Assignment: Leading Innovation-based Project in a Contemporary World

Assessment Criteria

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding tested in this assignment:

·Theoretical approaches to the evaluation of an organisation's strategic position, choices and implementation of options for change (LO3)

Learning Outcomes: Skills and Attributes tested in this assignment:

·critically evaluate strategic concepts and theory, decision-making and planning, using practical examples of strategic leadership and change processes

·develop the ability to work on a given project using variety of secondary resources

Feedback /Marking criteria for this Assignment

Performance will be assessed using HBS Grading Criteria and Mark scheme.

Guidance for improvement will be given in writing on the Assessment Feedback Form or on the StudyNet Feedback Form within 4 weeks of submission.

For each day or part day up to five days after the published deadline, coursework relating to modules submitted late will have the numeric grade reduced by 10 grade points until or unless the numeric grade reaches 40 for levels 4, 5 and 6.  If a submission is more than 5 working days after the published deadline, a grade of zero will be awarded.

Where the numeric grade awarded for the assessment is less than 40 for level 4, 5 and 6, no lateness penalty will be applied.

Plagiarism offences will receive standard penalties.

Detailed Brief for Individual/Group Assessment

Assignment Title:  Leading Innovation-based Project in a Contemporary World

It is a 10 minutes long individual presentation showcasing an introduction of an innovation offered to the market by a well-known company. The main assessment target is to present a solution to the question:   

How can my chosen brand be influenced by innovation in its product portfolio?

The innovation could be one of below:

-a brand-new product in a portfolio of a currently operating company,

-significantly augmented product,

-new service

-meaningful and innovative cooperation between brands.

Any specific instructions:

Scenario: You are pitching an idea for an innovation to the Board of Directors of a well-known brand.

You should briefly analyse the current portfolio of a brand, indicate the potential to fill in a gap in the market and the need for an improvement. You should consider positioning of the brand on the market, it’s brand identity, competitors and customers profile in order to establish a link between your innovation idea and its potential to be successful in the market. You do not need to mention a budget needed for the innovation; however, you need to showcase that your innovation as “investable”.

-start with analysing inspiring innovations in the area that you would like to explore

-choose a brand and review its product portfolio (identifying potential gaps)

-select one product or service which you would like to add / augment and you feel excited to work on

-collect the data about the competitors and their portfolio (to make sure you are not copying an existing innovation)

-analyse the data about the customers; lifestyle, needs, wants, potential to purchase your innovation

-provide a critical evaluation into benefits of proposed innovation

-include references of reliable sources of information relevant to your innovation (e.g. market trends, competition data) – at least three pieces of relevant data required!

-use a power point with your voice over to deliver the pitch or make arrangements to deliver via Zoom, Teams or face to face.