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SIEN1000
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Foundation
Semester 1, 2023
ASSIGNMENT 1
Defining Your Purpose & Becoming Inspired Report
Worth: 25% of overall grade
Individual/Team: Individual
Due: Online via Canvas by Friday, 17th March at 23:59
Length/format: 2,000 words (exclusive of references and any Tables, Figures or Exhibits)
All assessments are compulsory. Late assessments attract penalties – 5% for everyday or part
thereof up to and including ten days after the due date. For work submitted more than 10 days
after the due date a mark of zero will be awarded.
No submissions will be accepted via email.
Short description
For this deliverable you will identify a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to
which you personally want to contribute positively (or a pressing problem you wish to solve)
through innovation and/or entrepreneurship. For the SDG you select, you will identify
examples of recent successful innovations and entrepreneurship efforts that you find inspiring.
You will assemble a diverse set of examples, i.e. spanning private sector, government and not-
for-profit organisations as well as technological (or digital) and social (or cultural/arts)
ventures, so that you can more easily compare and contrast your examples using concepts
from weeks 1 to 3 and draw lessons from them for your own innovation and entrepreneurship
journey.
Detailed description
For this deliverable you will identify a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to
which you personally want to contribute positively (or a pressing problem you wish to solve,
which you must then map to one of the 17 SDGs) through innovation and/or entrepreneurship.
a) Drawing on credible evidence, explain why the challenge you have selected is an
important problem to be solved. What would be the nature and magnitude of the
potential benefits gained from solving it? Who would benefit (i.e. how would the
benefits be distributed)?
b) For the challenge you have selected, identify two clear examples of successful
innovations – i.e. ones already widely implemented and contributing substantially and
positively to addressing the challenge – that were made by large established
organisations in the past 10 years and that you find inspiring.
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Be sure to choose innovations from at least two different sources, listed here:
- from the world of large, mature private sector organisations
- from the world of public sector or government organisations
- from the world of not-for-profit or non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
Briefly present each innovation and explain how and why it contributed positively to
addressing the challenge as well as why you find it inspiring.
Compare and contrast the innovations using concepts from weeks 1 to 3, being sure to
highlight similarities and differences between them. You must include a summary Table
which you reference and annotate in your text.
c) For the challenge you have selected, identify two clear examples of successful
entrepreneurship efforts – i.e. ones that resulted in new for-profit or social venture
start-ups that are still in operation and contributing substantially and positively to
addressing the challenge – that were made by individual entrepreneurs (or a small
team of them) in the past 10 years and that you find inspiring.
Be sure to choose two different types of entrepreneurship, listed here:
- technological (or digital) entrepreneurship
- social (or cultural/arts) entrepreneurship
Briefly present each example of entrepreneurship and explain how and why it
contributed positively to addressing the challenge, as well as why you find it inspiring.
Compare and contrast the entrepreneurship examples using concepts from weeks 1 to
3, being sure to highlight similarities and differences between them. You must include a
summary Table which you reference and annotate in your text.
d) Drawing on your analyses in (a), (b) and (c), articulate your overarching purpose and
personal goals as an innovator or entrepreneur. In as specific detail as possible,
explain how the challenge you have selected connects to your passions; how you see
yourself contributing to solving it; and what lessons you draw from your analyses in (a),
(b) and (c).
FORMAT OF SUBMISSION
The report should be written in discrete sections, i.e. (a), (b), (c) and (d), with appropriate sub-
headings. These sections should be linked together so the report is integrated and coherent,
with compelling analytical arguments that lead to your conclusions.
When you are writing your report, please remember the purpose of the assignment, which is
to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate to the teaching team that you have
mastered the conceptual material presented in weeks 1 to 3 by applying it to empirical
examples and drawing meaningful conclusions. With this specific assignment, you have lots of
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discretion to choose your own empirical examples, so it is important to choose ones for which
you can access sufficient information (and reference its sources).
Possible Structure (this is indicative only – other distributions of word counts are acceptable):
(a) Approximately 250 words
(b) Approximately 750 words
(c) Approximately 750 words
(d) Approximately 250 words
Style Guide:
Write in full sentences and paragraphs. Dot points are only for lists. You must still
explain any list you include.
Do not exceed the word limit. The top end of the total word limit is the UPPER
BOUND. Anything beyond that will not be read. Present your ideas convincingly,
creatively and concisely.
You must provide appropriate referencing of any data sources or quotes, using a
consistent referencing style throughout the report. APA style is recommended.
Use 12 point font with normal (2.54cm or 1”) margins all around, and double spacing.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ASSIGNMENT
All assignment queries must be posted to the specially assigned ‘Assignment #1 Discussion
Forum’ on Canvas. This provides an opportunity for all students to have access to the same
information.
MARKING
Your report will be marked using a rubric that will be distributed early in the semester.
Before submitting your assessment, it is useful to self-assess against the rubric to ensure you
are meeting all the assessment criteria.
Unit Learning Outcomes
X 1. Critically discuss and analyse the concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship.
2. Demonstrate an ability to engage meaningfully and critically in debates about
innovation and entrepreneurial processes in society.
3. Recognize and illustrate the multidisciplinary nature of innovation and
entrepreneurship.
X
4. Analyze cases of innovation and entrepreneurship across multiple disciplines and
industries; across traditional businesses and social ventures; and across start-ups
and large established organizations.
X
5. Present and illustrate core concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship with
reference to multiple settings and multiple types of innovations.
Criteria F P C D HD
Disciplinary
knowledge
Does not demonstrate
understanding of the
relevant innovation and
entrepreneurship
concepts from Modules
1-3. Does not apply such
concepts to the chosen
SDG.
Demonstrates
understanding of the
relevant innovation
and entrepreneurship
concepts from Modules
1-3 through basic
application to the
chosen SDG.
Demonstrates
understanding of
the relevant
innovation and
entrepreneurship
concepts from
Modules 1-3
through consistent
application to the
chosen SDG.
Demonstrates
good
understanding of
the relevant
innovation and
entrepreneurship
concepts from
Modules 1-3
through consistent
and insightful
application to the
chosen SDG.
Demonstrates an
exemplary
understanding of the
relevant innovation and
entrepreneurship
concepts from Modules
1-3 through consistent
and insightful application
to the chosen SDG.
Analysis Does not adequately
explain why/how the
chosen innovation and
entrepreneurship
examples are relevant,
in the context of the
chosen SDG. Does not
adequately compare
and contrast the chosen
innovation and
entrepreneurship
examples. Does not
connect personal goals
to analysis.
Explains at a basic
level why/how the
chosen innovation and
entrepreneurship
examples are
relevant, in the context
of the chosen SDG.
Compares and
contrasts the chosen
innovation and
entrepreneurship
examples in a basic
fashion. Connects
personal goals to
analysis in a
superficial manner.
Explains in
satisfactory detail
why/how the
chosen innovation
and
entrepreneurship
examples are
relevant, in the
context of the
chosen SDG.
Compares and
contrasts relevant
and diverse
innovation and
entrepreneurship
examples.
Connects personal
goals to analysis.
Explains in good
detail why/how
the chosen
innovation and
entrepreneurship
examples are
relevant, in the
context of the
chosen SDG.
Evaluates relevant
and diverse
innovation and
entrepreneurship
examples.
Connects and
justifies personal
goals to analysis.
Expertly explains
why/how the chosen
innovation and
entrepreneurship
examples are relevant,
in the context of the
chosen SDG. Provides
insightful evaluation of
relevant and diverse
innovation and
entrepreneurship
examples by comparing
and contrasting them.
Expertly connects and
justifies personal goals to
analysis.
Research skills Sources not identified.
Argument/analysis is not
supported by evidence.
Sources identified.
Argument/analysis is
supported by some
evidence.
Sources identified
accurately.
Argument is
satisfactorily
supported by
relevant evidence.
Sources identified
accurately.
Argument is well-
supported by
relevant evidence.
A breadth and depth of
sources identified
accurately.
Argument is expertly
supported by highly
relevant evidence.
Communication Ideas are unclear. Expresses ideas to a
basic standard. Uses
appropriate grammar,
spelling and
punctuation.
Expresses ideas
clearly. Uses
appropriate
grammar, spelling
and punctuation.
Expresses ideas
clearly and
concisely. Uses
appropriate
grammar, spelling
and punctuation.
Expresses ideas clearly,
concisely and insightfully.
Uses appropriate
grammar, spelling and
punctuation.
Form and
structure
The report is illogically
structured and
formatting conventions
have not been applied
and/or formatting
guidelines have not
been followed. Some
key elements are
missing.
Structures the report in
a mostly logical
fashion, with
formatting conventions
largely applied and
formatting guidelines
largely followed.
Structures the
report in a logical
fashion and
presents the
material clearly
with use of sub-
headings, in line
with formatting
conventions and
guidelines.
Structures the
report in a logical
fashion and
presents the
material clearly
and concisely with
judicious use of
sub-headings, in
line with
formatting
conventions and
guidelines.
Structures the report
in a logical and
seamless fashion and
presents the material
clearly and concisely
with judicious use of
sub-headings, in line
with formatting
conventions and
guidelines.