Course/Programme:
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MSc International Business and Management (IBM)
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Level:
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7
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Module Title:
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Innovative Entrepreneurial Society: New Business Models (IES)
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Assignment title:
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Research-based Essay
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Assignment number:
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1
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Weighting:
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100% of overall module grade
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Date given out:
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16 January 2025
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Submission date:
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10 April 2025
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Eligible for late submission (3 calendar days, with penalty)?
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Yes
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Method of submission:
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X
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Online only
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Online and paper copy
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Special instructions for submission (if any):
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The completed assignment is to be submitted to the UoS Brightspace only
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Date for results and feedback:
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9 May 2025
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Learning outcomes assessed:
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On successful completion of this module, the student will be able to:
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of contemporary issues in entrepreneurship theory and practice.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the significance of new sources of innovation and creativity.
• Make basic assessments about the value of innovation in a social context.
• Effectively communicate the importance of digitalization to enterprise and innovation using social enterprise principles.
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Learning outcome(s) assessed by this assignment:
All learning outcomes were assessed.
At the postgraduate level, you are expected to:
• show evidence of assignment planning
• have a high standard of presentation, structure, layout, and design
• demonstrate appropriate coverage, critical appreciation, and evaluation of relevant literature
• demonstrate a critical understanding of key concepts and the application of theory to practical solutions
• show evidence of originality of thought and approach and creative problem-solving ability
The mark awarded for this piece of work remains provisional until ratified by the Assessment Board.
Assignment Brief:
The fashion industry has significantly contributed to environmental challenges, accounting for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This pressing issue demands innovative and sustainable solutions to address throughout the entire fashion supply chain—from production and distribution to consumption and disposal.
This assessment invites you to embark on a transformative journey as a Social Entrepreneur dedicated to mitigating the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Your focus extends beyond traditional methods, empowering you to develop strategies that minimise emissions and promote sustainability while enhancing social equity within the fashion ecosystem.
Country Selection:
Choose a country of your choice that is facing significant challenges related to the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Envision starting a new not-for-profit social enterprise aimed at devising intelligent solutions for one of the various stages of the fashion supply chain mentioned.
Design Thinking Approach:
Utilise Design Thinking principles to craft creative and impactful solutions. This involves empathising with the needs of the target audience, defining the problem, ideating potential solutions, prototyping, and testing those solutions, and finally, implementing the most viable and effective approach.
Business Model Development:
Leverage Osterwalder's Business Model Canvas to structure your social enterprise's business model. This structure encompasses various aspects, including:
Introduction: Provide some background information about your social enterprise. The key problem being addressed and why it is an issue worth pursuing. State your position and provide details of the most important points you are going to make which support your social enterprise.
Customer Segments: Identify the key stakeholders and beneficiaries of your solutions, ranging from businesses, communities, governments, and non-governmental organisations.
Value Propositions: Articulate the unique value your social enterprise offers to address the challenges. This could involve innovative technologies, services, knowledge-sharing platforms, and more.
Channels: Determine how your solutions will be delivered to your identified customer segments. This could include online platforms, partnerships, workshops, and direct outreach.
Customer Relationships: Define the type of interactions and relationships you will establish with your customers. This might involve continuous engagement, feedback loops, and collaboration.
Revenue Streams: Explore sustainable funding sources for your not-for-profit social enterprise. This could encompass grants, donations, partnerships, or fee-based services (3- year projection).
Key Resources: Outline the essential resources needed for your enterprise to function effectively. This includes human capital, technology, infrastructure, and knowledge assets.
Key Activities: Detail your social enterprise's core activities to develop, deliver, and maintain your solutions.
Key Partners: Identify potential partners, collaborators, and stakeholders who can contribute expertise, resources, or reach to enhance the impact of your solutions.
Cost Structure: Break down the anticipated costs associated with running your social enterprise. This includes operational expenses, staffing, technology, marketing, and more (3- year estimation).
Conclusion:
Your report should present a comprehensive overview of how your social enterprise will operate, the positive impact it will have on the challenges, and how it plans to achieve financial sustainability while prioritising the solutions to the key problem.
Important Note:
This is a practice-based assessment. Marks will be awarded based on the extent to which you address the assessment brief, provide thorough market research, and present specific numerical data and figures. The focus is delivering actionable recommendations for a real- world, business-simulated company, not outlining theoretical concepts. You must substantiate your recommendations with clear evidence and logical justifications. Simply presenting ideas without data and analysis will not suffice.
Format - further guidance:
• Assignment Cover Sheet
o Module Name
o Assessment Title
o Word Count
o Student ID number
• You will include a correctly formatted reference list and in-text citations using UoS Harvard referencing format. Refer to
http://libguides.uos.ac.uk/friendly.php?s=academicskills/referencing .
• Your work should be presented in a report format, using headings, and including a content page and page numbers.
• Please choose a clear font (either Arial or Times New Roman) using size 12.
• Please ensure your work is 1.5 spacing.
• Your total word limit is approximately 3,500 words (+/-10%).
Employability Skills
On successful completion of this module, a student will have had opportunities to demonstrate their employability skills acquired on the course through reading, selecting, and analysing information from a range of sources, through producing different kinds of documents required for this module, and through preparing and disseminating critical information.
Assessment Criteria (part 1/2):
The assessment guidelines below offer guidance on marking criteria and outline expectations in this module regarding word limit, presentation time, referencing, and consequences for non- compliance. Submissions exceeding the word count by more than 10% will be penalized. Presentations exceeding the allotted time will lose marks. Claims without proper in-text citations and referencing will result in automatic failure.
Review guidelines carefully and consult library referencing guidance to avoid penalties.
Referencing:
Ensure that all submissions are appropriately referenced and adhere to academic integrity guidelines. All claims and facts in your academic submission must be supported by references in Harvard style. Any work submitted without in-text citations and a reference list will result in an automatic refer. Simply listing references at the end without using them as in-text citations throughout your work will also result in a refer. Refer to library guidance on the proper use of in-text citations and referencing.
http://libguides.uos.ac.uk/friendly.php?s=academicskills/referencing
Wordcount:
Written submissions within (+/- 10%) of the stated word limit will not be penalized. Submissions exceeding the word count by more than 10% will be penalized by deducting 10% from the overall marks. Any content exceeding the maximum word count by over 10% will neither be read nor contribute toward assignment marks. Word count excludes references and executive summary.
Presentation Length:
Presentations must be within the allotted time. Presentations will be stopped at the end of the allotted time. 5% will be deducted from the total marks for presentations which go over the allotted presentation time.
Using AI: On this module, you may use AI appropriately in your assessments, such as Grammarly for grammar corrections or ChatGPT for generating ideas. However, AI should not be used to generate the final text—whether written, verbal, or in video format— submitted for assessment. All work must be expressed in your own words, developed and constructed by you. If there are concerns about inappropriate AI use, you may be required to have a conversation with your module leader(s) to discuss your approach to the assessment.