MODULE 1 UNIT 3
Activity submission
Learning outcomes:
LO4: Investigate innovation as a specific, routine capacity and strategy of a business.
LO5: Analyse the nature, importance, and types of innovation in an organisation.
Name:
1. Instructions and guidelines (Read carefully)
Instructions
1. Insert your name and surname in the space provided above, as well as in the file name. Save the file as: First Name Last Name M1U3 Activity Submission – e.g. Lilly Smith M1U3 Activity Submission. NB: Please ensure that you use the name that appears in your participant profile on the Online Campus.
2. Write all your answers in this document. There is an instruction that says, “Start writing here” under each question. Please type your answer there.
3. Submit your assignment as a Microsoft Word document only. No other file types will be accepted.
4. Do not delete the plagiarism declaration or the assignment instructions and guidelines. They must remain in your assignment when you submit.
PLEASE NOTE: Plagiarism cases will be investigated in line with the Terms and Conditions for Participants.
Plagiarism declaration
1. I know that plagiarism is wrong. Plagiarism is to use another’s work and pretend that it is one’s own.
2. This assignment is my own work.
3. I have not allowed, and will not allow, anyone to copy my work with the intention of passing it off as their own work.
4. I acknowledge that copying someone else’s assignment (or part of it) is wrong and declare that my assignments are my own work.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please ensure that you have checked your programme calendar for the due date for this assignment.
Guidelines
1. There are 6 pages and 3 questions in this assignment.
2. Make sure that you have carefully read and fully understood the questions before answering them. Answer the questions fully but concisely and as directly as possible. Follow all specific instructions for individual questions (e.g. “list”, “in point form”).
3. Answer all questions in your own words. Do not copy any text from the notes, readings, or other sources. The assignment must be your own work only.
2. Mark allocation
Each question receives a mark allocation. However, you will only receive a final percentage mark and will not be given individual marks for each question. The mark allocation is there to show you the weighting and length of each question.
Question 1 4
Question 2 4
Question 3 4
Adherence to the brief 4
TOTAL 16
3. Questions
Blockbuster was a US video-rental business whose first store opened on 19 October, 1985. Blockbuster rented out each video for a rental fee, and the videos had to be returned to the store within a specific time frame to avoid penalties. The company’s success allowed aggressive expansion to over a thousand stores in the 1990s (History.com, 2019). However, its success did not last. Blockbuster launched an unsuccessful online DVD-rental service in 2004 and closed the last of the company-owned stores in 2014.
In 1997, Netflix started as a rent-for-mail business. Netflix sold subscriptions that gave customers access an unlimited number of DVDs, which would then be delivered to the customer’s address. In 2007, Netflix launched their streaming feature, which changed Netflix from a rent-for-mail business to a hugely successful streaming service.
Use the information about Blockbuster and Netflix, as well as the content from this module, to answer the following questions.
Question 1
Identify the reasons why Blockbuster failed. Include insights into the nature of the company and where their focus on innovation was. Consider the following frameworks:
• Exploit–explore ratio
• Product and service, business model, and system-level innovation
(Max. 250 words)
Start writing here:
Question 2
What market trends did Netflix pay attention to that Blockbuster did not? Provide an answer using the TMO framework and consider changing technologies, customer needs, and organisational capabilities.
(Max. 250 words)
Start writing here:
Question 3
What possible alternative courses of action were available to Blockbuster? Justify your answer by referring to possible types of innovation that Blockbuster could have developed.
(Max. 250 words)
Start writing here:
Why do businesses fail?
Start writing here:
4. Rubric
Poor or incomplete Below satisfactory Satisfactory to good Very good Exceptional
Question 1: Reasons for failure
The response demonstrates a clear understanding of the nature, importance, and types of innovation using the frameworks. No submission.
OR
The response demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the nature, importance, and types of innovation using the frameworks. (0) The response does not demonstrate a clear understanding of the nature, importance, and types of innovation using the frameworks. (1) The response demonstrates some understanding of the nature, importance, and types of innovation using the frameworks, but there is room for improvement. (2) The response demonstrates a clear understanding of the nature, importance, and types of innovation using the frameworks. (3) The response demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the nature, importance, and types of innovation using the frameworks. (4)
Question 2: Market trends
The response demonstrates critical analysis of the market trends. No submission.
OR
The response demonstrates no critical analysis of the market trends. (0) The response does not adequately demonstrate a level of critical analysis of the market trends. (1) The response demonstrates a satisfactory level of critical analysis of the market trends, but there is room for improvement. (2) The response shows a good level of critical analysis of the market trends. (3) The response shows an exceptional level of critical analysis of the market trends. (4)
Question 3: Alternative course of action
The response demonstrates insight into the importance of innovation at the product and services, business model, and system levels. No submission.
OR
The response demonstrates no insight into the importance of innovation at the product and services, business model, and system levels. (0) The response does not adequately demonstrate insight into the importance of innovation at the product and services, business model, and system levels. (1) The response demonstrates a satisfactory level of insight into the importance of innovation at the product and services, business model, and system levels, but there is room for improvement. (2) The response demonstrates a good level of insight into the importance of innovation at the product and services, business model, and system levels. (3) The response demonstrates an exceptional level of insight into the importance of innovation at the product and services, business model, and system levels. (4)
Adherence to the brief
The responses address all the points posed in the three questions, adhere to the instructions, and are within the stipulated word count limits. No submission.
OR
The responses do not address any of the points in the questions and do not adhere to any instructions. (0) The responses do not adequately address all the points in the questions, nor do they adhere to all the instructions or the word count limits. (1) The responses satisfactorily address the points in the questions, adhere to instructions, and are mostly within the word count limits., but there is room for improvement. (2) The responses address all the points in the questions and adhere to all instructions. The responses are within the stipulated word count limits. (3) The responses exceed expectations with regard to quality, address all the points in the questions, and adhere to all instructions. The responses are within the stipulated word count limits. (4)
Total: 16 marks
5. References
BBC Newsbeat. 2018. Netflix’s history: From DVD rentals to streaming success. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/42787047/netflixs-history-from-dvd-rentals-to-streaming-success [2019, December 19].
History.com. 2019. First Blockbuster store opens. Available: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-blockbuster-store-opens [2019, December 19].
Netflix. n.d. Frequently asked questions. Available: https://www.netflix.com/za [2019, December 19].