Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module the student should be able to:

- Critically assess an organization's characteristics that facilitate the innovation process and apply techniques used in the development, evaluation and application of ideas and concepts with commercial potential;

- Plan and implement activities which will establish an innovative environment within an organization structure;

- Analyze a company's strategic approach to innovation management including the company culture and the role of the individuals in the process and as a result recommend strategic changes to improve a company's innovation management.

Part 1: Required: Essay Question:

Critically evaluate the organizational characteristics that facilitate the innovation process in an organization supporting your discussions with relevant literature.

Part 2: Required: Organizational Study (2000-2250 words):

Model Innovation Case: Successful Innovative organization/Company and /or entrepreneurs
You are expected to write about a successful and innovative organization or Innovative Entrepreneurs' (preferably in Oman) and their associated successful enterprises.

Consequently, you are expected to help in the research and also to structure the research around the following formats, as this should permit you to be extremely creative.

In the research you will need to consider:

What types of business innovative ideas did the business / entrepreneur adopt? How new technologies were, are or could be used in the design and production of the product while reflecting on the industry and environment as well as the social implications of the development, production and introduction into society of the product.

In the research you will need to consider:

- How new technologies were, are or could be used in the design and production of the product while reflecting on the industry and environment as well as the social implications of the development, production and introduction into society of the product.

- Consider the influence of modern-day circumstances and to reflect on them with regard to the innovative management practices and creation of an innovative organization structure.

- Finally you must consider and suggest reasoned arguments as to why innovation process and application of ideas with commercial potential were embraced appropriately by the entrepreneur as well as their marketing.

Requirements:

Task 1: Research a successful entrepreneur

Your task is to:
Plan and carry out research on a successful product and associated entrepreneur.
You will need to:
- choose a suitable organization or / entrepreneur
- Research what made the product /entrepreneur innovative and successful.

Your evidence must include:
- An explanation the Concept of Innovation and why the product has been considered innovative and successful.

Task 2: Evaluate the products innovativeness

Your task is to:

Investigate the product in terms of its innovation and new technology at the time of its development.

You will need to:
- Analyse the product/service innovativeness design and the technology that produced it
- Identify how this product has led to other innovative designs
- Evaluate how this product or service exploited new and emerging technologies

Your evidence must include:
- analysis of the innovativeness in product and design

Task 3: How the product was marketed

Your task is to:

Evaluate the commercial issues surrounding the products marketing.

You will need to:
- Describe the commercial issues of developing, marketing and selling your chosen innovative product / service
- Evaluate the commercial aspects related to your chosen product.
- Including alternative approaches the entrepreneur could have used.
Your evidence must include:
- relevant marketing principles and their application
- An evaluation of the marketing principles used for the selected product.

Task 4: Environmental and social impact of the venture

Your task is to:

Produce an evaluation of the economic and social impact of the selected entrepreneur.
You will need to:

- Explain what is meant by sustainable enterprises
- Research the impact of the products / and or services on the environment locally and globally and the social impact of the product.
- Evaluate the product in terms of sustainability when it was manufactured and how that may be different today.
Your evidence must include:
- An evaluation of the environmental and social impact of the Entrepreneur.
- An evaluation of sustainable resources related to the product, past and present.

You have been given freedom to choose which organization or entrepreneur you research because they are more interested in the conclusions you draw about how and why the entrepreneur and their product was/is successful