• Use analytical tools to examine the challenges of managing innovative product development projects under high uncertainty
• Account for required course reading and illustrate points from the literature with examples from the case
• Understand theoretical-empirical relationships, for example by using theories to generate and explain issues concerning significant aspects of the case and by using the case to discuss fundamental assumptions, possibilities, and limitations in the applied theories
• Carry out critical assessments of the scope of alternative theories and compare their relevance to the case

The course develops the theme of Project Management and Product Development in relation to organizational and behavioral theories. Innovative product development (including goods and services) is regarded as an organizational achievement. There is a strong focus on the way in which actors organize their product development projects, in relation to which institutions and with what consequences for the product development project. Theories covered include contemporary perspectives on project management and product development. The context of product development, notably the linkage between the project organization and the market, is emphasized. As a further foundation for the course, the literature on networks, knowledge creation and organizational learning is covered. The ways in which current project management tools for product development can enable and constrain the innovative process are also thoroughly discussed. As a part of the course students must investigate a real life case of product development and complete a short project carried out in groups that deals with themes and literature in the course curriculum.

To remain innovative, companies need to develop new products – and do it quickly. This implies access to a variety of highly distributed forms of knowledge and technologies. However, obtaining access to such resources is only the first step towards a solution to the problem of innovative product development. The crucial and challenging task is to organize and manage resources so as to make them conducive to product innovation. The project has become an increasingly important form of organizing core business processes such as product development. This project-based form of organizing requires its own particular management competence. The course aims to provide students with analytical tools and capabilities that will allow them to comprehensively examine the challenges of organizing and managing innovative product development projects under high uncertainty. Incomplete knowledge of alternatives and consequences is assumed to be a prevailing condition.
 

Enberg, C.,Lindkvist, L. & Tell, F. (2006), Exploring the Dynamics of Knowledge Integration. Acting and Interacting in Project Teams, Management Learning, Vol. 37:2 (pp. 143-165)
Hernes, T. and Weik, E. (2007), Organization as Process. Drawing a line between endogenous and exogenous views, Scandinavian Journal of Management, Vol. 23, Nr. 3, pp. 251-264.
Kreiner, K. and Tryggestad, K. (2002): The co-production of chip and society: Unpacking packaged knowledge, Scandinavian Journal of Management, Vol. 18, pp. 421-449.
March, J. G. (1999), “Introduction” to The Pursuit of Organizational Intelligence. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell (pp. 1-10).