INNO9005 People First: Embedding Innovation into the Organisational DNA

• 3 x Full day intensive workshop immersions and
• 1 x full day application workshop

Even the best ideas cannot succeed without people---leaders, employees, partners, allies, suppliers and buyers. Embedding innovation into the culture, processes, people and networks of an organisation is particularly challenging. This topic will help students better understand how organisations use human capital strategies to drive company performance, foster innovation and build an organisational culture that supports innovation.

Students will acquire knowledge of contemporary practices in human capital management, gain insights into the design and management of innovation systems, or indeed, of innovative organisations and explore how these approaches and practices can help build organisation culture, lead change and position a company to sustain a successful, 21st century workplace.

This topic aims to develop in students an enhanced appreciation of the people side of a business or organisation as it directly affects an organisation's ability to learn, change and innovate. It emphasises the design of human capital strategies and the essential role execution plays in achieving organisational transformation and sustainable competitive advantage. The topic will focus in particular on varieties of innovation systems and structures, the ways in which these can be embedded into an organisation and on how leadership, organisational structure, culture, talent development, measurement and rewards of all kinds can be arranged and aligned to support continuous improvement, change and innovation. Students will apply the insights, concepts and tools introduced in this topic to developing an innovation structure strategy for an existing organisation.

Students will learn and apply human capital innovation management concepts and tools at three levels - individual (including one's own leadership capabilities), team or work group, and organisation.

1. Understand the role leadership, culture, human capital, structure and reward decisions play in building organisational capacity in general and especially for innovation
2. Analyse and evaluate various human capital strategies to determine what best suits the organisation’s innovation goals and business model
3. Gain experience in the design of an innovation structure strategy
4. Gain insight into one’s own strengths and weaknesses in participating in or leading an innovation initiative