Course Catalogue

Prerequisites

Students must be willing and able to attend all course elements. There are no other specific prerequisites.

Learning objectives

Upon successful completion of the course, students:

• Know theories in organization studies and information systems research that can inform their own work in the business innovation domain.
• Develop an in-depth understanding of one selected theory by analyzing it for their term paper.
• Can apply the chosen theoretical perspective to clarify and strengthen the potential theoretical contribution of their own research.

Content

Innovations are predominantly developed in and commercialized by organizations. Understanding organizations and how organizational arrangements affect innovation is therefore a primary concern for studies in business innovation. This is particularly important in times of accelerating digitalization, which changes organizations, their arrangements, and value creation and appropriation processes.

Research in business innovation seeks to understand these changing phenomena. Theory can guide this work and support the understanding and design of business innovations. It also plays a crucial role in the publication of research results.

This course addresses what theory is and how it can be used in research.

Theories that may be featured in the course include the following. This selection is subject to change.

• Attention-Based View
• Behavioral Theory of the Firm
• Effectuation
• Evolutionary Economics
• Paradox Theory
• Property Rights
• Resource-Based View
• Stakeholder Theory
• Theories of Task and Job Design
• Transaction Cost Economics
• Affordance Theory
• Cognitive Load Theory
• Complex Adaptive Systems Theory
• Constructivism
• Information Systems Success Model
• IS/IT Governance/Control Theory
• Platform Economics
• Scaffolding Theory
• Service Dominant Logic
• Socio-Technical-Systems Theory
• (Swift) Trust
• Technochange Theory
• Technology Adoption Model & Unified Technology Adoption and Usage Theory

Structure and indications of the learning and teaching design

This course is worth 6 ECTS credits and consists of the following elements:

1. Kick-off session: Introduction to the course. The session is offered in a hybrid format, allowing participation in person or online.
2. Two-day block seminar: Presentation and discussion of student essays. The block seminar takes place in person only.

Literature

Students are expected to identify literature independently. Some overarching literature will be made available on Canvas; students must identify literature for their specific topic themselves.

Overview examination/s

Decentral - Presentation, Analog, Individual work individual grade (50%)
Examination time: Term time
Grading: Pass or fail

Decentral - Written work, Digital, Individual work individual grade (50%)
Examination time: Term time
Grading: Pass or fail

Lecturers: Maximilian Palmié and Ivo Blohm
Course language: English

Timetable

The course is offered every autumn semester. Detailed course dates and times will be added once available.

Additional information

• Application: Students are asked to apply by the end of 27 August each year by submitting a short motivation letter (half a page) and their CV.
• Registration: Registration is finalized in the first week of September.
• Attendance: Students must be able to attend all course elements. Online participation is available for the hybrid kick-off session only. Attendance at the two-day block seminar is in person.
• Course dates and location: Binding information on time and place will be published on the course website.

Examination information

Examination sub part 1: Presentation (50%)

Students present their term paper during the two-day block seminar. The presentation is assessed individually on a pass-or-fail basis.

Question language: English
Answer language: English
Examination type: Presentation
Examination form: Oral examination
Examination time: Term time
Examination mode: Analog
Examination execution: Asynchronous
Examination location: On Campus
Grading type: Individual work individual grade
Weighting: 50%

Students are generally free to choose aids. Any restrictions are defined by the faculty members responsible for the examination under supplementary aids.

Examination sub part 2: Term paper (50%)

Students write a term paper on a selected theory and link it to their own research. The paper is assessed individually on a pass-or-fail basis. Its length will be defined; the factsheet indicates approximately five pages.

Question language: English
Answer language: English
Examination type: Written work
Examination time: Term time
Examination mode: Digital
Examination execution: Asynchronous
Examination location: Off Campus
Grading type: Individual work individual grade
Weighting: 50%

Students are generally free to choose aids. Any restrictions are defined by the faculty members responsible for the examination under supplementary aids.

Examination content

The term paper and presentation address the following two tasks:

1. Analyze and describe a selected theory (80-90% of the paper). Students may focus on its central constructs and arguments, unit of analysis, underlying assumptions, and boundary conditions. They are not required to address every point.
2. Link the theory to their own work (10-20% of the paper). Students consider how the theory can clarify their phenomenon and how research on that phenomenon can advance the selected theory.

Examination literature

Some overarching literature will be made available on Canvas. Students are expected to identify literature for their specific topic independently.