Weighting: 50%
Length: 1500 words
Assessment Overview
This assessment must be completed by students individually. The assessment is designed for students to develop understanding of the importance and appreciation of the close links between business strategy, business innovation and business models. The business model concept is central to this understanding. It has evolved from a term that refers to ‘the logic of the firm or the way of doing business’ to a set of conceptual analytical and creative tools that can be used to help imagine, conceptualise, deliver and capture business value. The assessment is about assessing business models using different perspectives. The assessment involves writing a 1500 word essay and explaining the essay’s main arguments via a creative video. The creative video should be of roughly three minutes duration.
Please note that academic misconduct and late submission penalties will apply to this assessment as per the university policies.
Assessment Guidance
Assessment 1 student guide (link).
Abena Nova case study, an example of a health care smart-connected-product (link).
Assessment 1 video examples (link).
Further assessment guidance will be provided here. As we progress in the unit, the unit coordinator will add advice here in response to student questions and discussions. You are encouraged to ask questions and contribute to discussions in class and to create posts on the website discussion forum.
Feel free to discuss your assessment ideas in the unit discussion forum, before you complete and submit the assessment.
Assessment Tasks
This section describes the assessment tasks. There are two components, a business essay and a creative video. You are required to write an essay and then explain the assay’s main arguments in a short creative video.
Business essay, 30% of the total marks for the unit
Business models are less durable than they used to be as technological advances in areas such as artificial intelligence, computing power, communication networks and battery technologies offers both threats and opportunities for existing businesses and their business models.
"Let's face it: business models are less durable than they used to be. The basic rules of the game for creating and capturing economic value were once fixed in place for years, even decades, as companies tried to execute the same business models better than their competitors did. But now, business models are subject to rapid displacement, disruption, and, in extreme cases, outright destruction” (de Jong & van Dijk, 2015).
Specifically, your essay is required to:
1. Clearly and succinctly define the terms ‘business model’ and ‘disruption’ based on a short literature review.
2. Analyse the opportunities and threats caused by the advances in smart-connected-products (Porter & Heppelmann, 2014, 2015) to the existing business model for one (1) of the following businesses:
a. Cochlear, Australia (link). Cochlear implant manufacture and service.
b. Commonwealth Bank, Australia (link). Banking and insurance.
c. Domino’s Pizza, Australia (link). Fast food restaurant.
d. LEGO, Denmark (link). Toy manufacturer.
e. Procter & Gamble, United States (link). Manufacture of disposable nappies and many other products.
f. Volvo Group, Sweden (link). Manufacture and service of trucks and construction equipment.
g. Strava, United States (link). Social fitness application.
h. A business impacted by the advances of smart-connected-products, that you are or have been employed at and therefore knows well. It is important that no confidential business information is included in the essay.
i. If you suggest an organisation other than the ones above, you will need approval from the assigned lecturer.
3. Use the business model framework by Osterwalder and Pigneur (2010) to illustrate your initial findings.
4. Expand your analysis to address only two (2) of the following business model perspectives: business models as value proposition, business models as a set of capabilities and resources, business models as a system of processes, business models as a profit formula (Ches
ough 2010; Johnson, Christensen, & Kagermann, 2008).
5. Conclude by
iefly discussing the significance of your findings to the business and its business model and the future of the business.
Assessment references
You should include at least 5 references and no more than 20 references in your essay. All sources must be highly credible and fully referenced using the APA referencing style.
Ches
ough, H XXXXXXXXXXBusiness Model Innovation: Opportunities and Ba
iers. Long Range Planning, 43(2–3), XXXXXXXXXX.
de Jong, M., & van Dijk, M. (2015). Disrupting beliefs: A new approach to business-model innovation. McKinsey Quarterly.
Johnson, M. W., Christensen, C. M., & Kagermann, H XXXXXXXXXXReinventing your business model. Harvard Business Review, 86(12), 50. Scroll down to find the article.
Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business Model Generation. New Jersey: Wiley (the unit textbook). The textbook is available from the CQUniversity li
ary for free.
Porter, M. E., & Heppelmann, J. E XXXXXXXXXXHow smart, connected products are transforming competition. Harvard Business Review, 92(11), 64-88.
Porter, M. E., & Heppelmann, J. E XXXXXXXXXXHow smart, connected products are transforming companies. Harvard Business Review, 93(10), 96-16.
Zott, C., Amit, R., & Massa, L XXXXXXXXXXThe business model: Recent developments and future research. Journal of Management : JOM, 37(4), XXXXXXXXXX.
Creative video, 20% of the total marks for the unit
The creative video must focus on your essay's findings. The objective of this video is to develop your presentation skills and ability to explain difficult theoretical concepts to laypeople. To successfully complete this part of the assessment, you are required to produce a short video that summarises the key arguments of your essay. However, your video should not just be a ve
atim repeat of your essay. It should be a creative and unique descriptive explanation of the essay findings and supporting arguments. Make sure your explanations are concise and easy to understand by people with little business training. Students are rewarded for using the video medium effectively and creatively.
Assessment Criteria
Essay marking criteria (30%)
1. Demonstrates an appreciation of business model theory in the literature. 3%
2. Identifies and concisely outlines the opportunities and threats caused by the advances of smart connected- products to the existing business model. 3%
3. Applies the Osterwalder & Pigneur XXXXXXXXXXbusiness model framework to illustrate findings. 6%
4. Critically applies the business model perspectives: value proposition, capabilities and resources, system of processes and profit formula to the analysis. 6%
5. Critically discusses the significance of the business model findings to the future of the business. 6%
6. Introduction, conclusion, coherence of arguments and theoretical integration. 3%
7. Written communication, credible sources and referencing standards skills. 3%
Creative video marking criteria (20%)
8. Effectively uses text, audio, images and other appropriate methods of communication via video to explain the arguments to a laypeople audience. 4%
9. Explains the reasons for and significance of disruption by applying business model knowledge to a recent disruption from real life. 8%
10. Tone of the video is consistent, for instance, uses humour effectively and is professional in tone throughout. 2%
11. Quality of the video production. 2%
12. Creativity. 4%
Link to the assessment 1 marking ru
ic.
Assessment Submission
Submit your essay with a cover sheet showing: unit number and name, assessment number, business name, your name and student number.
The assessment submission must be made online on the unit web site in Moodle.
Accepted formats are Word (.doc or .docx) and MP4 video (.mp4). MP4 formats up to 100MB can be uploaded to Moodle, but larger files must be uploaded to YouTube and a YouTube link must be included in the submitted Word document.