Assignment on Creativity & Innovation: Critical Analysis and Evaluation of Vignettes

On completion of this unit you should be able to:

1 Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding

Demonstrate a systematic understanding and critical appreciation of theories and models of creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and change management in the context of contemporary organisations.

2.Demonstrate the following skills and abilities

Synthesise individual and organisational theoretical perspectives to systematically promote the potential for creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and change in practice.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

You will be provided with vignettes which detail various scenarios in selected organisational contexts of direct relevance to creative thinking with a view to enhancing innovation and corporate entrepreneurship. You are required to undertake an in-depth critical analysis of each scenario integrating theory and practice throughout and fully supported by influential theories, models and frameworks to demonstrate a critical appreciation of how this is/not achieved and including feasible recommendations.

The assignment focuses on creativity and innovation (C&I) and requires a critical analysis and evaluation of selected vignettes connected by a common theme, crisis-driven innovation.

1. During the first half of the unit, you will need to conduct a critical evaluation of selected vignettes on creative and innovative thinking as they relate to a crisis situation that can lead to an innovative response(s).
2. You will then conceive ways to respond to the crisis, for example, it may relate to how to stimulate entire teams to be more creative and innovative in response to the crisis or how an organisation’s approach to creative problem-solving might be improved to reflect new operating conditions as necessitated by the crisis.
3. Drawing on your critical analysis and evaluation of your selected vignettes, the final step of your task will be to provide at least alternative recommendations that align with C&I theories, models and frameworks.
4. You will present your analyses, findings and completed vignettes which should total 2,400 words (+/- 10%).

A vignette is a “small impressionistic scene, illustration, descriptive passage or short essay, which can be a fiction or nonfiction work focusing on one particular moment or giving an impression about an idea, character, setting, mood, aspect, or object. Vignette is neither a plot nor a full narrative description, but a carefully crafted verbal sketch that might be part of some larger work, or a complete description in itself”.

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

In order to pass Assessment 1, you will need to:

• Demonstrate an adequate knowledge and understanding of challenges and opportunities in promoting organisational creativity and innovation or developing corporate entrepreneurship.
• Synthesise alternative perspectives of influential contemporary theorists, contributors and models.

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

We will be filling this section in together in class on Click or tap to enter a date. make sure you have downloaded/printed out the

Assignment Brief and bring it to the session with you.

Here are some of the requirements we will be discussing in the assignment workshops:

• You need to complete the guided learning to develop your understanding of influential contributors
• You need to extend this through independent research using quality academic and practitioner sources
• You will apply theory in practice for critical, in-depth analysis in the context of the allocated vignettes
• Consider what are the main conclusions derived from in-depth analysis?
• Draw feasible inferences and conclusions that are directly actionable
• You must use in-text citations throughout to acknowledge others’ ideas in support of your critical analysis
• You must use the Harvard Style of Referencing.

A random sample of students will be called to attend a viva voce to check the authenticity of their work

How does this assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?

A flipped classroom approach is used to allow practical application in scheduled workshops. It is essential that you complete the guided learning detailed in the unit study guide in advance of the scheduled classes.

In scheduled sessions you will participate in fun activities designed to provide the opportunity for you to personally experience individual blocks to creative thinking. In groups you are expected to actively participate in structured approaches to develop creative thinking skills, typical of those that are used in organisations for training and development. In this way this provides an opportunity to reflect on these experiences of integrating theory in practice.

Also in scheduled classes you will engage in small group discussions to consider how you might address the task to develop a training plan for an organisation to promote creative thinking skills with a view to enhancing innovation and corporate entrepreneurship, in the context of a live consultancy project(s) or in the context of contemporary case studies.

Group discussions guided by the teaching team will support your understanding of the integration of theory and practice in relation to individual creative thinking skills. In this way you will develop an understanding and critical appreciation of how the integration of theory and practice in context supports problem solving and decision making to improve creative and innovative performance in real life organisations.

How will my assignment be marked?

Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.

You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.