Overview
Think Big is a unit about generating, developing, and evaluating ideas for the introduction of innovative and viable new ventures. Think Big entails a process of discovery designed to develop creation of dynamic and impactful enterprises. You will learn about innovative business concepts and the design of performance-differentiating business models. The unit will assist you to generate new marketable ideas and develop skills in innovative thinking, and market assessment in digital, commercial, service and social contexts. This unit will also introduce you to the concept of ideation and horizon thinking, and explore how creative and innovative ideas are generated through teamwork and by brainstorming or workshopping ideas. You will be able to apply the principles of lean entrepreneurship and appreciate what is involved when starting a business or a social enterprise, as well as how to pitch business ideas to potential investors as part of an entrepreneurial team. The unit has a strong practice and market disruption focus.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Students, Unit Coordinator, and Managment Discipline
The students, unit coordinator, and management discipline recommend that the team-based assessment continue, as it is effective from a learning and teaching perspective.
The recommendation is to update the Unit Learning Outcome 3 to: "Generate, evaluate and communicate creative ideas for new ventures, both as independent learners in teams and as leaders of teams, to a variety of audiences."
- Develop, through independent research, an advanced and integrated understanding of the key concepts of innovation, business models, and new ventures in commercial, digital, service, and social contexts
- Critically analyse cases of disruptive innovation by applying lean entrepreneurship principles
- Generate, evaluate and communicate creative ideas for new ventures to a variety of audiences
- Research and apply established theories related to ideation processes, business model design principles, and forecasting
- Critically discuss and reflect on the technical, financial, and organisational constraints for innovative new ventures.
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Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 30% | |||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 30% | |||||
| 3 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 40% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | |||||
| 2 - Communication | |||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||||
| 4 - Research | |||||
| 5 - Self-management | |||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||||
| 7 - Leadership | |||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
| 3 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||
Textbooks
Business Model Generation: A handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers
Authors: Osterwalder, A. & Pigneur, Y.
Wiley
Binding: eBook
Entrepreneurship: Theory/Process/Practice
Authors: Kuratko, Donald, & O'Connor, Allan
Cengage Learning Australia
Binding: eBook
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
j.zhang@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Think Big- What is entrepreneurship?
Chapter
Kuratko, Donald, & O'Connor, Allan. (2019, 5th Asia-Pacific edition). Entrepreneurship: Theory /Process /Practice. Melbourne: Cengage Learning Australia. Chapter 1.
Blank, Steve. (2013). Why the lean start-up changes everything? Harvard Business Review, 91(5), 64.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Lecture: Introduction to Think Big
Workshop: Perspectives on the lean entrepreneur (and intrapreneur)
Module/Topic
Business Model Deconstruction- The Business Model Building Blocks
Chapter
Osterwalder, A. & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business Model Generation: A handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Chapters on 9 building blocks.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Lecture: Business Model Deconstruction
Workshop: Investigating the building blocks of a business model
Module/Topic
Advanced Manufacturing and Design Thinking
Chapter
Kuratko, Donald, & O'Connor, Allan. (2019, 5th edition). Entrepreneurship: Theory /Process /Practice. Melbourne: Cengage Learning Australia. Chapters 6 & 7.
Brown, Tim. (2008). Design thinking. Harvard Business Review, 86(6), 84-141.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Lecture: Advanced Manufacturing and Design Thinking
Workshop: Design thinking for business model innovation
Module/Topic
Disruptive Innovation and Think Big
Chapter
Christensen, C., Raynor, M. E., & McDonald, R. (2013). Disruptive innovation. Harvard Business Review.
Kuratko, Donald, & O'Connor, Allan. (2019, 5th Asia-Pacific edition). Entrepreneurship: Theory /Process /Practice. Melbourne: Cengage Learning Australia. Chapt 3.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Lecture: Disruptive Innovation and Technologies
Workshop: Exploring disruptive innovation and technologies to develop alternative models for your business idea
Module/Topic
Ideation: opportunity identification and the creative pursuit of an innovative idea
Chapter
Kuratko, Donald, & O'Connor, Allan. (2019, 5th Asia Pacific edition). Entrepreneurship: Theory /Process /Practice. Melbourne: Cengage Learning Australia. Chapt 5.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Lecture: Idea Generation
Workshop: What will it take to develop a viable business idea? Creative thinking and developing a value proposition for a business idea.
Module/Topic
Take a break and get refreshed
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The Digital Age and Integration of Value Chains and People's Networks- Greater Connectivity
Chapter
Moodle learning resources
Events and Submissions/Topic
Lecture: The Digital Age and Integration of Value Chains and People's Networks- Greater Connectivity
Workshop: Critical success factors in a business model. Reframing your business idea and value proposition.
Assessment - Business Model Deconstruction Due: Week 6 Monday (15 Apr 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Feasibility analysis
Chapter
Barringer, B. R. & Ireland, R. D. (2019). Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures (6th Global ed.). Pearson Education. Chapter 3.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Lecture: Ideation and feasibility
Workshop: Feasibility analysis
Module/Topic
Customer validation and financial planning
Chapter
Barringer, B. R. & Ireland, R. D. (2019). Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures (6th Global ed.). Pearson Education. Chapters 8 and
Osterwalder, A. & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business Model Generation: A handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. 10.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Lecture: Customer discovery and validation
Workshop: Financial planning and more on business models
Module/Topic
Entrepreneurial teams and reaching consensus
Chapter
Barringer, B. R. & Ireland, R. D. (2019). Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures (6th Global ed.). Pearson Education. Chapter 9.
Kuratko, Donald, & O'Connor, Allan. (2019, 5th Asia Pacific edition). Entrepreneurship: Theory /Process /Practice. Melbourne: Cengage Learning Australia. Chapt 5.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Lecture: Entrepreneurial teams and reaching consensus
Workshop: Reaching a consensus and idea selection. How do you select the 'best' idea?
Assessment - Idea Generation and Business Model Development Due: Week 9 Monday (6 May 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Structuring a Pitch and Pre-pitch checks
Chapter
Kamps, H. (2020). Pitch Perfect Raising Capital for Your Startup (1st ed. 2020. ed.). Chapters 1, 3 and 4.
Moodle resources.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Lecture: Structuring a pitch and pre-pitch checks
Workshop: What do you need to deliver a great Pitch?
Module/Topic
Pitch your business idea
Chapter
No readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Student Group pitch presentations in class
Module/Topic
Reflection on the Unit and concluding remarks
Chapter
No readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Student Group pitch presentations in class
Reflection on the Unit and concluding remarks.
Assessment - Idea Selection and Business Pitch Due: Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Practical Assessment
This is an individual assessment. You are required to prepare a business report that deconstructs a business model of an organisation given on Moodle and identifies the critical success factors that make the business sustainable. Your analysis will demonstrate your critical thinking skills and ability to articulate your findings professionally.
Length: 1500-words
Format: Business Report
Business Model Canvas format: Osterwalder & Pigneur (2010)
To achieve a result that meets your study objectives, please ensure the business report addresses each of the assessment criteria.
Week 6 Monday (15 Apr 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
A late penalty @ 5% per day will be applied
Week 8 Monday (29 Apr 2024)
As per the CQU policy, marks and feedback will be returned in two (2) working weeks from the submission date for on-time submissions. Grades will be released online on Moodle.
1. Provide a succinct description of the business, the industry in which it operates, the markets it serves, and the products and or services it provides (10%).
2. Deconstruct the business model of the selected business using the nine building blocks in Osterwalder & Pigneur's (2010) business model canvas (30%).
3. Explain the key interrelationships that exist across the nine building blocks (30%).
4. Identify and discuss the critical success factors the business has to get right to achieve sustainable success (20%).
5. Quality of written submission and APA referencing format. A minimum of 6 relevant peer-reviewed academic journals having discussion sufficiently linked with literature along with non-academic references (websites/databases/news etc.) used to gather information on the company (10%).
- Develop, through independent research, an advanced and integrated understanding of the key concepts of innovation, business models, and new ventures in commercial, digital, service, and social contexts
- Critically analyse cases of disruptive innovation by applying lean entrepreneurship principles
- Critically discuss and reflect on the technical, financial, and organisational constraints for innovative new ventures.
- Knowledge
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
2 Practical Assessment
This is an individual assessment. The objective of this assessment is to learn how to develop your own 'innovative' business idea, complemented by research and observational insights that detail why it is compelling. You are required to submit a report of your idea including the business model canvas, the interrelationships among the business model components that are essential to its success, critical risks and assumptions, and overall feasibility.
Length: 1,500 words
Format: Business Report.
Business Model Canvas Format: Osterwalder & Pigneur (2010).
To achieve a result that meets your study objectives, please ensure the report meets the assessment criterion.
Week 9 Monday (6 May 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
A late penalty @ 5% per day will be applied
Week 11 Monday (20 May 2024)
As per the CQU policy, marks and feedback will be returned in two (2) working weeks from the submission date for on-time submissions. Grades will be released online on Moodle.
1. An effective explanation of the customer or market problem that needs solving and or the need the innovation is required. Is it solving a real-world problem or need? (15%).
2. Description of the idea and the value or benefits for customers. What is your idea and what is its value proposition? (10%).
3. Brief discussion of the proposed business model for the idea (10%).
4. Brief discussion of the key interrelationships in the business model that will support the success of the idea (15%).
5. Critical success factors to be managed during the execution of the idea (15%).
6. Identification of critical risks and assumptions (10%).
7. Evaluation of the overall feasibility of the idea including product/service feasibility, target market feasibility, organisational feasibility and financial feasibility (15%).
8. Quality of written submission, minimum of 6 relevant peer-reviewed journals, and APA referencing format ( 10%).
- Develop, through independent research, an advanced and integrated understanding of the key concepts of innovation, business models, and new ventures in commercial, digital, service, and social contexts
- Critically analyse cases of disruptive innovation by applying lean entrepreneurship principles
- Generate, evaluate and communicate creative ideas for new ventures to a variety of audiences
- Research and apply established theories related to ideation processes, business model design principles, and forecasting
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
3 Presentation and Written Assessment
This is a group assessment that builds on the work completed in Assessment 2. The objective of Assessment 3 is to develop skills that enable you to evaluate which idea (from Assessment 2) has the highest chance of success and then to prepare a pitch that presents a compelling business case to secure financial backing. This facilitates an appreciation of what potential investors will evaluate before they commit to an investment in a business. There are two parts to Assessment 3:
Part A- Group Report (15%): a 1,500-word group business report that compares and then selects which business idea to present from Assessment 2.
Part B- Group Presentation The Pitch (25%): 10- to 12-minute group presentation in class that explains and sells the business idea to potential investors and customers. Each group member will be expected to present their aspects of the pitch in no more than 3 minutes. Your presentation must be delivered professionally and persuasively (i.e., as though you are presenting to a professional investor).
Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
A late penalty @ 5% per day will be applied
The results will be released on Moodle after grade certification date
Part A: Group Report (15%)
1. Idea Evaluation- Develop an evaluation framework to compare the group member ideas developed individually in Assessment 2. Use the idea evaluation template provided on Moodle and conduct a peer evaluation of group member assessment 2 ideas (20%).
2. Idea Selection- Describe and justify, with evidence, how the best idea was selected for the group (20%).
3. Gap identification- Identify any gaps that need to be addressed before the idea is pitched to an investor (20%).
4. Revised business model canvas- Amend the business model canvas from Assessment 2, to incorporate the above revisions (20%).
5. Budget and Cash flow projections (20%).
Part B: Group Presentation (25%)
1. Overview of the proposed venture idea including the problem you are trying to solve or the opportunity you are trying to exploit (20%).
2. Presentation of the underlying business model and why now (20%).
3. Demonstration of financial projections, competition, and key metrics including assumptions (20%).
4. Presentation of Go-to-Market Plan, scalability of idea for commercialisation (10%).
5. Explanation of what you seek investment from the investor and what are you offering in return (10%).
6. Quality of presentation, equal participation, and coordination in the group (20%).
- Generate, evaluate and communicate creative ideas for new ventures to a variety of audiences
- Research and apply established theories related to ideation processes, business model design principles, and forecasting
- Critically discuss and reflect on the technical, financial, and organisational constraints for innovative new ventures.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
