Department of Management and Marketing

Peter Mellalieu introduces a new course in February 2012 comprising part of the Unitec Master of Business, MBus.

 

• What is innovation? What do we need innovation? … Is innovation more than inventing an unconventional product, or creating a new service or process?
• How do innovations get created? … What are the factors associated with success and failure?
• What are the roles of leadership, enterprise, creativity, and design in the process of innovation?
• Do you have ‘the right stuff’ to innovate an enterprise? …. Are you motivated to ‘make a difference’?

This short video (3 min) introduces several propositions that begin a journey towards answering these questions.

 If these propositions ‘strike a chord’ with you, then come join Peter’s learning adventure!

Enrol in course APMG 8118 Enterprise Creativity, Innovation & Design at Unitec Institute of Technology.

Next course commences 28 February, 2012.

Course tutor Dr Peter Mellalieu. http://about.me/peter.mellalieu

Enrolment link: http://www.unitec.ac.nz



Course link (for 2012-2-28): APMG 8118



The course is an ELECTIVE in Unitec’s Master of Business, MBus

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• Lastest Masters of Business Research (Work in Progress): Actual Adolescent & Alumni Behaviors in an Entrepreneurial Education Programme – A Longitudinal New Zealand Study by Daniel Peter Hunt PG Dip Business (2010) (thedomm.com)

 

Change in New Zealand sectoral greenhouse gas emissions 1990 − 2007. Image via Wikipedia

Unitec students and staff have embarked on an innovative programme focussed on helping medium and small enterprise owners advance their journey towards ‘greening the business’. Every two weeks from August, business owners from Rosebank Business Association are invited to participate in an Enterprise GreenWorks™  (EGW) session focussed exclusively on developing promising pathways to guide a ‘guest’ business towards environmentally sustainable business processes and products. During the half-day Enterprise GreenWorks session, a new venture project team is established involving staff from the business and members from Unitec. Think of the reality TV show ‘The Apprentice’ adapted so that no one gets fired, but the earth gets saved … and a better profit is made compared with ‘business-as-usual’!

Source: Frederick & Chittock, 2008.

Several years ago a Unitec survey of Rosebank Business Association (RBA) members established that 22 per cent of respondents sought education and training support for ‘greening the business’ (Frederick & Chittock, 2008). A more recent national survey has found that despite the economic downturn certain types of businesses have continued to deepen their deployment of green business practices. For example, between 2003 and 2010 medium and especially larger companies have doubled their focus on being more selective about their suppliers (Collins et al, 2010). Despite the recession, this trend has continued to strengthen since 2006 so that by 2010 more than 30 per cent of firms larger than 99 employees use environmental criteria as part of their selection of suppliers.

Source: Collins et al, 2010

However, in contrast to these ‘greening’ trends, most small businesses have retreated from their earlier commitments to environmentally sustainable business practices. Also, their practices are typically very narrowly limited to recycling and environmental impact analysis. Professor Collins and her colleagues at Waikato Management School argue that a ‘sustainability divide’ is now growing between between most small businesses (less than 10 employees) and other businesses that have recognised the value and strategic imperative for ‘greening their business’.

Source: Collins et al, 2010.

Since 2008, teachers at Unitec Institute of Technology have begun to respond to Rosebank business’ call for graduates who understand that ‘greening the business’ is much more than reducing waste and recycling. For example, students in Unitec introductory business course BSNS 5391 Innovation and Entrepreneurship learn from New Zealand and world-class examples of eco-innovation and eco-enterprise.

In a recent class exercise, students learned how a three-year systematic programme of design-led ‘cradle-to-cradle’ thinking applied in Wellington-based Formway Furniture lead to the creation of the Life office chair. The chair has gained remarkable success in world markets for its innovative functional features and green credentials. Amongst its many new-to-market features, the Life Chair was constructed from both recycled and natural materials and designed for ease of refurbishing in the event of an office interior decor redesign. Licensed to Knoll, a leading US furniture company, the Life chair has generated sales of $500 million (Macfie, 2011; McClaren, 2008; Ministry for the Environment, 2007).

In early May this year, Unitec business students interviewed Robb Donzé, Managing Director for InteraceNZ, the New Zealand distributor for modular carpet tile systems manufactured by US-based multinational Interface Global. Under the helm of industrial engineer and founding entrepreneur Ray Anderson, Interface has achieved ‘legendary’ status in terms of its ingenious innovations in environmental practice and products. Remarkably, the company began as a typical 20th century industrial manufacturing company with no special interest in taking care of the natural environment apart from complying with environmental legislation. In the words of Ray Anderson, the company is on a mission to climb ‘Mount Sustainability’ achieving a zero ecological footprint by 2020. Coincidentally, the Unitec students saw practical proof of this type of product in their new student common room in the business studies building.

Green thinking in the business curriculum at Unitec is regarded increasingly as a core component, rather than something ‘added on’ as an optional extra. Developing from their studies in the introductory Innovation and Entrepreneurship course, final year studies require each student to examine critically the competitive strategies of a business to assess the risks and opportunities faced from market, technological, legal, and other factors including emerging green issues. Students then proceed to develop risk mitigation and/or opportunity development strategies for the business within the overall context of its competitive position and strategic ambitions. Rosebank businesses are especially welcome to invite Unitec students to engage in this student project work.

Unitec industrial technologist Peter Mellalieu notes that “Our students enter our courses expecting that ‘greening the business’ is hard work and reduces profit. Through exposure to real business examples, my students are surprised and delighted that there are both new start-up and long-established companies using ‘green thinking’ as a core process for stimulating creativity. The creative thinking inspired by ‘green thinking’ leads to win-win outcomes for the business and the environment. The new Enterprise GreenWorks program integrates these – and other Unitec green initiatives – in an exciting learning adventure beneficial to Rosebank Business Association members and their future employees and entrepreneurs from Unitec”.

Example of an Enterprise GreenWorks episode (Video: Massey University, 1997)

Enterprise GreenWorks™ is a trade mark of MyndSurfers Ltd.

An abridged version first published as:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2011, May). Greening your business with Unitec. Roundabout – Newsletter of the Rosebank Business Association, (61), 7.

Further reading
Anderson, R. C., & White, R. (2011). Business Lessons from a Radical Industrialist. St. Martin’s Griffin.

Collins, E., Lawrence, S., Roper, J., & Haar, J. (2010). Business sustainability practices during the recession: The Growing Sustainability Divide. Hamilton, NZ: Waikato Management School, University of Waikato. Retrieved from http://www.management.ac.nz/sustainabilitydivide

 
Elements of an Enterprise MasterWorks (EMW) learning adventure. (1997). . Palmerston North, NZ: Massey University Television Production Centre. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYya4gfcxs4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Enterprise GreenWorks – 2011-1 Part 1: Overture and Interview [video]. (2011). . Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NiB20ERj9c&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Frederick, H., & Chittock, G. (2008). Human resource strategies for training and education in the Rosebank business precinct. Auckland, NZ: Unitec Institute of Technology.

McLaren, J. (2008). Life Cycle Management – Sustainability and society bridging piece [Case study of Formway Furniture]. Wellington, New Zealand: Landcare Research. Retrieved from http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/publications/researchpubs/LCM_Briefing.pdf#search=%22mclaren%22

Mellalieu, P. J. (2011a, May 7). The Master’s Challenge: Ecotec’s “Green Op” fund. Innovation & chaos … in search of optimality. Retrieved April 7, 2011, from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/4411593536/the-masters-challenge-ecotecs-green-op-fund

Mellalieu, P. J. (2011b, April 7). Enterprise GreenWorks – 2011-1 Part 1: Overture and Interview. Innovation & chaos … in search of optimality. Retrieved April 7, 2011, from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/4411050625/enterprise-greenworks-2011-1-part-1-overture

Ministry for the Environment. (2007). Sustainable Design at Formway Furniture (INFO 182). Ministry for the Environment. Retrieved from http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/sus-dev/case-study-sustainable-design-at-formway-furniture-feb07/

Related articles

• Announcing Unitec’s Environmental Sustainability Fund (pogus.tumblr.com)
• The Master’s Challenge: Ecotec’s ‘Green Op’ fund (pogus.tumblr.com)
• Prime Minister John Key grilled over New Zealand’s claim… (pogus.tumblr.com)
• Shifting frontiers, new priorities, creating pathways: … (pogus.tumblr.com)

 

Last evening 20 people engaged in spirited conversation about radically

different ways to manage learning. Not so radical if you teach on a high

school YES programme already, but radical for most secondary and tertiary

teachers.

Thanks to Rob Ayres (Te Puna Ako) and Yong Liu (Tech wiz & camera operator)

the conversation was webcast live on http://www.livestream.com/txxb and the

almost 2 hr video is available in the Video Library on that site (you will

need extension speakers to crank up the volume because the sound levels are

low).

 

Special guest Arran Caza reported that quantitative research (to be

published soon) into the results of wide ranging application of Roger

Putzel’s XB model of classroom management conclusively show the benefits for

Organisational Behaviour students. The only aspect of performance that they

don’t outclass conventionally educated students is in conventional exams.

There they equal the conventionally educated students’ performance.

 

We heard of valiant experiments in alternative methods by others in the

room: stories of successes, failures and barriers. Stories of how student

collaboration and teacher “absence” produce extraordinary learning.

 

There were stories from business of how shifting control and discretion from

manager to managed is radically effective in other learning contexts such as

within firms and supply chains operating in uncertain commercial

environments.

 

Then the conversation focused on the main issues for change leaders: There

seem to be four main ones

 

1. The assessment system is designed for synchronised,

standardised performance and administrative transparency.

 

2. Peer pressure from most teachers believing (or at least

accepting) that student conversation (noise) and diverse activity (chaos)

indicate professional incompetence and are counterproductive to learning.

 

3. Schools management metrics assume and expect straight line

learning progress rather than exponential learning curves typical of

learning through high-performing teams. Managers judge their reports on that

basis (and they in turn are so judged)

 

4. Students’ (and their parents) expectations and perceptions

around “work” and “learning”: it is stuff that you are made to do. Learning

is about receiving instruction and successfully replicating technique or

recounting information.

 

 

When conversation moved to action, there was discussion about just how much

and how fast change could be achieved in the bureaucratic, administratively

dominated “system”; and what the “mavericks” need to lead and achieve the

change that is increasingly widely acknowledged as imperative.

 

The main thing needed seemed to be support of a community of like-minded,

like-impassioned teachers who each risk being different, risk change; who

strengthen each other and build resilience through regularly, openly sharing

their stories of successes and failures, with each other. In other words,

collaborate to create room and build courage to initiate and achieve the

change.

The loose consensus was that there in the room were 20 people already who

could collaborate. There are another 20 -30 that we know of who weren’t in

the room. . . . . . . . . . . . .some in other nations.

 

What do you think?

In that same Living curriculum vein, it’s not too late to decide to join the Conversation “Breathing life into the “Living Curriculum”" which is all set to happen tonight 5:00pm -7:00pm.

16 people have RSVPd that they will be there. Anticipating a few “door sales” we have catered for 20. We thought that a dozen would be a good number but are pleased at the extra interest. The 16 includes three high school teachers joining us in person and maybe more via LiveStream which is open to anyone.

We will probably test transmit on http://www.livestream.com/txxb from around 4:45 and we intend to save the session for future access at that same address.

At Unitec, Building 172, Level 4.

 

Associate Professor/HoD Dr Robert Davis is please to announce that the department is part of the Co9 NZ Heads of Department (Marketing) Group including: Unitec, University of Auckland, Victoria University, Massey University. Lincoln University, Canterbury University, Waikato University, AUT, Otago University. The first meeting was hosted in February at Victoria University in 2011.

My name is Denisa Hebblethwaite and I am the lecturer and co-ordinator of the Industry Based Learning (IBL) course.  IBL forms a cornerstone  of the Bachelor of Business degree and is a key reason why our students lead applied business.

Often our international students find industry placements a new and exciting (sometimes challenging) experience. Here is one of our recent student’s reflections (with her permission) on her IBL experience:

“After I decided to take the IBL course this year, I felt that this course is trouble. Because there are lots of things I need to do to complete the course. I need to prepare my CV, looking for jobs, going to job interviews and so on. Now I am writing my end of placement reflections, I feel the IBL course is the best course after all. It gives me the real life experience which I have never had before. It gives me the confidence to attend future job interviews. It gives me an idea of how an organisation operates, and how to get used to the organisation. It also turns me from a tertiary student who knows nothing about the real world, to a student who is prepared to look forward to the future with confidence.

I feel competent to do my work after I had enough practice in the workplace. For example, I was not confident when I was doing the first round of internal audit, but I was competent to do the second round of the internal audit. I did the second round all by myself, and I didn’t experience any problems.

One thing I do need to improve is my report writing, especially the tone and content. Reports need to be concise and comprehensive. And the wording in the reports needs to be concise and professional too. By reading and practising writing more, I will build more confidence in report writing.

The whole Industry Based Learning experience is totally new to me. It is my first time working in an organisation which has no Asian staff. I am surprised and pleased to feel that I can quickly fit into the new working environment, and I really enjoyed the whole working experience. Now I am not afraid to hunt for jobs in Kiwi organisations, because I know as long as I am willing to communicate with others, I will have fun at work.”

Please contact me if you would like to know more about the Industry Based Learning course. If you are just starting your degree go here to enrol  in the  Bachelor of Business.

From one of our students on Steve Barnett, a lecturer at the DoMM, working for Fujitsu.

“For me the biggest effect was that you got me to think about my own objectives and career path, how I am going to get there, and what obstacles I may encounter. Any question that was asked of you was answered in a personable and thoughtful manner. Too many lecturers tend to just stick to the text book, which is boring and I don’t really learn anything.  By speaking about real life experiences, company’s etc it really made me think and has stuck with me. However if you’d simply read off PowerPoint’s, anything I might have learnt would have been gone. I thoroughly enjoyed your paper, and if you ever go and speak somewhere out of Uni I’d really like to come along.”

Well done Steve. Leading Applied Business.

 

The staff of the DoMM had another great day today visiting businesses in the Rosebank Road region. We call it our field trip. To refresh our senses and further our understanding of what is happening at the customer front line.

Our department has a close relationship with the Rosebank Business Association. We are a Gold Sponsor.

Thanks to the following businesses for hosting us today.

• Doyle Sailmakers: 320 Rosebank Rd.
• Broadway Sheetmetal: 60A Patiki Road.
• Oliver Young: 481 Rosebank Rd.
• BidVest: Fresh Food Service: 67-69 Patiki Road.
• Columbus Café: 391Rosebank Road.
• Rheem NZ: 475 Rosebank Rd.
• Glucina Alloys: 543A Rosebank Rd.
• Dunlop Living: 670 Rosebank Rd.
• Kreem Café: 610 Rosebank Rd.

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