Managing and Developing Innovation and Creativity

Assignment task
The assessment will be a single 100% weighted film report (presentation). Each student will work individually. The assessment will evaluate each student’s individual work and performance only. Students will submit a short portfolio of evidence to support their work.
Task Overview:
You are assigned the task of identifying a specific customer need, problem, or business opportunity related to the retail book-store sector within the local area that addresses specific Environmental, Social & Governance issues or a combination of these. By applying appropriate tools and methodologies taught throughout the module, you will explore creative and innovative solutions. Your task includes selecting the most viable solution, outlining its implementation plan for the next 12 months, and conducting an innovation audit to identify and address potential implementation issues.
• Choose a specific customer need, problem, or business opportunity related to the local retail book-store sector. This could involve issues like promoting sustainable consumption, reducing waste in retail operations, enhancing access to ethically sourced products, or supporting local businesses.
• Analyse how the chosen opportunity or problem relates to Environmental, Social & Governance considerations. Consider how the solution could impact the environment, contribute to community well-being, and align with ethical governance practices.
• Utilise creative and innovation tools to generate a range of possible solutions for the identified opportunity or problem in the retail industry. These solutions could include implementing zero-waste packaging, developing a sustainable supply chain, introducing eco-friendly product lines, implementing in store experiences, creating digital platform for local artisans, and more.
• Choose the most suitable solution based on its potential impact, feasibility, and alignment with the identified opportunity or problem. Provide reasoning for your selection, citing relevant data and factors.
• Develop a comprehensive outline plan for implementing the chosen solution over the next 12 months. Detail key steps, resources required, stakeholder engagement strategies, and a timeline.
• Apply an innovation audit methodology to proactively identify potential challenges and obstacles that the solution may encounter during implementation. Consider factors like market readiness, regulatory compliance, resource availability, and community engagement.
• Offer well-informed recommendations for overcoming the potential challenges identified in the innovation audit. Provide strategies to mitigate risks, align with local regulations, secure necessary resources, and foster community acceptance.

Note: Your film report presentation should showcase your ability to independently analyse, innovate, and plan. It should also exhibit a comprehensive understanding of the interconnectedness between sustainable practices, community well-being, and ethical considerations within the retail sector. The presentation should effectively communicate your solution, its feasibility, and your approach to addressing potential implementation hurdles.
Your filmed report should include yourself as part of the content and not simply voice over content. We expect to see creativity and imagination in the film to heighten viewer engagement. Our expectation will be to see a junior executive presenting to a board of directors or venture capitalists/investors.

In addition to the film, you’ll be responsible for creating a supporting evidence portfolio that highlights your contributions to the task. This portfolio should encompass a variety of elements such as reports, research findings (both primary and secondary), mind maps, rich picture diagrams, photographs, notes, and any other relevant materials. You’re encouraged to include links to external sources like YouTube videos, podcasts, blogs, and vlogs that complement and bolster your work. Remember, there should be a clear connection between the portfolio and the filmed report.

The length of your individual film report should range from 8 to 10 minutes, allowing for a small variation of +/- 10% in duration. Your portfolio and filmed report should be submitted separately using the designated submission points.

Your portfolio should reflect your personal effort and contributions, showcasing how you approached the task with thoroughness and dedication. Your filmed report should be engaging and dynamic, presenting you as a capable junior executive with a flair for imaginative communication.

Key independent learning activities, employability skills and stretch activities:
 Comprehend how to construct an innovation led activity/event.
 Apply creative problem-solving techniques and methodologies.
 Identify key information needs using core textbook and other reputable sources to develop innovation, change and commercial acumen.
 Search using commercial databases and research reports and other reputable sources to build an evidence-based argument for the innovation need and proposed solution.
 Conduct primary research using appropriate business research methodologies such as, but not limited to field observation, surveys, archival research and interviews (stretch.)
 Demonstrate independent leadership of self and where appropriate others.
 Use technology to plan, produce and edit video content.
 Show your junior executive presentation skills.

This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your achievement of the following module learning outcomes:
LO1: Apply an evaluative approach to a range of business data, sources of information and appropriate methodologies in identifying drivers of innovation within a business and its environments.
LO2: Analyse and illustrate how organisations can successfully plan, prepare and manage innovation and creative activities.
LO3: Critically discuss the importance of organisational knowledge, knowledge transfer and cross functional co-operation in order to analyse and assess innovation capability and blockages.
LO4: Actively engage in the identification of an innovative and/or creative solution for an identified business or organizational need.
LO5: Conduct an innovation development audit appropriate for the introduction of the new product/service.

Practicalities: Referencing, presenting and submitting your work
Please see your programme handbook for information on the standard referencing style, presentational requirements and process for submitting your work.
Please reference your work using the Harvard style as defined in Cite Them Right Online (http://www.citethemrightonline.com).
· All students must present on screen.
· Film presentations must be capable of being uploaded to the BB submission point.
· Students should submit a copy of their presentation as an e-mail attachment to the module lecturer or provide a link to a web host service as a back-up to their Blackboard submission.
· Portfolios are individual pieces of work and can be submitted in any appropriate format as outlined below.
· Pages should be numbered.
· All work to be submitted as Arial 11 font with line and a half spacing.
· All writing should be in the third person passive unless directed otherwise.
· Written work must be word-processed.
· The module title and code number must be clearly marked on the front cover.
· Work you submit for assessment must be properly referenced – a guide to the Harvard system of referencing can be found on the Bucks website at bucks.ac.uk/referencing.
· You may seek clarification from the module tutor at any time.
· There is no excuse for failing to submit your work in accordance with the guidance, work that does not meet the necessary standards in that respect will be marked accordingly.
· You are required to submit your work electronically. Please use the relevant submission point in the Submit your work area in your Blackboard module shell at the time and date specified.
· Please ensure that your work has been saved in an appropriate file format. Turnitin will only accept the following file types: Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint, PostScript, PDF, HTML, RTF, OpenOffice (ODT), Hangul (HWP), Google Docs, or plain text. Your file must also contain at least 20 words of text, consist of fewer than 400 pages and be less than 40MB in size. Film files can be uploaded from mobile phone devices and laptop computers and visual and audio files.
· You can submit your file as many times as you like before the submission date. If you do submit your file more than once, your earlier submission will be replaced by the most recent version.

Once you have submitted your file, you will receive a digital receipt as proof of submission, which will be sent to your forwarded e-mail address (provided you have set this up). Please keep this receipt for future reference, along with the original electronic copy of the file.