Technology management: an integrative approach
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| 3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| Examination | No residential school |
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This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees may vary by country.
Summary
This course will benefit anyone managing technological change and innovation in either the private, public or third sectors. Whether you're a manager, engineer, technologist or scientist, this course will help you build an integrated view of the technological challenges for product and process technologies in the current global economy – especially the strategic necessity for faster product life-cycles, continuous improvement and radical innovation. On completing the course you will have gained the skills necessary for critically assessing both established or emerging approaches to technological innovation and developing your own approaches to managing technology at the project and programme level.
Course content
The course is divided into eight blocks.
Technology management: the operational issues explains the role of management in technology, together with the special features of technology as it affects managers. Analysis of operational change and handling performance management by problem-solving are followed by a study of improvement and innovation.
Patterns of innovation and improvement demonstrates the importance of continuous incremental improvement and presents structured approaches to it, recognising that design, technological development and market needs interact and change over time.
Innovations: creating and using them examines the theory and practice of innovation in business and other organisations. The block expands the discussion of the differences between improvement and innovation in order to discuss different theoretical models of the innovation process and encourage you to develop your own model. We discuss the various sources of innovation, with examples from manufacturing and provision of services. In the light of the cases presented we draw up a critical examination of the applicability of theoretical models.
Managing technical projects gives you an integrated understanding of the role of project and programme management and of the factors that can make it hard to complete projects on time and within budget. Projects are often defined to manage change with respect to both continuous improvement, new product development, process redesign and the development of radical innovations. Technical projects range in size from short projects lasting weeks or months to those that last decades. Similarly, their size may require a small cohesive team or collaboration between several organisations. Whatever the project, the consequence of failure is likely to be drastic in terms of direct cost and the longer term consequences on the organisation’s performance. This block considers the issues that affect how technical projects are managed effectively. It aims to encourage you to consider these issues using a range of perspectives.
Conclusions: themes and issues develops some of the ‘people-related’ issues of technology management, discussing the importance of communication and information technology management. There is practical advice for managers coping with the dynamics of technology and the pace of change.
Analytical methods gives you detailed information about how to apply the different kinds of analytical methods explained in the main blocks and an understanding of how to use the results. This is a ‘take-away’ book of analytical methods that you can easily refer to in your daily work, for guidance on using analytical methods to improve the quality of managerial decisions, thought and actions.
Case studies comprises examples that enable you to integrate the themes in the course.
Papers is a selection relevant to your studies.
Vocational relevance
The course is related to N/SVQs in management at Level 4, and in operational management and strategic management at Level 5.
Entry
This is a masters-level course that can be studied on its own or as part of a postgraduate award. If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Qualifications
T840 is a compulsory course in our
- Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Management (C49)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Technology Management (E08)
- MBA (Technology Management) (F03)
- MSc in Technology Management (F36)
T840 is an optional course in our
- Postgraduate Certificate in Systems Thinking in Practice (C72)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Information Systems (E10)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Management of Software Projects (E19)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Systems Thinking in Practice (E28)
- MBA (F02)
- MSc in Information Systems (F37)
- MSc in Management of Software Projects (F43)
- MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice (F47)
Some postgraduate qualifications allow study to be chosen from other subject areas. These qualifications allow most postgraduate courses to count towards them.We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
Excluded combinations
If this course is in a similar area to one you have already completed, you can find out if it is an excluded combination.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
Some of the course material is presented on DVD. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our booklet Meeting Your Needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You can also find information about accessible course materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Course materials
What's included
Course books, other printed materials, DVDs.
You will need
DVD player.
Computing requirements
This course has online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will be responsible for monitoring your progress on the course, marking and commenting on your written work and whom you can contact for advice and guidance. A programme of face-to-face tutorials will be arranged at one or two UK locations and students will also have the opportunity to engage in synchronous online tutorials. Your tutor will also mediate an online forum for your tutor group in which participation is optional. There is also a separate online forum for all students on the course. Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.
Professional recognition
The Open University is registered with the Institution of Electrical Engineers and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers as a continuing professional development provider.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in May and November 2010. We expect it to be available twice a year.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
About this page
A postgraduate course in Computing and ICT and Engineering and Technology.
Study explained
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- Study explained
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Student Reviews
The course was hard going and rather confusing in its layout. The aim of each individual section did not fit ...
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I took T840 last year and passed it. I think that it is good course that is stimulating and challenging. ...
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