Module overview
Complex high value capital goods play a key role in the modern economy, wider society, and increasingly underpin a competitive advantage for countries, international firms, and high-technology industries such as IT, Telecoms, Aerospace, Manufacturing, Energy, and Construction. Complex products and systems which are a subset of capital goods, can be understood as high cost technology-intensive customised products, systems, networks, infrastructure, constructs, and services.
The design, production, operations, and implementation of complex products and systems are mainly focused on value-creation activities which require extreme levels of technology and innovation on a distinct project basis. Therefore, this module will introduce students to a range of issues focused on how complex projects are managed and controlled in the development and supply of complex products and systems.
Additionally, whereas the innovation literature is concerned with mass produced products, goods, and services, conversely this module introduces students to project management concepts, tools, and techniques involved with the dynamics of innovation systems in high-technology complex products.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- How organisational capabilities for high-technology complex products innovation management may vary from high volume products and services.
- Fundamental project management from ideation, planning, implementation, control, and closure.
- How organisations strategically implement business practices with high-technology complex products .
- Interdisciplinary project teams, stakeholders, and the role of project managers in new and emergent high-technology complex projects.
- Project management risks in complex projects and risk mitigation.
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Implement project management risk mitigation approaches in high-technology complex projects.
- Adapt innovation management for high-technology complex projects.
- Adapt processes across interdisciplinary project teams in high-technology projects.
- Apply appropriate project management approaches in complex projects
- Develop critical project management skills.
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Develop critical and analytical thinking skills.
- Analyse project management approaches.
- Manage interdisciplinary team structures.
Syllabus
●Introduction to Project Management in Complex Projects
●Capital Goods and Complex Products Systems
●Dynamics of Innovation in Complex Projects
●Project Manager Critical Perspective in Complex Projects
●Business Strategy and Project Capabilities for Complex Projects
●Integrating Systems and Competitive Advantage
●Appraising the Project-based Organisation
●Managing High-Technology Intensive Projects
●Knowledge in Project Business
●Project Risk and Mitigation
●Sustainable, Ethical and Responsible Management of Projects
●Project Business Lessons in Complex Projects
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include
●Lectures
●Use of on-line materials
●Individual assignment reflecting on the lessons learned
●In-class case study / problem solving activities
●Private study
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Independent Study | 126 |
| Lecture | 24 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
General Resources
Project Management Institute. https://www.pmi.org
Institute of Mechanical Engineers. https://www.imeche.org
Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply. https://www.cips.org
Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport. https://ciltuk.org.uk
Chartered Associate for Project management. https://www.apm.org.uk
Journal Articles
International Journal of Project Management.
Production Planning and Control.
Technovation.
Research Policy.
Project Management Journal.
Journal of Product Innovation Management.
Production and Operations Management.
Journal of Operations Management.
Manufacturing and Service Operations Management.
Textbooks
Chapman, R. (2019). The Rules of Project Risk Management: Implementation Guidelines for Major Projects. Routledge.
Tidd, J. & Bessant, J. ( 2018). Managing Innovation: Integrating Technological, Market and Organizational Change. Wiley.
Maylor, H. (2010). Project Management. Prentice Hall.
Murray-Webster, R., & Dalcher, D. (2019). APM Body of Knowledge. Association for Project Management.
Shina, S. (2014). Engineering Project Management for the Global Hight Technology Industry. McGraw-Hill.
Shenhar, A., Dvir, D. (2007). Reinventing Project Management: Diamond Approach to Successful Growth and Innovation. Harvard Business School Press.
Davies, A. & Hobday, M. (2005). The Business of Projects. Cambridge University Press.
Brown, S. & Bessant, J. (2018). Strategic Operations Management. Routledge.
Prencipe, A., Davies, A., and Hobday, M. (2003). The Business of Systems Integration. Oxford University Press.
Flyvbjerg, B. (2018). The Oxford Handbook of Megaproject Management. Oxford University Press.
Flyvbjerg, B., Bruzelius, N., Rothengatter, W. ( 2003). Megaprojects and Risks: An anatomy of ambition.. Cambridge University Press.
Assessment
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Report | 100% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Report | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Report | 100% |