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Module Catalogue

WM929-15 Intelligent Organisations at Work

Department
WMG
Level
Taught Postgraduate Level
Module leader
Credit value
15
Assessment
Multiple
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

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Introductory description

Markets, technology and the political environment are changing more than ever before. Organisations - and their leaders - need to be agile, adaptive and intelligent to survive and thrive.

This module gives leaders, and those aspiring to leadership positions, what they need to understand and act effectively in a world that is increasingly 'digital’ and ‘connected’ – recognising the impact this has on existing ‘physical’ assets, and on the ultimate asset of any organisation, ‘people’.

The module addresses the challenges facing organisations as they move into an increasingly complex world. It is designed to give participants what they need to make sense of a complex and changing world.

Module web page

Module aims

Markets, technology and the political environment are changing more than ever before. Organisations - and their leaders - need to be agile, adaptive and intelligent to survive and thrive.

This module gives leaders, and those aspiring to leadership positions, what they need to understand and act effectively in a world that is increasingly 'digital’ and ‘connected’ – recognising the impact this has on existing ‘physical’ assets, and on the ultimate asset of any organisation, ‘people’.

It addresses how to build and organise teams to be effective in this complex environment; how to turn strategy into action at the pace that is now needed, with direct feedback and 'course correction'; what organisational forms work best, and how that is changing with increased digitisation; how to innovate effectively, to avoid being submerged by successive waves of change; the critical role of governance, and how governance is ‘embodied’ in day-to-day organisational life; and how to manage – intelligently – the complex, dynamic mix of ‘people’, ‘information’ and ‘things’ that define the value of any modern organisation.

The module is designed to give participants what they need to make sense of a complex and changing world - and more importantly, the ability to apply what they have learned in practice, to their own teams and their own organisation.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

  • Understanding and designing intelligent organisations of the future
  • Innovation & competitive performance
  • Systems thinking
  • Technology masterclasses
  • Digital intelligence
  • Knowledge management & decision making
  • Managing the complexity of innovation, compliance, governance & risk
  • Case study
  • Guest speakers
Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Critically interpret today’s organisational environment and the significant changes that have taken place especially over the last 10 years
  • Reflect on today's organisational environment, analyse the factors driving increased complexity, and the type of ‘intelligence’ needed to respond to this
  • Assess and critically evaluate a ‘repertoire’ (toolkit) of relevant tools, techniques, theories and models to apply in contemporary organisations.
  • Develop a ‘situational’ perspective of which tools to bring out of the toolkit, and gain experience of application ‘in practice’.
  • Synthesize knowledge and have gained practical experience of effective teamwork, and how to achieve this in today’s organisational environment
  • Gain the capability – knowledge, initial experience of use, confidence, and motivation – to take what has been learned and use it in practice, in participants’ own organisational environment.
  • Recognise and understand the diverse range of technological drivers of change in modern organisations.
  • Appreciate the key elements of intelligent organisations and debate their relevance and application to contemporary organisations.
Indicative reading list

Rowles, D and T. Brown, - Building Digital Culture: A Practical Guide to Successful Digital Transformation, Kogan Page, 2017, ISBN: 978-074947965-7

Lancelott, M, Gutierrez, M and A. Campbell, Operating Model Canvas (OMC); Aligning Operations and Organization with Strategy , Van Haren Publishing, 2017, ISBN: 978-940180071-6

Keely, L, Pikkel, R. Quinn, B. and H. Waters, Ten Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building Breakthroughs, Wiley Publishing, 2013, ISBN: 978-111850424-6

Rowan, D, Non-Bullshit Innovation: Radical Ideas from the World’s Smartest Minds, Transworld Digital, 2019, ISBN: 9781787631182

Hennig, N, Keeping Up with Emerging Technologies: Best Practices for Information Professionals, Libraries Unlimited. 2017, ISBN-13: 978-1440854408

Collins, J., Good to Great, Random House Business Books, 2001, ISBN: 978-0712676090

Senge, P., The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organisation, Random House, 2006, 978-1905211203

Schilling, R.A., Strategic Management of Technological Innovation, 2013, ISBN: 978-1259539060

Subject specific skills

Understand the driver's of change in modern organisations, and be prepared to analyse these complex factors and evaluate the kind of response required to achieve future success.
Appreciate what makes an intelligent organisation and understand the key elements.
Be aware of and in some cases able deploy a range of relevant tools and techniques that would help an organisation to become more intelligent (e.g. systems thinking, roadmapping, horizon scanning etc.). Be able to apply as appropriate.

Transferable skills

Skills that help organisations work and behave more intelligently.
Ability to understand drivers of change in an organisation and be able to diagnose options for changing and adapting to achieve future success.
Have awareness and some skills in using tools and techniques to help an organisation become more intelligent.
Be acquainted with a diverse range of 'newer' technologies that are now or will be impacting the work of work in future.

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 16 sessions of 1 hour 30 minutes (51%)
Seminars 3 sessions of 1 hour 30 minutes (8%)
Tutorials 6 sessions of 1 hour 30 minutes (19%)
Practical classes (0%)
Other activity 10 hours (21%)
Total 47.5 hours
Private study description

11 hours pre-work
1.5 hours post-module learning how to create a VLOG for assignment
30 hours maintaining a self-reflective log-book (not part of formal assessment but used by participants during the module)

Other activity description

10 hours creating a VLOG

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Assessment group A1
Weighting Study time
Case Study 20% 35 hours

30% Case Study on redesigning a Publishing Company comprising:
10% in-module assessment for Syndicate presentation of new business model
20% in-module and post-module development and write-up of business case and action plan
Post Module Assignment (PMA) written 60% 60 hours

50% 4000 word assessment
Post Module Assignment (PMA) Video Log 20% 10 hours

20% 5 minute vlog
Students are required to create a 3–5 minute video explaining how, using the learnings from the module, they will address one of the Amazon issues identified during the module pre-work.
Assessment group R
Weighting Study time
Assessed work as specified by department 100%

100% Assignment
Feedback on assessment

Immediate oral feedback will be provided after case studies / practical workshops, which will be focussed upon the learning targets of each session. Feedback will also be provided to any questions which arise from students both via Moodle and the in module seminars..

Written feedback will be provided on the case study reports within a four week period after the date of submission.

Written feedback will be provided for the Post-Module Assignment within a four week period after the date of submission. This feedback will be focussed upon the strengths and weaknesses of the work with regard to the module learning objectives and the post-module assignment marking guidelines. Suggestions for improvement will also be provided.

In addition, students will be required to complete pre-work that includes viewing a series of short videos about different new and emerging technologies that will impact the future world or work. Students will be expected to PASS a short quiz relating to the technologies presented.

When delivered on-line, the lecture content will provided as a series of videos and presentations. (These will be complemented by seminars during the week of the module.) To support their learning and confirm that students have followed the lecture content, students will need to complete and submit a Workbook.

Courses

This module is Core for:

  • EWMS-H1X9 Postgraduate Taught Engineering Business Management (Degree Apprenticeship)
    • Year 1 of H1X9 Engineering Business Management (DA)
    • Year 1 of H1T3 WMG Engineering Business Management (Part-time)
  • EWMS-H1B3 Postgraduate Taught Managing in Technology Based Industries (Degree Apprenticeship)
    • Year 1 of H1B4 Managing in Technology Based Industries
    • Year 1 of H1B4 Managing in Technology Based Industries
    • Year 1 of H1B3 Managing in Technology Based Industries (DA)
  • Year 1 of EWMS-H7BJ Postgraduate Taught Supply Chain and Logistics Management (Degree Apprenticeship)