PHDINN906 Sustainable and Digital Transformations for Responsible Organizations

Contents and structure

This course will elaborate upon the drivers and obstacles for sustainable and digital transformations for responsible organizations. Agency is often overlooked within the literature on innovation system. Thus, in this course, we place special emphasis on how organizations contribute to the sustainable renewal and transformation of innovation systems, in particular in the digital context. With the ongoing twin (sustainable and digital) transformation, data play an increasingly central role in the decision making, innovation creation, and into policy making in the regional and national levels. The technological evolution not only produces high volume of data but also allows its process and use for more efficient evidence based decisions and policies. In policy spheres, there is increased emphasis on and attention for sustainable and digital transformations, notably through the notion of twin transition at the EU level, and the concept of smart cities at the local level. But what kind of innovations are espoused through these policy concepts? And how transformative and responsible are they in practice?

The course will provide insight into state-of-the-art knowledge on sustainable and digital transformations for responsible organizations. We will investigate digital and sustainable transitions, the role of sustainable business models in these transitions, and digitalization of sustainable places. Agency is often overlooked within the literature; in this course, we place special emphasis on organizational perspective. In particular, we will examine the challenge of developing more responsible and sustainable innovation systems based on the digital technologies.

The course consists of three modules.

Module 1 - Digital transformation of the economy

This module examines the flows of data and knowledge, relational thinking, and social networks in the context of digital and sustainable transitions. There will be a specific focus on the challenges of the twin transition (sustainable and digital).

Topics: Data-driven innovation, knowledge flows and networks, twin transition

Module 2 - Sustainable business models in the digital perspective

We examine the role of organizations for sustainable regional renewal through developing sustainable business models that lead to better organizational economic, environmental and social performance. There also will be focus on how digital practices will contribute to this process and the concept of corporate digital responsibility will be introduced.

Topics: Sustainable business models, Digital technologies for sustainability, Corporate digital responsibility

Module 3 - Digitalization of sustainable places: Smart cities

We examine the way policy shapes innovation for sustainable, digital transformations, how it provides directionality and incentives for different kinds of innovation and discuss possible dark sides of a growing popularity in policy-making for transformative change.

Topics: Sustainable digital transition, smart cities (from the perspective of responsible innovation), innovation in public sector

Learning Outcome

Upon completion of the course, the candidate should be able to:

Knowledge

• provide an overview of the general academic debates in the research field of sustainable and digital transformations;
• reflect on the role of organizations in sustainable and digital transformations;
• describe themain methodological approaches and their theoretical and conceptual underpinnings currently applied in the research field of sustainable and digital transformations;
• write an essay on theoretical, methodological and/or ethical issues related to his/her own PhD project.

Skills

• identify the theoretical perspectives and conceptual foundations in the research field of sustainable and digital transformations;
• recognize the methodological approach(es) of a given study exploring sustainable and digital transformations and its theoretical and conceptual underpinnings;
• structure analyses of the dynamism of sustainable and digital transformations;
• develop his/her own research ideas in close collaboration with established innovation researchers;
• apply state-of-the-art knowledge on sustainable and digital transformations in a short research paper.

General competence

• assess the applicability and limitations of theoretical and conceptual foundations in the research field of sustainable and digital transformations;
• discuss and relate recent developments and research trends within the research field of sustainable and digital transformations;
• identify central scientific venues and journals within the research field of sustainable and digital transformations.

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Teaching methods

• Lectures
• Colloquies and seminars
• Dedicated time for reading
• Writing of a short research paper (extended abstract, <3000 words) for an international conference
• Presentation of short research paper.

Compulsory learning activities

Participation in the lectures/seminars

Presentation of a research paper

Assessment

The research paper is graded pass/fail by an internal committee.

Examination support material

All aids allowed

More about examination support material