R&D Investment & Firm Growth

A major question in the field of Business Strategy/Strategic Management is how
firms achieve and sustain growth. Select an industry in general of your choice, and
1. analyse how technological innovations drive corporate growth strategies;
2. explain why some firms are better at adopting emerging technologies and
expand their market while others stagnate and eventually decline;
3. explain how technological innovations are likely to shape the organisation of
the sector.
The analysis must be richly informed by both theory and well documented historical
cases. A well-developed theoretical framework is essential for a pass mark.
Note: The workshop lectures / slides will discuss various theories of technological
innovations and how they inform corporate growth strategies. The lectures will also
explore organisational design / management factors that impact a firm’s ability to
build successfully on new technologies both in enhancing productivity and in new product development. The dynamics of industries over time will be discussed too.
You can integrate the workshop lectures, case studies and online discussions with your own research to build your analysis.