Aims

This is an experiential capstone module which provides an alternative to the individual dissertation. This module will enable students to experience life as a professional innovation project consultant: undertake primary and secondary research leading to the development of a strategic and operational innovation development plan for a food business client. Food Innovation Consultancy will provide a platform for students to develop and acquire necessary technical skills, knowledge and abilities inclusive of the following:
• Problem identification
• Conceptual framework development and design
• Data collection and analysis
• Conclusion and communication of findings

Overall, this module will substantially enhance a student’s curriculum vitae by providing elements of:
• Practical applied project consultancy experience with a real food business client.
• Team- working.
• Commercial awareness through analysis of market trends and other secondary sources relevant to their client.
• Research competencies through primary data collection and analysis.
• Creativity through the ability to come up with original ideas, to use imagination to identify opportunities
and enable results and ways of doing this (e.g. brainstorming and other ideation techniques).
• Presentation skills through the ability to effectively explain and share ideas in a variety of situations such
as: small group discussions; chairing meetings; presenting a sales pitch; personal presentation; presenting to
large groups.
• Time management through the ability to achieve tasks to schedule and in an effective manner (taking into
account other curricular and extra-curricular commitments).
• Adaptability through the ability to satisfy all the requirements of delivering business or marketing
recommendations to address the client brief.
• Initiative through the ability to identify ways to achieve business or marketing solutions for the client; to
suggest new ideas; anticipate and be prepared; think ahead to identify challenges and solutions.
• Problem solving through the ability to work through the data to provide recommendations.
• Written communication through students’ ability to effectively explain and share ideas with people in
different written formats such as: business report; meeting agendas; meeting minutes; personal reflection.

Outline Of Syllabus

• Effective applied market research and research ethics
• Data Analysis Methods
• Effective consultancy
• Project planning and time management
• Innovation and creativity
• Oral presentation skills including infographics and elevator pitches
• Strategic Marketing Planning
• Experiential learning and the reflection ‘Effective innovation and market research in a consultancy
environment.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

• Participatory online lectures (alternating mini-lectures and discussion buzz groups, debates, simulations and
role play) provides knowledge exchange opportunities to develop and enhance knowledge and skills acquired in
prior modules.
• Workshops provide knowledge of specialist topics, creativity methods and project management/methods.
• Workshop-client briefs to students.
• Small-group supervision-formative assessment.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Team report assesses extent to which the team project contributes to the client’s brief
Individual reflection assesses experiential learning with respect to conducting applied food market research in a consultancy environment.

The presentations give students experience of team work both in preparation and delivery.