BUS705 Innovation and Management Decision-Making

Semester 1, 2020
Task 3 – Innovation Report

Description
The purpose of this task is to propose a leading edge, strategic innovation solution to address a corporate
challenge in the area of sustainability in your industry by renewing a firm’s current approach.

To write this report, follow the process (based on the strategic innovation model) outlined below:

1. Choose and outline one company related innovation challenge (based on Week 8’s material)
pertaining to sustainability.
2.
3. Creatively propose a leading-edge strategic innovation solution, by using creative idea generation
techniques (use appendices to evidence the process) and by drawing on appropriate sources of ideas.

4. Accurately and relevantly apply the strategic innovation model to outline how you would implement
the strategic innovation solution including outlining:
a. The innovation action plan, taking into account the company’s current approach, change
requirements, target market for the innovation and enhancing customer-perceived value.
b. The leadership needed and culture that would support the implementation.
c. The innovation implementation with the appropriate process, structure, systems and
innovation team (people).

To summarise, you will write a report that proposes an innovative solution to address a sustainability
challenge in your industry as well as how the solution will be implemented. This report will need to explain the
challenge and solution, use the strategic innovation model, provide an action plan, discuss the leadership that
will be required for the solution and how the solution will be implemented.

Resources
This is an individual task (2,500 words) in which you need to demonstrate your ability to propose an innovation
to address a corporate sustainability challenge, by drawing on the relevant material in this course.

N.B. You need to register the challenge you wish to work on by Week 10 with your lecturer.

See the rubric below to ensure your innovation report addresses the relevant criteria.
BUS705 Task 3 Rubric

The innovation challenge (problem-solving (PLO3): The innovation report identifies and critically analyses the nature, scale and severity of the innovation challenge the
company needs to address by drawing on appropriate theory and explaining the challenge in practical terms. (15%)
HD D C P F
Evidences an exceptional ability Evidences strong capacity to Evidences sound ability to identify Evidences adequate capacity Demonstrates inadequate
to identify, prioritise, justify and identify, justify and critically and analyse the nature and to identify analyse key issues capacity to identify and
critically analyse the nature, analyse the nature, scale and severity of the innovation related to the innovation analyse the innovation
scale and severity of the severity of the innovation challenge, highlighting the need challenge, arguing the need challenge, with limited
innovation challenge, challenge, integrating evidence for change, partially supported by for a solution, supported by attention to the need for a
supported by quantitative and to argue the need for an evidence. some evidence. solution, or supporting
qualitative evidence. innovative response. evidence.
The leading edge strategic innovation solution (PLO3): The innovation solution is the product of creative, breakthrough idea generation techniques and draws on a
variety of sources and ideas to develop an innovative solution to the innovation challenge. (25%)
HD D C P F
A creative solution and non- A creative solution, and rich A solution is proposed drawing on A non-novel solution is A solution, already in
traditional alternatives are alternatives are generated using alternatives using at least one proposed drawing on limited practice, is proposed as well
generated using several at least two creativity creativity technique (detailed in an alternatives proposed and as actions to solve a
creativity techniques (detailed techniques to develop novel appendix), which is evaluated to combined to propose a business problem.
in an appendix), with alternatives (detailed in an develop a solution to the business solution to a business
alternatives synthesized and appendix), which are problem. problem.
evaluated to develop a novel evaluated to develop a novel
solution. solution.
The strategic innovation model - action plan (PLO6 – Career-Adaptive Self-Management): The report demonstrates adaptability and effective self-management shown
in a realistic, practical innovation action plan, grounded in the strategic innovation model. (15%)
HD D C P F
Demonstrates highly effective Demonstrates effective ability Demonstrates competent ability Demonstrates capacity to Demonstrates limited
ability to adapt and self- to adapt and self-manage the to adapt and self-manage adapt and self-manage capacity to adapt and self-
manage the innovation action innovation action plan, adapting innovation action plan, addressing innovation action plan, manage innovation action
plan, adapting to change to the change requirements, change requirements, target relevant to change plan, listing the change
requirements, target market for target market for the market for the innovation solution requirements, target market requirements, target market
the innovation solution and innovation solution and and customer-perceived value, for the innovation solution for the innovation solution
customer perceived value with customer-perceived value, with with actions and time-lines, and customer-perceived and customer-perceived
realistic actions and time-lines, realistic actions and time-lines, referring to the strategic value, with actions and time- value, with actions, but
rigorously applying the strategic applying the strategic innovation model theory which lines, and some theoretical theory is limited or absent
innovation model theory which innovation model theory which may impact on future success. references which may impact which may impact on future
may impact on future success. may impact on future success. on future success in business success.
career.
The strategic innovation model - leadership: The report acknowledges the leadership challenges and by applying relevant theory proposes an appropriate innovation
leadership approach, grounded in the strategic innovation model. (15%)
HD D C P F
The innovation leadership The innovation leadership The innovation leadership section The innovation leadership The innovation leadership
section contextualises the section outlines the leadership describes the leadership action plan is outlined, refers approach is listed and
company’s leadership challenges, applies relevant challenges, refers to theory and to some leadership challenges matched with the
challenges, applies relevant theory and proposes an proposes an innovation leadership and theory and states the innovation solution, but
theory and proposes a realistic appropriate innovation approach, and refers to the leadership approach to take theory is limited or absent.
and suitable innovation leadership approach, and strategic innovation model theory. with some theoretical
leadership approach, and applies the strategic innovation references.
rigorously applies the strategic model theory.
innovation model theory.
The strategic innovation model - innovation implementation (PLO6.1: Career Adaptive): Leverage individual and innovation team’s strengths and weaknesses to
implement the innovative solution by proposing the appropriate process, structure, and systems to implement the innovation solution, grounded in the strategic
innovation model. (15%)
HD D C P F
Extensive and in-depth critical Comprehensive critical analysis Competent critical analysis of Satisfactory critical analysis of Limited analysis of individual
analysis of individual and of individual and team relevant individual and team relevant individual and team relevant and team relevant strengths
innovation team relevant strengths and weaknesses to strengths and weaknesses to strengths and weaknesses to and weaknesses to
strengths and weaknesses to implement the innovation implement the innovation solution implement the innovation implement the innovation
implement the innovative solution by proposing an by proposing an appropriate solution, proposing some solution, lists process steps,
solution by proposing the appropriate process, structure process, structure and system, components of a process, a structure and system,
appropriate process, structure and system, demonstrating a demonstrating a good structure and system, demonstrating an
and systems, demonstrating a good understanding of relevant understanding of relevant theory demonstrating an inadequate understanding
superior understanding of theory and practice. and practice. understanding of the theory. of the theory
relevant theory and practice.
Professional report presentation and communication: Spelling, word choice, grammar expression, clarity of structure supports the professional presentation. Academic
conventions, such as appropriate Harvard referencing integrated into the report as supporting evidence. (15%)
HD D C P F
Well-written report with no Good organization of the report The report has a number of The report and explanations The report is poorly written
spelling or grammatical errors, with minimal spelling or spelling and grammatical errors are disorganized, with many with many spelling and
appropriate choice of words grammatical errors and and some sections are not well- spelling and grammatical grammatical errors and
with no ambiguity in meaning,
and an easy to follow structure.
Referencing accurately follows
an accepted style.
TOTAL: (45 max)
generally correct choice of
words, with limited ambiguity in
meaning. Referencing follows
an accepted style and is mostly
accurate throughout.
expressed, making
misunderstandings possible for
the reader. Referencing follows an
accepted style, but there are
consistent mistakes.
errors and ambiguous
statements making it hard to
understand. Referencing
attempts to follow an
accepted style, but there are
many mistakes.
many ambiguous
statements making it hard
to understand. Referencing
is absent or sporadic and
does not accurately follow
an accepted style.