Create an Innovation Benchmark Assignment

Evaluate the internal processes or strategies within an organization in which you are involved, such as your workplace, school, church, or community group, in order to identify a problem that provides an opportunity for innovation. Then, determine an innovative solution for addressing that problem. Examples of potential solutions are entering a new market, implementing a new practice or process, or even changing management structures. The ultimate goal of your solution should be to increase the diffusion of innovation within the organization and contribute to a culture that appreciates innovation as a key to competitive advantage and organizational success.

You should identify your problem and generate potential solutions early on. Begin drafting your implementation plan in stages as you work through the course topics. As with your CLC project, you should research and select a model for evaluating both the feasibility of your idea and the implementation plan.

1. Describe the problem your innovation targets. What is the scope of the problem and which stakeholders, both within the organization and without, does it impact?

2. Describe your innovation and explain how it addresses the problem. How will it meet the needs of the organization and all stakeholders involved?

3. How does the innovation contribute to the organization's competitive advantage?

4. Develop an implementation plan for effectively diffusing the innovation within the organization. Make sure the plan addresses potential resistance and obstacles, including people and processes.

5. Identify an appropriate method that could be used for measuring the impact of the innovation on the organization. Explain why you think this is a relevant measure.

6. Finally, assume your innovation is adopted by the organization. Make recommendations for additional improvements within in this organization (in processes, practices, structures, etc.) that could create and sustain momentum for innovation. Include at least eight in-text citations from at least five secondary resources from your research.