Tools
Tools
Howe, Carolyn (2007) Innovation and all that jazz: an exploration of jazz as a medium for learning about innovation. Masters thesis, University of Gloucestershire.
|
Text
Howe, C.E.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License All Rights Reserved. Download (17MB) | Preview |
Abstract
The research study discussed in this paper is centrally concerned with perception and understanding of innovation and association with the concept in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). lt is with particular reference to jazz, as a metaphor for innovation, that the concept is examined and an exploration of the effectiveness of the jazz metaphor therefore represents a core focus for this study. lt is within the overarching 'Year of Innovation' programme delivered by the University of Gloucestershire during 2004-5, that this study is located. The 'Innovation through Jazz' component of this programme involved the use of live jazz within interactive workshops delivered with Gloucestershire SMEs. The author was involved in the design and delivery of these workshops and these engagements provided a useful forum for exploration of innovation and the jazz metaphor. The author approached this study from an interpretivist worldview, adopting a primarily qualitative methodological approach for this essentially exploratory study. The author used mixed methods in her research, making particular use of semi-structured interviews, observation and questionnaires. The resultant data set incorporated data of both a qualitative and quantitative nature, triangulated to provide rich insight into perceptions and understanding of innovation and the effectiveness of the jazz metaphor as well as into a number of issues around employment relations in small firms. Given the diversity of small firms as well as of the individuals within them, the author does not attempt to make generalisations from her findings. This exploratory study does however provide new insight into the effectiveness of the jazz metaphor, applied in the specific context of small firm innovation.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thesis Advisors: |
|
|||||||||
| Additional Information: | Master of Arts by Research | |||||||||
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Innovation, Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs), England | |||||||||
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management | |||||||||
| Divisions: | Schools and Research Institutes > School of Business, Computing and Social Sciences | |||||||||
| Depositing User: | Susan Turner | |||||||||
| Date Deposited: | 23 Apr 2015 15:19 | |||||||||
| Last Modified: | 02 Aug 2023 10:22 | |||||||||
| URI: | https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/2128 |
University Staff: Request a correction | Repository Editors: Update this record
