CPT-22806 Innovation Management and Transdisciplinary Design

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

Introduction to Strategic Communication (CPT-12306), or Introduction to Communication and Innovation Studies (CPT-23804).

Continuation courses:

- CPT-32806 Change, Inter-human Processes and Communication;
- CPT-37306 Politics of Knowledge and Inclusive Innovation;
- CPT-60306 Facilitating Interactive Processes.

Contents:

Degradation of natural resources, vulnerability of agricultural systems, fragile institutions, environmental pollution, climate change, rural and urban poverty, global food and energy security, and unfavourable and unequitable positions for smallholders in global agrifood networks, are but some of the interconnected global challenges or 'wicked problems' for which new answers must be found. Innovations to meet these challenges are likely to be successful only when they contemplate different scales in systems, and when people that aim to manage such innovation processes succeed to forge a coherent balance between novel social, technical and organisational components, that anticipates user requirements, contextual conditions and political processes in change trajectories. Facilitating such a balance requires creative learning and negotiation processes amongst the different stakeholders connected to the issue and natural and social scientists.
Recognising that the predicaments mentioned above have both social and technical dimensions, Wageningen University has recognized that the existence of such multi-stakeholder dilemmas requires systems thinking in relation to innovation and so-called 'beta-gamma integration' (i.e. integration between social, natural and technical sciences) and the generation of trans-disciplinary design approaches in which science works collaboratively with stakeholders to generate solutions to problems and tackle challenges . This course will address conceptual, methodological and practical dimensions of design and systems thinking in innovation to deal with wicked problems and complex challenges, in both industrialized and developing countries. The course seeks to stimulate critical thinking amongst students - future change managers and development professionals - in addressing the complexity of effective social and natural science integration to support innovation and development processes which involve broad systems change.
The course consists of a series of lectures and related assignments which deals at an advanced conceptual and methodological level with a discussion on relevant theories related to complexity, knowledge, socio-technical innovation and design, as related to the domain of global agri-food networks, environmental change and equitable development.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- distinguish, critique and apply recent theories and modes of thinking about innovation and design processes in complex environments from a systemic perspective (especially in the Wageningen domains of agro-ecological and life sciences);
- analyse and assess the roles that knowledge workers (gamma and beta scientists and communication specialists such as advisors) may play in such socio-technical design and innovation processes;
- reflect on dilemmas related to bringing modes of transdisciplinary research and innovation into practice.

Activities:

- lectures on relevant innovation theory and tools for socio-technical problem analysis;
- guest lectures on design approaches from the beta and gamma sciences;
- group work on socio-technical problem analysis and interventions.

Examination:

- individual assignment (40%);
- group assignment (20%);
- group assignment (40%).
To pass each component requires a minimum mark of 5.5.

Literature:

A course outline can be obtained from the secretary of Communication Science.
Course literature will be available on MyPortal.