IKD: Innovation, Knowledge and Development
Research Groups
IKD is the Open University's vibrant inter-faculty research centre. It brings together nine research groups from the faculties of Social Sciences, Technology, the OU Business School and Education and Language Studies to pool diverse areas of expertise and to do joint research.
IKD's research focuses on three major interlocking themes: innovation and international development; knowledge, capabilities and human development; and governance, management and sustainable development.
Development Policy and Practice Department (DPP) (Technology)
DPP is the main centre in The Open University for teaching and research in International Development. DPP promotes critical debate and analysis of international development through: Open learning for social change; Research that shapes policy and practice; Collaboration and partnership for mutual benefit.
Technology, Firms and Industrial Dynamics (TFID) (Economics Department, Social Sciences)
Director: Prof Mariana Mazzucato, Professor in Economics
The research unit on Technology, Firms and Industrial Dynamics (TFID) is housed within the Economics Discipline in the Faculty of Social Sciences. TFID is made up of economists who are interested in the study of the economics of innovation, with a focus on the institutional setting in which innovation and economic change take place. Members of TFID carry out research in four broad areas: 1. Technological change and industry dynamics, 2. Technology, globalisation and growth, 3. Innovation and technology policy, and 4. Innovation in high tech industries (e.g. computers, bio-technology). TFID researchers have an excellent track record in attracting ESRC and EU funds.
ESRC Centre for Social and Economic Research on Innovation in Genomics (INNOGEN)
Director: Prof Joyce Tait
Innogen is the ESRC Centre for Social and Economic Research on Innovation in Genomics. Formed in October 2002, it is part of the ESRC Genomics Network studying the evolution of genomics and life sciences and their far-reaching social and economic implications.
The life sciences have the potential to transform health care and food production systems in developed and developing countries and to provide one of the main platforms of economic growth and global competitiveness in the 21st century. Rapid developments in life sciences also challenge our existing regulatory systems and raise new ethical and social issues. Innogen's research will provide a sound base for decision-making in science, industry, policy and public arenas and will improve our understanding of each of these groups and their interactions.
International Development Centre (Inter-Faculty)
Director: Prof Alcinda Honwana
The International Development Centre was created to build effective partnerships with colleagues from around the world, to carry out research and teaching of direct relevance to the complex process of changing the world for the better.
The Centre is able to draw on an international network of researchers and policy makers active in International Development. It supports the scaling up of projects, to better address the urgent needs of communities facing poverty and social injustice. As an inter-faculty centre, it draws on an interdisciplinary network of researchers.
Human Resources Research Unit (HRRU) (OU Business School)
Head of unit: Prof John Storey
This research unit clusters together several streams of activity and a series of projects. The unifying idea is a concern to generate a deeper understanding of managerial strategies and processes related to work and organizations, the changing forms of work organizations and the responses of work organization members. A central aim is to understand human resource management in the wider economic, political and social context.
In the main, research in this unit has a h4 empirical base. It embraces areas of analysis related to business strategy and human resources, the 'receiving end' perspective of HRM, the role and development of managers, managerial careers, the management of innovation, learning and knowledge, the organization of work, innovation and change, ideologies and cultures of work, work organizations and employment relations.
Management of Knowledge and Innovation Research Unit (MKIRU) (OU Business School)
Head of unit: Dr Tim Ray
MKIRU is concerned with developing managerial perspectives on the reflexive interaction between knowledge generation and innovation. Since its formation in 1997, to exploit links amongst a group of externally funded research projects, MKIRU has emerged as a dynamic forum for interdisciplinary research, both within The Open University and across the wider academic and practitioner community. MKIRU brings together fourteen full-time members of academic staff and seven doctoral students. Along with academic publications, its work is disseminated regularly at national and international conferences. The unit maintains close links with the Business School's MBA elective (B823) Managing knowledge course and facilitates topical debate through its programme of monthly seminars.
Centre for Research and Development in Teacher Education (FELS)
Design and Innovation Group (Technology)
Director: Prof Robin Roy, Professor of Design and Environment
The Design Innovation Group is a research group within the Department of Design and Innovation in the Faculty of Technology. The Department (rated 5 in the last three RAEs) is a unique centre in integrating design and innovation studies across a broad range of topics, without being restricted to any single domain of design practice. The domains that are included in the DIG's research programme range widely, from the processes and practice of industrial, product and engineering design, and the management of design and innovation, to developing products and systems for environmental sustainability. These diverse research activities are linked by a shared interest in the improving the products, processes and management of design and innovation. Within IKD, this group will focus on the theme of radical socio-technical change for sustainability.
Open Systems Research Group (Technology)
Director: Prof Ray Ison
The Open Systems Research Group is based in the Faculty of Technology at The Open University. The purpose of the group is encourage and facilitate research into systems thinking and practice both within the university, and within the wider systems community in the UK and internationally. We therefore welcome links with researchers in other departments and organisations, including beyond the academic community.