Managing knowledge-intensive and creative industries
Alexander Styhre
Dept. of Business Administration
University of Gothenburg
1. Position in the education systsem
Master level course
2. Course content
The course serves to provide an overview of the management of knowledge-intensive and
creative industries including science-based industries (e.g., pharmaceutical industry),
technology and engineering based industries (telecom), design-based firms (e.g., architecture
firms), creative industries (e.g., video game development), and so forth. Knowledge-intensive
and creative industries are the fastest growing sector in the economy and today about 15-20%
of all employment is located here. The course serves to combine academic research,
theoretical framework, and empirical illustrations.
The course include a series of lectures including both academic researchers and guest lectures
from industry, a team-based empirical study of a knowledge-intensive or creative industry
company and a literature seminar.
3. Learning outcomes
1. The student should learn the basic terms and vocabulary used in the management of
knowledge-intensive and creative industries.
2. They should learn to apply and critically evaluate the concepts and theories in an
actual research setting.
3. They should be able to understand the scope of the managerial work in this sector of
the economy.
4. Required reading
See enclosed list of required reading.
5. Assessment
Learning outcome 1 through 3 are assessed on basis of a written scientific paper, adhering to
formal instructions given by the course examiner
6. Grading scale
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The grades are Pass with Distinction (väl godkänd, VG), Pass (godkänd, G) or Fail
(underkänd,U). For Pass on the course, Pass is required on all three learning outcomes. For
Pass with Distinction on the course, Pass with Distinction is required on learning outcomes
one and two, and Pass on learning outcome three.
Grades are translated with a set model where the grades correspond to the following intervals
according to EGIS (ECTS Grade Interpretation Scheme):
Pass with Distinction (väl godkänd, VG) A‐ B
Pass (godkänd, G) C‐ E
Fail (underkänd, U) FX‐ F
7. Course evaluation
The course will be evaluated upon completion. The results of the evaluation will be
communicated to the students and will function as a guide for the development of the course.
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Schedule
Lecture
Friday, Sept 2 10.00-12.00
1. Knowledge
society,
knowledge
capitalism, etc:
Setting the
scene
Tuesday, Sept. 10.00-12.00
2. Professions,
professionalism,
and the creative
class
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Lecturer
Alexander Styhre,
Dept. of Business
Administration
Reading
Alexander Styhre,
Dept. of Business
Administration
Kärreman, Dan &
Alvesson, Mats,
(2004), Leicht &
Fennel (1997)
Nordenflycht
(2010), Townley,
Beech & McKinlay
(2009)
Tuesday, Sept
7
13.00-14.00
Alexander Styhre,
Dept. of Business
Administration
Paper template
Tuesday, Sept.
14
13.00-15.00
Mats Sundgren,
AstraZeneca
Munos (2009)
5. Project
Tuesday, Sept.
21
13.00-15.00
Göran Lindahl.
Chalmers
University of
Technology
Lindahl and Nina
Modig
Løvendahl (1995)
6. Managing
Tuesday, Sept.
28
13.00-15.00
Cohen et al., (2005);
Lymer (2009)
Tuesday Oct.
5.
13.00-15.00.
Thursday Oct.
7.
10.00-12.00.
Fredrik Nilsson,
White Architects &
Chalmers
University of
Technology
Alexander Styhre,
Dept. of Business
Administration
Peter Zachariasson,
GRI
Tuesday Oct.
12.
13.00-15.00.
Ola Bergström,
Dept. of Business
Administration
Tuesday Oct.
19.
13.00-15.00.
Gideon Kunda
Tel Aviv university,
Visiting professor
Dept. of Business
Administration
Bergström &
Knights (2006)
Bergström,
Hasselblad &
Kärreman (2009
Kunda, Chapter
1&5
3. Papers
examination
assignment:
Introduction
4. Managing
science-based
work
Management in
the Event
Industry:
collective topdown, planned
ad-hoc and
other challenges
architect work
7. Literature
seminar
8. The videogame
development
community
9. Recruiting and
leading
management
consultants
10. Managing
engineering
companies
3
Sundgren & Styhre,
(2003)
Owen-Smith
(2001)
Bechky (2006)
Zackariasson,
Styhre and Wilson
(2006); Tschang
(2007)
11. Bridging the
culture sector
and industry:
Challenges and
opportunities
12. Final seminar:
Paper
presentation
(roundtable
presentation)
Thursday Oct
21
13.00-15.00.
Evelina Wahlquist,
Dept of Economic.
geography
Flew and
Cunningham,
(2010)
Pratt (2009)
Thursday Oct.
28.
13.00-15.00
Alexander Styhre,
FEK
Compulsory
attendance
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Course reading list
Lecture 1
Nordenflycht, Andrew von, (2010), What is a professional service firm? Towards a theory
and taxonomy of knowledge-intensive firms, Academy of Management Review, 35(1): 155174.
Townley, Barbara, Beech, Nic & McKinlay, Alan, (2009), Managing in the creative
industries: Managing the motley crew, Human Relations, 62(7): 939-962.
Lecture 2
Leicht, Kevin T. & Fennell, Mary J., (1997), The changing context of professional work,
Annual Review of Sociology, 23: 215-231.
Kärreman, Dan & Alvesson, Mats, (2004), Cages in tandem: Management control, social
identity, and identification in a knowledge-intensive firm, Organization, 11(1): 149-175.
Lecture 3
Paper template (Uploaded by AS)
Lecture 4
Munos, Bernard, (2009), Lessons from 60 years of pharmaceutical innovation, Nature, Nature
Reviews, 8: 959-968.
Sundgren, Mats & Styhre, A., (2003), Creativity–A volatile key of success? Creativity in new
drug development, Creativity and Innovation Management, 9(3).
Lecture 5
5
Lindahl, N. & Modig, N. (2006) Organisational change in the run-up to a major sport event :
The case of the European Athletics Championships 2006 in Proceedings of IRNOP VII
Conference, October 11-13 in Xian, China
Løvendahl, Bente R., (1995), Organizing the Lillehammer Olympic winter games,
Scandinavian Journal of Management, 11(4): 347-362.
Lecture 6
Cohen, Laurie, Wilkinson, Adrian, Arnold, John & Finn, Rachael, (2005), Remember I’m the
bloody architect! Architects, organizations and discourses of professions, Work,
Employment and society, 19(4): 775-796.
Lymer, Gustav, (2009), Demonstrating professional vision: The work of critique in
architectural education, Mind, Culture and Activity, 16: 145-171.
Lecture 7 (Literature seminar)
Owen-Smith, Jason, (2001), Managing laboratory work through skepticism: Processes of
evaluation and control, American Sociological Review, 66: 427-452.
Bechky, Beth (2006), Gaffers, gofers, and grips: Role-Based Coordination in Temporary
Organizations, Organization Science, 17: 3-21
Lecture 8
Peter Zackariasson, Alexander Styhre and Timothy L. Wilson (2006). Phronesis and
Creativity: Knowledge Work in Video Game Development. Creativity and Innovation
Management (15)4, pp. 419-429.
Tschang, F. Ted (2007). Balancing the Tensions Between Rationalization and Creativity in
the Video Games Industry. Organization Studies (18(6), pp. 989-1005.
Lecture 9
Bergström, O. & Knights, D., (2006) Organizational Discourse and Subjectivity,
Subjectification during processes of recruitment, Human Relations, Vol. 59(3): 351-377.
Bergström, O., Hasselbladh, H. & Kärreman, D. (2009) Organizing Disciplinary Power in a
Knowledge Organization, Scandinavian Journal och Management, 25, 178-90.
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Lecture 10
Kunda, G., (1992), Engineering Culture, Philadelphia: Temple University Press., Chapter 1 &
5.
Lecture 11
Terry Flew and Stuart Cunningham, (2010), Creative Industries After the First Decade of
Debate, The Information Society, 26: 1–11, 2010.
Pratt, A. C. (2009), Urban Regeneration: From the Arts `Feel Good' Factor to the Cultural
Economy: A Case Study of Hoxton, London. Urban Studies, 46(5-6): 1041-1061.
Assignment for the literature seminar, October 5
Read the two papers and try to answers the two following questions: (1) what is the essence of
the paper when it comes to the management of knowledge-intensive and creative industries?,
i.e., what can be learnt from the two cases studies that are applicable in other settings?. (2)
consider the relevance of the main findings in the studies for some other settings or industries,
either where you worked yourself or that you have read about.
All students should submit an individual two page summary of their thoughts and argument to
Alexander Styhre at the seminar or as hard-copies at some point during the course.
Final exam, October 28.
The course is examined on basis of an individually or two-authored written journal-style
paper addressing a topic of relevance for the course. The paper should not exceed 5,000 words
(excl. references) and need to be submitted as hard copy to Alexander Styhre on October 28,
12.00 at the latest (boxes for the papers will be placed outside Alexander Styhre’s office at
J5). The authors should prepare for a ten minutes presentation of the paper during the final
seminar on October 28. The presentation should include (1) a presentation of the topic of
inquiry and the purpose of the paper, (2) the theoretical framework used, (3) the methodology
of the study, (4) key findings and results, (5) the implications for the management of
knowledge-intensive and creative industries.
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