MG487      Half Unit
Innovation and Information Systems: Concepts and Perspectives

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

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The course explores the theoretical foundations for the study of digital innovation and concomitant organisational and social change. It integrates concepts and perspectives from the field of information systems and a range of other disciplines of the social sciences. By the end of this course, students will be able to draw from existing theories to address critically issues of digital innovation, organisational change and information systems management.

The lectures cover literature related to three broad themes: digital ecosystems; the socio-technical process of the construction of digital technologies; information technology and organisational change. For each of these themes we identify and discuss relevant theoretical concepts and perspectives. The discussion of theories is structured in terms of technical/rational and socially embedded approaches.

1.5 hours of lectures in the Spring Term.
18 hours of seminars, 16 hours of lectures and 4 hours of workshops in the Autumn Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.

In its Ethics Code, LSE upholds a commitment to intellectual freedom. This means we will protect the freedom of expression of our students and staff and the right to engage in healthy debate in the classroom.

Formative feedback is provided at the seminars and the workshops. Seminars guide students to discuss selected journal articles that elaborate on concepts and theories introduced at the lectures. Workshops assist students to develop their critical literature review essay.

In addition, students will complete a formative essay of 750 words on which feedback will be provided.

A mock examination, shared with MG472 and MG481 will be held. 

• Ciborra, C (1993) Teams, Markets, and Systems: Business Innovation and Information Technology Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. 
• Ciborra, C. (2000) From Control to Drift: The Dynamics of Corporate Information Infrastructures Oxford, OUP. 
• Demetis, D.S. and Angell, I.O. (2024) The Technological Construction of Reality, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar.  
• Gawer, A. (ed) (2009), Platforms, Markets and Innovation, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar. 
• Gawer, A. (2022). Digital platforms and ecosystems: Remarks on the dominant organizational forms of the digital age. Innovation (North Sydney), 24(1), 110–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/14479338.2021.1965888 
• Latour, B. (2005) Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network-Theory.  Oxford, OUP. 
• Markus, M. L. (2017). Datification, organizational strategy, and IS research: what’s the score?. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 26(3), 233-241.  
• Tiwana, A. (2013) Platform Ecosystems: Aligning Architecture, Governance and Strategy, Amsterdam, Elsevier. 
• Willcocks, L., and Mingers, J. (2004) Social Theory and Philosophy for Information Systems, Chichester, Wiley. 

Exam (50%), duration: 120 Minutes in the Spring exam period

Essay (50%, 3000 words)

For detailed assessment information, including all deadlines and timings, please see the relevant course Moodle page. Assessment timings will be available at the start of each term.