Discussion Topic 1: Organizational Innovativeness: The Impact of Size, Structural Characteristics, and Presence of Champions
In the first of your two discussion topics for this unit, you will
analyze the impact of several variables on organizational
innovativeness.
Each organizational structure variable (e.g., centralization,
complexity, formalization, interconnectedness, slack, size) may be
related to innovation in one direction during the initiation phases of
the innovation process, and in the opposite direction during the
implementation phases. Explain this. Is this a truism in your
organization? [If you are not presently employed, consider any
organization]. Why or why not? Does the relationship between size and
innovativeness surprise you? Discuss this concerning “skunkworks.” Is
this a conflicting finding? How would you change your approach during
the initiation vs. implementation phases of the diffusion process to
account for what the literature concludes about organizations? Would you
engage a “champion”? Why or why not?
In responding to your classmates, consider the following prompt:
- Can you provide examples that illustrate or refute Rogers (2003) generalizations regarding organizational structure variables?
Points and Rubric
This discussion is worth 20 points. Refer to your Discussion Rubric
for specific grading criteria. The deadline for your initial post and
additional responses is Tuesday night at 11:59 p.m. ET; however, you
must participate over multiple days throughout the unit to earn full
credit.
Remember that your goal for discussion is three-fold:
- To participate actively over multiple days throughout the unit.
- To contribute in a way that adds to the discussion and moves it forward in an original fashion.
- To use the course content to inform your posts and responses.
Remember that when you post, you should always reference items you cite — be sure to use APA format
for this. Also, refer back to the rubric as often as you need during
the week. The class is about sharing knowledge, so use discussions to
create a community resource for yourself and your colleagues.
This discussion addresses the following unit learning outcomes:
- Analyze the impact of the following variables on organizational
innovativeness: size, structural characteristics, and presence of
champions. - Examine the key qualities of champions.
It also addresses the following Course Outcome:
ED780-2: Examine the characteristics of educational systems that promote an environment conducive to intrapreneurship and innovation.