Delivering Customer Value: Individual Report
You should refer in the first instance to the assessment criteria. This note offers a framework/suggestion, it does not guarantee you a pass!
The Task
There are three components to the task
You must choose two organisations operating within the same industry and evaluate their separate approaches to innovation. Then explain how these approaches have contributed towards a competitive advantage. Finally for just one of the organisations outline and justify future innovation opportunities.
The report should be a maximum of 3000 words which must be stated on the front sheet of the report. You must include both theory and practice to obtain a good grade.
Your report should have:
• A title page:
• An appendix which explains the two organisations and clearly defines the industry in which they are operating
• A contents page (which you can do last). After the contents page, the next page is The Introduction and a good report will number the sections, as follows:
1. Introduction
In this section you need to talk about innovation theory/ new product development/creativity.
The introduction is where you display your knowledge and understanding of innovation and related. The introduction should be 500/600 words and it should be correctly referenced.
Then you move on to section 2 which you could call Application.
2.
3.
4.
5.
2.1 Application
2.2 The industry name/sector with a brief overview. Name and summarise the two organisations you are focusing on in the sector (summarise from the appendix)
You will need to show that you understand how to analyse the industry/organisations (for example) using PESTLE, Porter’s Five Forces, Competitor Analysis, Innovation Audit, SWOT etc.
Next is… Marks & Spencer is… what does it do, how big is it, how many staff, what turnover etc? Provide a short profile.
2.3 Innovation at organisation 1.
What is the nature of the innovation? What is your evidence? Conduct an innovation audit.
2.4 Innovation at organisation 2 as above.
3 The Challenges
3.1 What challenges did the organisations have to overcome and how has innovation helped achieve/overcome the challenges. Use critical evaluation.
3.2 What are the distinct competitive advantages of each organisation?
4.0 Future Innovation
4.1 Use a model of innovation, suggest and justify future innovation opportunities for one organisation.
You need to be very specific about your recommendation and say why you recommend it.
5. Conclusion
This is where you tie it all together, e.g. As explained in the introduction, innovation theory provides us with a means of………..
Remember the paper is about theory – you’re using the organisations and the challenge to demonstrate how innovation theory can be applied.
Don’t forget all your work must be referenced
Appendices
You need at least one appendix.
