This course examines the social, economic, and cultural contexts of work and innovation. It looks at the relationships and connections which inspire technological change within social groups such as teams, workplaces, maker spaces and entrepreneurial ventures. The course is intended to cut across disciplines and appeal to students who have a broad interest in learning about corporate cultures and innovation processes of the 21st century. The course will emphasise social relationships surrounding innovation, the diffusion of new ideas and technologies and relevant global challenges such as talent migration and outsourcing. Also, particular emphasis will be placed on the millennial and post gen Z social actor as an agent of technological change, and how their engagement impacts the way work is conceptualised in the 4th industrial revolution. In addition to lectures and discussions by the course lead, the course will also involve guest presentations by individuals from corporate and academic sectors.
Learning Objectives
- Identify and describe processes of innovation from relevant sociological and organisational/STS perspectives.
- Apply principles from social, cultural, and economic factors of work and innovation in the micro and macro real‐life context.
- Gain insights into the role of individual agency in the areas of work and innovation.
- Connect sociological and organisational/STS theories to real life and evolving examples of work and innovation.
Measurable Outcomes
- Present a deeper understanding of how technologies develop, evolve and disrupt social and business processes.
- Use major theoretical insights in organisational sociology and STS to study innovation.
- Gain insights into the roles played by individuals and organisations in innovation, new work cultures and entrepreneurship
- Be an engaged participant in discussions by analysing and synthesising information presented in the lectures and readings
- Exhibit the ability to critique and apply relevant concepts and theories in written assignments and presentations.
Course Requirements
| Assessment | Percentage |
| WEC-Class Participation
(includes weekly oral response memos in teams) |
20 |
| WEC-Group Video Project and Poster | 25 |
| WEC-Individual OP-ED | 25 |
| WEC-Individual Research Paper | 30 |
Weekly Schedule
Week 1 – Introduction: challenges and opportunities of future work
Week 2 – Work in the 21st century
Week 3 – How has technology choices shaped the workplace?
Week 4 – Understanding the flux society and the role of corporations in innovation
Week 5 – Proactive governance and reskilling, upskilling, and deskilling challenge
Week 6 – Writing Workshop and Video Presentations
Week 7 – Recess
Week 8 – New models of organizational culture and the millennial workforce
Week 9 – Algorithmic Management: Accountability, Bias, Inequality, and Resistance
Week 10 – Artificial Intelligence and the End of Work?
Week 11 – Technology and work: from gig economy to globalization of technology workers
Week 12 – The future world of work
Week 13 – Review and Presentation
Instructor
Nilanjan Raghunath