Reference no: EM131055695

ORGM5000 Strategy, Change and Innovation

Detailed information on assessment tasks

1. Strategy Investigation (Individual Assessment)

The traditional approach to strategic management relies on an understanding of the external and internal environments of a firm in order to chart an appropriate route to competitive advantage. From the evaluation of the external and internal environments, a firm is able to formulate short and long-term strategies the implementation of which is measured by the firm's goals and objectives.   Complementing a firm's strategy is its business model.  Often, strategy and business models are used interchangeably yet they are not the same things.  A business model details how a firm delivers value to its customers.  One of the key elements of design thinking is a firm's business model which charts how a business delivers value to its customers.  Since we will be using design thinking this semester and analysing a firm's business model, it is important the distinction between a firm's strategy and its business model is understood. The strategy investigation requires you to provide a 2000 (+/-10%) word assignment that details how a firm's business model complements its strategy.  Your assignment will clearly distinguish strategy from the business model but also demonstrate why the two are often confused. This will require you to demonstrate your critical analysis to explain why strategy and business models are often confused.  It is important that you present and evaluate alternative principles and concepts to demonstrate further your critical analysis skills.  The use of diagrams  to support your discussion is encouraged while your ability to synthesise key principles, concepts and models into your own conceptual frameworks will be regarded favourably by your instructor.

For this assessment, you must cite, using Chicago Referencing, at least ten (10) references, five (5) of which need to be from academic journals (examples of these journals are listed on page 3 of this outline).  Failure to meet this requirement will result in loss of marks (see marking guide on Blackboard).   You will need to use references skillfully since these will be the sources of information that help you build your argument.  Where articles provide contrasting or alternative views, make sure you argue how the views contrast and weigh up the relative merits of the differing views.  While ten references is the minimum requirement, students who do well in this assessment use considerably more than ten.  This assignment must be submitted to Turnitin. The final version of your assignment submitted to Turnitin will be graded by your instructor.  Please note, paper submissions will not be accepted and therefore will not be graded.  Please review the marking criteria for this assessment via the relevant link on the  ORGM5000 Strategy, Change and Innovation Blackboard site.

2. Project - Current Organisational Problem/Challenge (Group Assessment)

An invited CEO/Director of a local firm will begin your investigation with a presentation to a gathering of Strategy, Change and Innovation 500 students.  The focus company has been selected as the case of interest for you to prepare an assignment around an organisational challenge it is facing.  This assessment is group based (two to four students per group) so you can share your analysis and findings together.  You are expected to analyse the challenge by applying design thinking processes and techniques, particularly in relation to the firm's relevant business model,  to identify the "real problem" behind the problem.  Another key element of the design thinking process is re-thinking an organisation's value proposition once the organisation's real problem has been identified.  Since there is likely to be a disconnect between a firm's original value proposition and your re-defined organisational problem, you will need to use design thinking techniques to help you revise the focal organisation's value proposition.  You will discuss how you used design thinking techniques to analyse the organisation's challenge and value proposition to reach your conclusion. 

Your assignment will include an introduction discussing briefly the firm's current challenge and value proposition as identified by the CEO while in the main discussion you will demonstrate the clear application of the design thinking methods you used to "breakdown" the challenge into its basic components as well as explain how you revised the value proposition.  The assessment requires you to reflect on the design thinking techniques that were used to help you re-define the focal organisation's challenge/problem and value proposition.  This reflection requires a deep evaluation of how your group applied the design thinking techniques and where you found the exercise challenging and why.  Remember, you are not providing a solution to the redefined organisational challenge in this assessment but instead discussing the effectiveness of the design thinking techniques in getting you to understand more deeply the key issues the focal organisation is facing.  The word length for this assessment is 2,500 words (+/- 10%) regardless of the number of students in your group.  You are expected to cite at least ten (10) references, using Chicago Referencing, to support your discussion.   Grading criteria and relevant marking guide are available on the Assessment link on Blackboard. 

It is imperative that each member of the team contributes to the writing of the group component of the report.  In the event of a conflict within teams, students must undertake the following process prior to presenting their concerns to the Unit Coordinatorl

-Students must address issues early (do not leave the problem until the week before the assessment is due)

-Call a meeting with all group members to discuss a concern or a breach of contract/agreement

-If resolution is not achieved, request mediation by another student with the class

-If resolution is not achieved, request mediation by the lecturer

-If resolution is not achieved, present the concern to the Unit Coordinator

You will be allocated a mark for your project and to ensure that every individual in the group gets his or her well-deserved mark for the group assignment, the group members will determine how the marks will be distributed across all team members. Please refer to the Assessment link on the Strategy, Change and Innovation 500 Blackboard site for further information and also in the additional  information section of the unit outline. This assignment must be submitted to Turnitin. The final version of your assignment submitted to Turnitin will be graded by your instructor. As this is a group assignment, please ensure only one group member is allocated the task of submitting the final assignment to Turnitin. Submissions from multiple group members will result in a high number of matches and will require investigation from your instructor and unit coordinator for further action. Please note, paper submissions will not be accepted and therefore will not be graded.  Please review the marking criteria for this assessment via the relevant link on the ORGM5000 Strategy, Change and Innovation Blackboard site.

3. Innovation Report (Individual Assessment)

The Innovation Report builds on the group project by identifying a solution for the problem you identified in the previous assessment and how the focal organisation will be able to deliver its revised value proposition. 

Make sure you include a discussion on this problem/organisational challenge and value proposition in your introduction to the report. Your introduction should also discuss the existing strategies of the focal organisation.  This assessment brings together the topics covered during the semester including a revision of the design thinking techniques used for redefining the organisational challenge and value proposition.  You will demonstrate how your proposed solution will be implemented by your focal organisation through a revised business model that is different to the organisation's original starting point.  You will need to describe how the model differs from the original one and how and why it will benefit the focal organisation. You will also apply some of the strategy concepts we covered early in the semester as well as issues associated with intellectual property protection and collaborative strategies.  The word count for the report is 2,000 words (+/- 10%).  This is a tight word limit so please use exhibits such as diagrams and tables to avoid going over
the word limit.  Your business model will also not be included in the word count.  You will provide clear recommendations that are well founded calls to action clearly linked to the rest of the report.  Please ensure you submit your written report to Turnitin.  Reports that have not been submitted to Turnitin will not be graded.

You should aim to create something of a professional standard of presentation which you would be proud to show to the company, since it is the intention for all good reports to be made available to the business.  As guide, a report that scores more than 80% will be forwarded to the business.  The report is to follow the Curtin Chicago referencing style and should contain a minimum of ten (10) references, balanced between scholarly and other sources.  Advice on areas to focus on in the report will be provided in the tutorials.  Please review the marking criteria for this assessment via the relevant link on the ORGM5000 Strategy, Change and Innovation Blackboard site.

4. Creative Presentation (Individual Assessment)

The creative presentation complements the innovation report.  In this assessment, you are required to deliver a creative presentation that demonstrates how your proposed innovative solution will address the problem behind the focal organisation's challenge.  If you like, it is a digital summary of your innovation report and is a creative means of delivering your solutions to the focal organisation through a different medium.  The presentation needs to provide a compelling argument as to why the innovation report has to be read. The presentation will run for five (5) minutes and will be in digital form, i.e. can be viewed as a recording.  These recordings will be posted to the iLecture system at Curtin so you will need to make sure you use compatible software to permit you to upload your recording.  Selected presentations (scoring over 80%) will also be made available to the focal organisation.   Further information regarding this assessment will be provided to you in the tutorials.  Please review the marking criteria for this assessment via the relevant link on the ORGM5000 Strategy, Change and Innovation Blackboard site.