• This task helps in building your understanding of the dynamic nature of a product or service innovation management.
• The objective is to develop and enhance your practical skills in finding a problem/opportunity/gap in a product or service for strategic innovation.
• This task will help in building your innovation management capability including identifying anticipated strategic challenges related to the product or service innovation processes in organisations.
• It provides you with the opportunity to develop your research, cognitive, creativity, communication (such as written and presentation skills), teamwork and leadership skills.

Assessment 1: Innovation Proposal (Group Presentation &  Report Writing = 40%)

Assessment 1 is divided into two parts:

Part 1: Innovation Proposal Group Presentation  

Part 2: Innovation Proposal Report

Part 1: Group Presentation

This is a group activity. You are expected to form a group (3-5 students), preferably form a group with team members from different areas/backgrounds. Please make sure you address the following assessment criteria which are further explained in the marking rubric provided in the assessment 1 folder in Moodle. Please see Moodle site for detailed instructions and due dates of the Assessment.

1. Working within your group, you are expected to choose an organization and within that organization you need to choose a product (for example- iPhone, MacBook, Toyota Camry, Audi X5, Coke, UGG shoes, PS4, etc.) or a service (for example, travel services, mobile phone services, educational services, insurance services, tax preparation services, accounting and finance services, health services etc.).

2. After selecting a product or service, you need to find a problem/opportunity/gap in your chosen product or service that addresses client needs.

3. In week 7, as a group, you need to give a presentation (Max 15 min) to the larger cohort of students that includes the following:

     a) A brief introduction of your chosen organisation.

     b) A brief introduction of the selected product or service.

     c) WHAT is the problem/opportunity? Identification of the problem/opportunity/gap that exists in your chosen product or service. 

     d) HOW will the problem be solved or opportunity exploited? Solutions and recommendations for the identified problem/opportunity/gap. 

     e) WHY are you suggesting this? A rationale behind these recommendations/solutions (or innovative idea). 

     f) In addition, you need to explain anticipated strategic challenges that can affect your product/service innovation.

Please Note: Each group member needs to come up with at least one solution and recommendation for the problem/opportunity/gap. For example, if there are 4 students in a group, then there should be 4 solutions/recommendations in your presentation. One solution/recommendation from each group member.

Part 2: Report Writing

In addition to the group presentation, as a group, you have to submit a written assignment in a business report format (around 1000 words, excluding appendices and references) on the points you address in your group presentation. Submit your report in Word format (1.5 line spacing and Times Roman 12-point font) with a cover sheet showing the unit name and number, assessment number, your name and student number.

Please make sure you address the assessment criteria which is further explained in the marking rubric provided in the assessment 1 folder in Moodle. Upload your assignment on a link provided in the Moodle site by the specified due date. Assessment details and guidance will be provided on the unit website. Kindly note late submissions will be penalised at the rate of "five percent of the total marks available for the assessment each calendar day (full or part) it is overdue" (CQU Policy: Assessment of Coursework section 3.2.4) unless an extension has been granted by the Unit Coordinator. Please see Moodle site for detailed instructions and due dates of the Assessment.

• This assessment is designed to help you develop your independent research and critical analysis skills related to innovation in organisations.
• The objective is to enhance your knowledge of strategic innovation through the application of concepts and theories using a real-life example/case.
• It provides you with the opportunity to develop analytical report writing skills in an organizational context by providing solutions and recommendations that address strategic challenges related to innovation management.

Assessment 2 (Case Analysis: Applying Theory to Practice = 60%)

This is an individual assignment. You are expected to write a case analysis founded on a review of innovation literature. The written assessment will have two essential components and it should ideally be around 3500 to 4000 words (excluding appendices and references). APA referencing style should be followed.

As a general guideline, your report can include the following sections-  Cover Page (showing the unit name and number, assessment number, your name and student number), Table of Contents, Introduction, Theoretical Background, Case Description, Case Analysis, Conclusion, and References (APA format). 

Guidelines on writing the 'Theoretical Background' section. This should include a literature review of theoretical concepts from innovation literature. In this section, you need to write a summary of the literature discussing in detail any one of the following innovation concepts: 

1. Innovation strategy
2. Leadership and organization of innovation
3. Innovation as a process
4. Sources of Innovation
5. Diffusion of innovation
6. Social innovation or sustainability-led innovation 
7. Users as innovators
8. Open innovation and strategic alliances
9. Drivers of globalization and strategic innovation
   

The theoretical background section can discuss how the concept is described in the literature with appropriate citations to journal papers, books and book chapters. This section should also discuss what role the concept plays and how does it impact the organization or organizational performance. For example, what is innovation strategy, how do organizations plan and implement innovation strategy, what is the impact of innovation strategy on the organizational performance, what role does leadership play in innovation, how do organizations organize for innovation, what is the role of emerging opportunities for innovation and how can they affect organization performance?  what is innovation diffusion model and how it can affect an organization performance? what is the importance of collaboration and networking for strategic innovation and how does it affect organization performance? what is the role of emerging opportunities for innovation and how they can affect organization performance? what are the constraints of strategic innovation and how they can affect organization performance? what are the drivers of globalization and how they can affect strategic innovation? etc.

Guidelines on writing the Case Analysis using Theory - You need to select a real-life corporate example to further illustrate the innovation concepts included in the theoretical background section of your report. You can use secondary data sources for selecting the example case. A section on "Case Description" should first present a brief overview of the selected organization (two or three paragraphs and a tabulation of details) - what is the name of the organization, what products or services it offers, industry and it's geographical location etc including references of websites accessed (for example, the case organization's web pages or industry reports/articles). Then you need to present an analysis of this real-life business case using the innovation concepts discussed in the theoretical background section.

Please make sure you address the following assessment criteria which are further explained in the marking rubric provided in the assessment 2 folder in Moodle. Upload your assignment on a link provided in the Moodle site by the specified due date. Please note late submission will be penalised at  5% per day or part thereof unless an extension has been granted by the Unit Coordinator. Please see Moodle site for detailed instructions and due dates of the Assessment.