Faculty
Malek Maalouf

Course Coordinator
Malek Maalouf

N/A

The economic scenario in the world during the last years seems to place upon companies a higher standard of performance capabilities. There is a continuing fragmentation of mass markets as customers are becoming more demanding with increasing expectations. In face of increasing competition and globalization, a growing number of companies have realized the strategic importance of improving simultaneously efficiency (lower prices), flexibility and innovation (variety of products and services).

However, from an organizational point of view, all types of flexibility present a common challenge for the organizations: efficiency requires bureaucracy with standardization, formalization and specialization and rigid hierarchy; but these bureaucratic features seem to impede the process of adjustment required for flexibility; and organizations therefore confront a trade-off.

The major goal of this course is to present what organizations can do in order to be both effective and innovative. This will be done by drawing on organizational and learning theories and using cases of companies that have succeeded in solving the dilemma and aligning strategy with the right balance between efficiency and innovation.

After the course the students will be able to understand the main concepts (Learning loops, exploration and exploitation, etc.) and identify the actions (structure, context and leadership, etc.) that can be taken in order to achieve the efficiency while maintaining the innovation within a company.

The students will practice the reading of articles from high ranking journals.

The students will improve the ability to extract relevant information and insights from an article.

The students will also present and discuss findings and comments in groups.

In order to achieve the grade 12 at the exam, the students must be able to identify the theories and recommend the actions that can be taken in order to achieve a balance between efficiency and innovation within a company. The challenge will be the development of the ability to choose the best approach and use of the relevant theories presented in the class in order to explain the specific case presented at the exam.

Individual project exam/home assignment (Danish or English according to the student)

Adler, P. S., Goldoftas, B., & Levine, D. I. (1999). Flexibility versus efficiency? A case study model changeovers in the toyota production system. Organization Science, 10(1), 43-68.

Argyris, C., & Schön, D. (2007). Organizational learning. Bloomsbury Business Library - Management Library, , 78-78.

Burgelman, R. A. (1991). Intraorganizational ecology of strategy making and organizational adaptation: Theory and filed research. Organization Science, 2(3), 239-262.

Dyck, B., Starke, F. A., Mischke, G. A., & Mauws, M. (2005). Learning to build a car: An empirical investigation of organizational learning. Journal of Management Studies, 42(2), 387-416.

Gibson, C. B., & Birkinshaw, J. (2004). The antecedents, consequences, and mediating role of organizational ambidexterity. Academy of Management Journal, 47(2), 209-226.

Hannan, M. T., & Freeman, J. (1984). Structural inertia and organizational change. American Sociological Review, 49(2), 149-164.

Levinthal, D. A., & March, J. G. (1993). The myopia of learning. Strategic Management Journal, 14, 95-112.

March, J. G. (1991). Exploration and exploitation in organizational learning. Organization Science, 2(1), 71-87.

Mom, T. J. M., Van, D. B., & Volberda, H. W. (2007). Investigating managers' exploration and exploitation activities: The influence of top-down, bottom-up, and horizontal knowledge inflows. Journal of Management Studies, 44(6), 910-931.

O'Reilly III, C. A., & Tushman, M. L. (2004). The ambidextrous organization. Harvard Toni, A. D., & Tonchia, S. (1998). Manufacturing flexibility: A literature review. International Journal of Production Research, 36(6), 1587-1617.

Toni, A. D., & Tonchia, S. (1998). Manufacturing flexibility: A literature review. International Journal of Production Research, 36(6), 1587-1617.

Wheelwright, S. C., & Hayes, R. H. (1985). Competing through manufacturing. Harvard Business Review, 63(1), 99-109.