (2000) ''The duality of technology: rethinking the concept of technology in organizations' in vol. 2', in Technology, organizations, and innovation: critical perspectives on business and management, London: Routledge., pp.749-788
- McLoughlin, Ian. (1999) Creative technological change: the shaping of technology and organisations, London: Routledge.
- Zuboff, Shoshana. (2015) 'Big other: surveillance capitalism and the prospects of an information civilization', in Journal of Information Technology. vol. 30 (1) , pp.75-89
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course. The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students. Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
ASSIGNMENT ONE |
|
30% |
| Coursework |
ASSIGNMENT TWO |
|
70% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Martin Harris, email: martinh@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Martin Harris
ebsugcol@essex.ac.uk
No
Yes
No
Dr Natalia Slutskaya
University of Sussex
Senior Lecturer
Available via Moodle
Of 439 hours, 0 (0%) hours available to students:
439 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
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