Bad and good practices on Literature Review

There are different practices on Literature Review (LR), some bad and some good. I list them below from bad to good:

1. As a list of readings with brief descriptions; that is, a kind of annotated bibliography
2. An explanation of the search process of finding relevant literature
3. A survey on relevant writing and research works on the topic under investigation
4. As a vehicle of learning the relevant concepts and viewpoints on the topic under investigation
5. As a facilitation to investigate the topic, clarifying the context and supporting the methodology to be employed in the investigation by the student.
6. To discuss the literature as a major part of your research report; this is considered as the highest level of conceptions in the investigation by the student

Note:

• Literature sources: textbooks, academic articles, dissertation reports
• Review efforts: describe, explain, compare and contrast, evaluate and select, synthesize
• Literature elements: concepts (and their definitions), viewpoints, findings, methodologies used, experience gained, information gaps, major intellectual curiosity/ queries, points of debates
• Literature review outcomes: inform research design, research objectives and questions, analysis & evaluation efforts.

Reference
Bryman, A.and Bell, E. (2007) "Chapter 4: Getting Started: reviewing the literature",  Business Research Methods, Oxford University Press

Also see my article on literature review

On minimum wage - some resources

Some of my Independent study students choose the topic of minimum wage as their topic areas. Below are some online resources:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage_in_Hong_Kong
2. http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/mwo.htm
3. Effect of minimum wages on employment (pdf): http://www.nber.org/papers/w4742.pdf?new_window=1
4. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/economic-theory-minimum-wage-3888.html
5. Institutional Economics and minimum wages (pdf): http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1458&context=ilrreview

A Contingency Theory for Business Performance Measurement

The following discussion agenda is on A Contingency Theory for Measurement in the study of Business Performance Measurement:

1. An outline of a contingency theory
2. Technology
3. Organizational Structure
4. The environment

ReferenceBroadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 8: A Contingency Theory for Measurement" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Relating Performance Measurement and Strategy

The following discussion agenda is on Relating Performance Measurement and Strategy in the study of Business Performance Measurement:

1. 4 stages of organizational development
2. Multidivisional organisations
• Traditional accounting methods of divisional performance
• Product portfolio matrix
3. Product life cycle
4. Strategy and performance measures
5. Value Chain and sources of differentiation

Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 7: Relating Performance Measurement and Strategy" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Integrated Performance Measurement Tools

The following discussion agenda is on Integrated Performance Measurement Tools in the subject of Business Performance Measurement:

1. Performance measurement systems and focus of control
2. A balanced view of organizational performance
• The balanced scorecard
• Designing balanced scorecard measures
• Advantages and problems with the balanced scorecard approach

Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 6: Integrated Performance Measurement Tools: A Balanced Approach" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

A Critical Resource Perspective of Business Performance Measurement

The following discussion agenda is on A Critical Resource Perspective of Business Performance Measurement:

1. A reflection on Economic Value Added and similar techniques
2. Intangible resources
• A template for Intellectual Capital measurements
3. Efficiency and effectiveness techniques
• Benchmarking
• Just-in-time
• Total Quality Management and Business Process Re-engineering
• Activity-based approaches to costing and management

Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 5: A Critical Resource Perspective of Performance Measurement" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Stakeholder perspectives in Business Performance Measurement study

The following discussion agenda is on Stakeholder Perspectives in the study of Business Performance Measurement:

1. Mission Statements and Stakeholder Analysis
2. The Corporate Report
• User groups with areas of interest
3. Stakeholder Power
4. Economic value added
• Traditional vs Value-based Income Statement
5. Cash-flow return on investment
6. Determinants of shareholder value creation and shareholder value creation strategies
7. Performance measures for marketing
• The value system
8. Environmental-related performance measurement
• The environmental performance diamond

Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 4: Stakeholder Perspectives of Performance Measurement" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Key performance measures in Business Performance Measurement

The following discussion agenda is on Key Performance Measures in Business Performance Measurement:

1. Measurement of programmes and coordination of change activities
• Accountability trail
2. Critical Success Factors (CSFs)
• Linking CSF with value chain analysis
3. Key performance indicators
• Process/ function map for aligning performance measures
4. Efficiency and Effectiveness
5. Balanced scorecard

Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 3: What You Measure is What You Get!" Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Business Performance Measurement - an introductory note

The following introductory discussion agenda is on Business Performance Measurement:

1. Factors that lead to Business Changes
• Governmental
• Technological
• Managerial
2. Organizational Structure
• 'New Wave Management'
3. Managerial techniques
• Key themes in the new management approach
4. Changes to performance measures
5. Strategic issues
6. A framework  for studying corporate performance measurement
7. Profit measures
8. Problems with ROCE and ROI
9. Earnings per share and Price/Earnings ratio
10. Other external measures of performance
11. Informal and formal performance comparisons with competitors
12. Benchmarking
13. Product cost comparison

Reference
Broadbent, M. (1999) "Chapter 1: The Changing Nature of Business" and "Chapter 2: Performance Measurement: A Reflection", Measuring Business Performance, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

The prospects for Sustainable Urban Development

A discussion agenda on the Prospects for Sustainable Urban Development:

1. The techno-economic paradigm
2. Governing via spatial planning and regulation
3. The limits on urban development sustainability

Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 10: The Prospects for Sustainable  Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.

Regulating in Sustainable Urban Development

The following discussion agenda is on Regulating in the subject of Sustainable Urban Development:

1. Regulating for sustainability
2. The pursuit of zero-carbon development
3. Decision making and learning within regulatory processes

Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 9: Regulating for Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.

Spatial Planning in Sustainable Urban Development

The following discussion agenda is on Spatial Planning in the study of Sustainable Urban Development:

1. Spatial planning for sustainability
• Urban systems and spatial planning integration
2. Energy systems
• Decentralized and renewable energy options
3. Waste systems
4. Transport systems
5. Water systems
6. Green and blue spaces
7. Dynamics of spatial planning
8. Learning within spatial planning

Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 8: Spatial Planning for Sustainable  Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.

Financial incentives in Sustainable Urban Development

The following discussion agenda is on Financial Incentives in the study of Sustainable Urban Development:

1. Market-based instruments
2. Fiscal measures and sustainable urban development
• Implications of fiscal measures  for governing
3. Institutional arrangements

Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 7: Financial Incentives and Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.

Information provision in Sustainable Urban Development

The  following discussion agenda is on Information Provision in the subject of Sustainable Urban Development:

1. Provision of Information Modeling
2. Buildings and Developments Assessment
3. Whole-life carbon assessments
4. Zero-carbon development
5. Best practice developments
6. Information tools

Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 6: Information and Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.

Governing and Learning in Sustainable Urban Development

The following discussion agenda is on Governing and  Learning in Sustainable Urban Development:

1. Learning & the policy process
• A linear model of learning
• Networks of learning
2. Fostering connections within networks of learning
• A scale-free or hub-and-spoke network
3. Fostering communication within networks of learning
4. Knowledge as a constructed category
5. On reframing

Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 5: Governing and Learning" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.

Governing for sustainability in Sustainable Urban Development

The following discussion is on Governing for Sustainability in the subject of Sustainable Urban Development:

1. An overview of Governing
• National and International Sustainability Indicators
• Urban sustainability indicators
• Power and governing
2. Governing at the urban scale
3. Governing tools

Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 4: Governing for Sustainability" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.

Urban Development in Sustainable Urban Development

The following discussion agenda is on Producing Urban Development in Sustainable Urban Development:

1. Urban Development Processes
• A linear model of the urban development process
• A network model of the urban development process
2. Construction processes
3. Property finance & exchange processes
• Sources of profit from the development process
• Different forms of house building

Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 3: Producing Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.

Sustainable Urban Development dimensions

The following discussion agenda is on Dimensions of Sustainable Urban Development:

1. Building Scale Sustainability
• A sustainable urban development framework
2. Environmental aspects of sustainable buildings
3. Economic and social aspects of sustainable buildings
4. Sustainability at the Development Site Scale
5. Sustainability at Urban and Regional Scale

Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 2: Dimensions  of Sustainable Urban Development" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.

Sustainable Urban Development - an introductory agenda

The following is an introductory agenda on Sustainable Urban Development:

1. The meaning of sustainable development
2. The 3 models of sustainable development
• The Venn Diagram Model
• The Russian Doll Model
• The Pillars Model
3. The meaning of Urban Sustainability
• The Urban Resource Loop
4. The Sustainable Development and Urban agenda

Reference
Rydin, Y. (2010) "Chapter 1: Sustainable Development and the Urban Agenda" Governing for sustainable urban development, Earthscan.

Root Cause Analysis as a manufacturing improvement tool

The following discussion agenda is on Root Cause Analysis as a manufacturing improvement tool:

1. The logic and benefits of Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
2. 3 Common Approaches to analyze incidents
• 5 Whys
• Cause and Effect Diagrams with the addition of cards
• RCA
3. Appolo RCA Methodology and CEDAC
4. Problem Definition and Follow Through
5. Action Management
6. Incidents and ongoing concerns

Reference
Moore, R. (2007) "Chapter 14: Root Cause Analysis" Selecting the right manufacturing improvement tools: What tools? When?, Butterworth-Heinemann.

Predictive Maintenance & Conditioning Monitoring

The following discussion agenda is on Predictive  Maintenance & Condition Monitoring in the subject of Manufacturing Improvement Tools:

1. Benefits of Condition Monitoring (CM)
2. Common mistakes in CM programs
3. Managing the degradation process
4. Benefits of Preventive Maintenance (PM)
5. Predictive Maintenance/ Condition Monitoring Technologies
6. Vibration Analysis
7. Lubrication/ Fluid Analysis
8. Infrared Thermography
9. Motor and Electrical Testing
10. Specific Motor Current Testing
11. Airborne Ultrasonic Testing
12. Operator Process Condition Monitoring
13. Contracting CM

Reference
Moore, R. (2007) "Chapter 13: Predictive Maintenance/ Condition Monitoring" Selecting the right manufacturing improvement tools: What tools? When?, Butterworth-Heinemann.

Reliability Centered Maintenance as a manufacturing improvement tool

The following discussion agenda is on Reliability-Centered Maintenance in the subject of Manufacturing Improvement Tools:

1. The primary objectives and the characteristics of Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM)
2. RCM Logic Tree
3. Critical Analysis
4. Maintenance Strategy development based on RCM
5. Potential pitfalls of RCM
6. Common characteristics of RCM and Six Sigma

Reference
Moore, R. (2007) "Chapter 12: Reliability-Centered Maintenance" Selecting the right manufacturing improvement tools: What tools? When?, Butterworth-Heinemann.

Supply chain management as a manufacturing improvement tool

The following discussion agenda is on the topic of Supply Chain Management in the subject of Manufacturing Improvement Tools:

1. Supply Chain Management (SCM) models and principles
2. Managing customers
• Products/ customers decision-making model
• Product decision-making model
• Customer profitability model
3. Cost of Service
4. Characteristics of good suppliers
5. Policy deployment in SCM
6. Functional organizations vs Supply Chain organizations

Reference
Moore, R. (2007) "Chapter 11: Supply Chain Management" Selecting the right manufacturing improvement tools: What tools? When?, Butterworth-Heinemann.

Six Sigma as a manufacturing improvement tool

The following discussion agenda is on the topic of Six Sigma in the subject of Manufacturing Improvement tools:

1. Six Sigma - definition and the methodology
2. Application of Six Sigma Principles
3. Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing

Reference
Moore, R. (2007) "Chapter 10: Six Sigma" Selecting the right manufacturing improvement tools: What tools? When?, Butterworth-Heinemann.

Total Productive Maintenance as a manufacturing improvement tool

The following discussion agenda is on the topic of Total Productive Maintenance in the subject of Manufacturing Improvement Tools:

1. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Fundamentals
• Measuring Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
2. TPM and Safety Performance
3. Operating Care
4. Operator/ Owner Guidelines
5. Maintenance/ Improver Guidelines
6. Quick Changeover

Reference
Moore, R. (2007) "Chapter 9: Total Productive Maintenance" Selecting the right manufacturing improvement tools: What tools? When?, Butterworth-Heinemann.

Kaizen as a manufacturing improvement tool

The following discussion is on the topic of Kaizen in the subject of Manufacturing Improvement Tools:

1. On Idea programs' effectiveness
2. Major goals, principles and activities of Kaizen
• 5S
• Standardization
• Elimination of muda (waste)
• Kanban

Reference
Moore, R. (2007) "Chapter 8: Kaizen" Selecting the right manufacturing improvement tools: What tools? When?, Butterworth-Heinemann.

Lean Manufacturing as a manufacturing improvement tool

The following discussion agenda is on the topic of Lean Manufacturing as a manufacturing improvement tool:

1. A brief history of Lean Manufacturing
2. Characteristics of Lean Manufacturing
3. Philosophy of Lean Manufacturing
• The 4-P Model of the Toyota Way
• The Toyota Production System and its DNA

 
ReferenceMoore, R. (2007) "Chapter 7: Lean Manufacturing" Selecting the right manufacturing improvement tools: What tools? When?, Butterworth-Heinemann.

Innovation as a manufacturing improvement tool

The following discussion agenda is on the topic of Innovation as a manufacturing improvement tool:

1. Creation of an Innovative Environment
• Get lower costs through little innovation
• Create expectations
• The loss of innovation with outsourcing
• An examination of illustrative scenarios
2. Human capital as the heart of Innovation
• Human Asset Valuation Methods

ReferenceMoore, R. (2007) "Chapter 3: Innovation" Selecting the right manufacturing improvement tools: What tools? When?, Butterworth-Heinemann.

Organizational alignment as a manufacturing improvement tool

The following discussion agenda is on Organizational Alignment in the subject of Manufacturing Improvement Tools:

1. The rationale for Organizational Alignment
• For manufacturing excellence
2. Alignment of functional elements to superordinate goals
3. Using Asset Management Strategy as an Alignment Tool
4. CEO compensation in Organizational Alignment
5. Internal Equity considerations
6. External Competitiveness considerations
7. Initiative Overload in Organizational Alignment

Reference
Moore, R. (2007) "Chapter 2: Aligning the Organization" Selecting the right manufacturing improvement tools: What tools? When?, Butterworth-Heinemann.

Governance and Hope in Sustainable City Ecosystems

The following discussion agenda is on Governance and Hope in the subject of Sustainable City Ecosystems:

1. Hope and Good Governance correlation
2. Strategies for Good Governance and Hope
• Empowering citizens and reducing inequities
• Local, Bioregional, Global Structures
• Embedding Sustainability in Agencies
• Indicator Projects

Reference

Newman, P. and Jennings, I. (2008) "Chapter 10: Governance and Hope", Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems, Island Press

Sustainable Production & Consumption in Sustainable City Ecosystems

The following discussion agenda is on Sustainable Production & Consumption in the subject of Sustainable City Ecosystems:

1. Production and Consumption Integration
2. Sustainable Consumption and strategies for sustainable consumption
• Voluntary simplicity
• Demand management
• Sustainable purchasing programs
• Slow movement
3. Sustainable Production and strategies for sustainable production
• Bioregional and community technology
• Biomimicry
• Eco-efficiency and Industrial Ecology
• Integrated Technologies for support systems
• Technology assessment

Reference

Newman, P. and Jennings, I. (2008) "Chapter 9: Sustainable Production and Consumption", Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems, Island Press

Partnership in Sustainable City Ecosystems

The following discussion agenda is on Partnerships in the subject of Sustainable City Ecosystems:

1. Cooperative Networks in Nature and Cities
2. Strategies for creating partnerships in cities
• Government-initiated partnerships
• Business-initiated partnerships
• Community-initiated partnerships
• Bioregional partnerships between urban and rural communities
• Research Partnerships

Reference

Newman, P. and Jennings, I. (2008) "Chapter 8: Partnerships", Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems, Island Press

Empowerment & Participation in Sustainable City Ecosystems

The following discussion agenda is on the topic of Empowerment and Participation in the subject of Sustainable City Ecosystems:

1. The notions of Empowerment and Participation
2. Strategies for Empowerment and Participation
• Committing to empowerment and participation
• Empowering people through education and healing circles
• Using different levels of engagement for different urban functions
• Engaging the disempowered
• Developing a resource base for empowerment

Reference

Newman, P. and Jennings, I. (2008) "Chapter 7: Empowerment and Participation", Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems, Island Press

Sense of Place in Sustainable City Ecosystems

The following discussion agenda is on the topic of Sense of Place in the subject of Sustainable City Ecosystems:

1. The idea of a Sense of Place
2. Strategies for promoting a sense of place
• Protecting and restoring key elements of cities' natural and cultural heritage
• Designing to make natural and cultural processes visible
• Connecting the Urban form with Bioregion
• Using cultural practices to celebrate a sense of place
• Discovering city "songlines"

Reference

Newman, P. and Jennings, I. (2008) "Chapter 6: Sense of Place", Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems, Island Press

Modeling Cities in Sustainable City Ecosystems

The following discussion agenda is on Modeling Cities on Ecosystems in the subject of Sustainable City Ecosystems:

1. Modeling based on a Systems Perspective
• Cities as Ecosystems
• Bossel's Systems Model of Sustainability
• Ecosystem Succession Principles for City form and structure
• A Human Ecology Approach to understanding how cities are shaped
2. Case studies on Ecological Development

Reference

Newman, P. and Jennings, I. (2008) "Chapter 5: Modeling Cities on Ecosystems" , Island Press

Ecological Footprints in Sustainable City Ecosystems

The following discussion agenda is on Ecological Footprints in the subject of Sustainable City Ecosystems:

1. Ecological Footprints and Biocapacity
2. Footprints calculation
• Compound method and Component method
3. Ecological Footprint Studies
• Strengths and weaknesses of the ecological footprint
4. Strategies of reducing Ecological Footprints
• Via Ecosystem Assessments
• Managing population growth
• Managing city sprawl
• Reducing consumption patterns

Reference
Newman, P. and Jennings, I. (2008) "Chapter 4: Ecological Footprints" Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems, Island Press

Biodiversity in Sustainable City Ecosystems

The following discussion agenda is on Biodiversity in the subject of Sustainable City Ecosystems:

1. Biodiversity - definition and value
2. Current situation of Biodiversity
3. Initiatives on Biodiversity Protection
• Ecosystem Services and Health Needs
4. Strategies for Biodiversity Protection
• Healty Bioregions through Reserves
• Bioregional Education and Celebrations
• Reducing Ecological Footprints of Cities
• Cities as Biodiversity Arks
• Ecological Architecture and Infrastructure

Reference
Newman, P. and Jennings, I. (2008) "Chapter 3: Biodiversity" Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems, Island Press

Economy & Society in Sustainable City Ecosystems

The following discussion agenda is on Economy and Society in the subject of Sustainable City Ecosystems:

1. Economy and Society integration
2. Processes in City Economies and Communities
3. City Economies & Ecosystems
4. Sustainable Communities and Strategies for Economic & Social Security
• Local enterprise facilitation
• Local/ bioregional infrastructure for cities
• Urban Ecovillages
• Ecovillage characteristics
• Community Spaces and pedestrianization
• Urban agriculture & community gardens
• Sustainable Development Rights
• True-Costing Initiatives
• "Buy Local" Campaigns
• Community Arts

Reference
Newman, P. and Jennings, I. (2008) "Chapter 2: Economy and Society" Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems, Island Press

Visioning in sustainable city ecosystems

The following discussion agenda is on Visioning in the study of Sustainable City Ecosystems:

1. Long-term vision to inspire
2. The visioning process and vision statement(s)
3. Visioning strategies
• Relate to ideas of progress
• Relate to human needs
• Relate to Ethics
• Relate to Technology
• Relate to Place
4. Examples on Vision Statements

Reference
Newman, P. and Jennings, I. (2008) "Chapter 1: Vision" Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems, Island Press

Innovation Practice - a discussion agenda

The following discussion agenda is on Innovation Practice in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. How to manage innovative processes
• Managing a National Innovation System
• Managing Innovation in a business
2. How to manage R&D
• Logic of Research Stages
• Types of research issues: science, technology, engineering, commercialization
• Managing a corporate research laboratory
3. How to manage product development
4. How to manage high-tech marketing
5. How to manage service innovation
6. How to manage biotechnology innovation
7. 4 aspects of innovation:
• Process of innovation
• Organization of innovation
• Generic types of technologies
• Economic development

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 16: Innovation Practice" Managing Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Ethics and Technology - a discussion agenda

The following discussion agenda is on Ethics and Technology in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. Technology in Ethics
2. Ethics and regulation
3. Ethical imperative and Technology imperative
4. Control Systems for intrinsically evil technologies

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 15: Ethics and Technology" Managing Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Biotechnology systems - a discussion agenda

The following discussion agenda is on Biotechnology Systems in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. DNA, principles of heredity
•  Function of DNA in reproduction
• Structure of DNA
• Genetic Coding
• Recombination of DNA Technique
2. Science Bases for Technology
3. Profits in Biotechnology
4. Research and complexity of nature
5. Progress in Biotechnology
6. The role of University Research Centers

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 14: Biotechnology Systems" Managing Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Service Systems - a discussion agenda

The following discussion agenda is on Service Systems in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. Service Science
2. Logic of service transactions
3. Strategic business vision for a service business
4. Services and e-commerce
5. Service systems modelling
• forms of modeling business operations: support plane, transformation plane, control plane
6. Service performance and innovation

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 13: Service Systems" Managing Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Product systems - a discussion agenda

The following discussion agenda is on Product Systems in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. Systems analysis in product design
2. Specialized  languages in science:
• Dimension 1: content vs form
• Dimension 2: experience vs value
3. Computer-assisted networks
• Radical innovation information network
4. Design bugs
5. A comparison between software and hardware innovation

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 12: Product Systems" Managing Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Technology Systems - a discussion agenda

The following discussion agenda is on Technology Systems in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. Technology System
• Definition
• Configuration of a technology system
• Technology S-curves
2. Physical Technology S-Curve
3. Technology performance parameters
4. Planning technology discontinuities
5. Technological progress
6. Systems analysis for alternative technology configurations

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 11: Technology Systems" Managing Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Technology invention - a discussion agenda

The following discussion agenda is on Technology Invention in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. Technology and potential of nature
2. Next-generation technologies and innovation process of next-generation-technology products
• Discontinuous innovation
3. Types of technologies
• Dimension 1: inanimate vs animate: material technologies; biological technologies
• Dimension 2: matter vs mind: power technologies; information technologies

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 10: Inventing Technology" Managing Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Technology and business strategy integration

The following discussion agenda is on Technology and Business Strategy Integration in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. Industrial Value Chain
2. Technology Strategy: case studies
• Technologies in the Resource-Extraction Sector
• Technologies in the Materials Refining Sector
• Technologies in the Parts Sector
• Technologies in the Information Technology Sector
3. Technology and application systems
4. Product-line planning and product-line platforms

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 9: Integrating Technology and Business Strategy" Managing Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Innovation and strategy - a discussion agenda

The following discussion agenda is on Innovation and Strategy in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. Micro-level innovation in a business
2. Top-down and bottom-up strategy in innovation
• Levels of innovation strategy in a corporation
3. Mid-level innovation strategy
4. Lower level of innovation strategy
5. Bottom level of innovation strategy

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 8 Innovation and Strategy" Managing Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Innovation and Product Development - a discussion agenda

The following discussion agenda is on Innovation and Product Development in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. Market-pull vs Technology-push Innovation
2. Incremental innovation in product development
• Cyclic incremental innovation process
3. Product development cycle in the context of a national innovation system
4. Delays in a product development process
• Sources of delays in the product development process
5. Product quality
• Performance quality
• Design quality
• Production quality
• Service quality

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 7 Innovation and Product Development" Managing Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Innovation and Markets - a discussion agenda

The following discussion agenda is on Innovation and Markets in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. Price and value in Business Model
2. Product design for a market
3. Completing high-tech products and market positioning
4. On proprietary technology
5. On Market niches

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 6 Innovation and Markets" Managing Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Innovation and Corporate R&D: a discussion agenda

The following discussion agenda is on Corporate R&D in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. Institutionalization of scientific technology
2. Corporate Research objectives
• Projected contribution from a business's product lines
3. Incremental innovation planning
4. Research laboratory culture vs business division culture
• Perspectives: time horizon, financial, product, method
5. Corporate R&D evaluation

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 5 Innovation and Corporate R&D" Managing Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Innovation Research - a discussion agenda

The following discussion agenda is on Innovation Research in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. Logic of research for innovation
• Knowledge utility transformation as a linear innovation process
2. Logic of radical innovation
• Technology research
• Engineering research
• Commercialization
3. Costs of innovation
• Types of research issues
• Radical new product realization process

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 4: Innovation Research" Manging Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Innovation and National Systems

The  following discussion agenda is on Innovation and National Systems in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. Science bases for technology
2. On National Innovation System
3. Radical innovation at the macro and micro-levels
• Radical innovation process
• Radical innovation and next-generation product lines
4. Circular interactions in a National Innovation System
5. Performance of National Innovation Systems

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 3: Innovation and National Systems" Manging Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Innovation and economy - a discussion agenda

The following discussion agenda is on Innovation and Economy in the subject of Technological Innovation:

1. 3 scales of technological innovation
• Radical innovation
• Incremental innovation
• Next-generation technology innovation
2. Economic long waves
3. 5 kinds of economic innovation as explained by Schumpeter
• The introduction of a new good
• The introduction of a new production method
• The opening of a new market
• The obtaining of a new source of supply
• The implementation of a new form of organization
4. On measuring the economic impacts of technological innovation
5. On core technologies of an industry
6. On industrial life cycle
7. Dynamics of new industries based on technological innovation

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 2: Innovation and Economy" Manging Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Technological innovation - basic topics

The following discussion agenda is on an introduction to Technological Innovation:

1. Timeline of science and technology
2. The basic process of innovation: research->invent->commercialize->market
3. Basic definitions of notions: nature, science, technology, engineering, high-tech products/ services/ processes
4. Technology and wealth creation: science and technology system, economic and financial system, and market and trade system
5. The importance of technical savvy and financial savvy

Reference
Betz, F. (2011) "Chapter 1: Technological Innovation" Manging Technological Innovation, Wiley.

Evidence and theory in Management Research

The following discussion agenda is on Evidence and Theory in Management Research:

1. Three approaches to evidence
• Management theories are made probable by evidence that supports them
• Evidence is gathered to illustrate the relevance of a theory
• Theory and evidence blend without a fixed relationship between them
2. Advances in a person's knowledge:
• An entirely new addition
• Complete replacement
• Conceptual subsumption
• Partial replacement
• Acceptable alternative

Reference
Griseri, P. (2002) "Chapter 11: Evidence, Research and Learning" Management Knowledge: A Critical View, Plagrave.

Knowledge and Action in Management Research

The following discussion agenda is on "Knowledge and Action" in Management Research:

1. Instrumental approach (IA) to management vs Evolutionary approach (EA) to management
• IA: emphasis on design and accuracy; knowledge has to be established before action
• EA: emphasis on learning  and progressive approximation; action is the best way to gain knowledge in organizations; 'discovery by doing' view
2. Habermas: different research philosophies have their own proper sphere of relevance.
3. Management knowledge is sometimes more weighted towards its application in practice; at other times, it is more weighted toward the creation of generalised material.
4. Kant: knowledge without action is empty; action without knowledge is blind.

Reference
Griseri, P. (2002) "Knowledge and Action in Management Research" Management Knowledge: A Critical View, Palgrave.

The nature of methodology in Research Methods

The following discussion agenda is on the nature of methodology in Research Methods:

1. As a means to produce valid results (or proof)
2. As a means to discovery
3. As a means to produce knowledge
4. As a means to produce agreements/ acceptance
5. As a means to make research materials intelligible

Reference
Griseri, P. (2002) "Chapter 9: Methodology as Mechanism" Management Knowledge: A Critical View, Plagrave.