Crown Institute of Business and Technology Pty Ltd ABN 86 116 018 412 National Provider No: 91371

CRICOS Provider Code: 02870D

North Sydney Campus: 116 Pacific Highway North Sydney NSW 2060 Tel: +612 9955 0488 F 02 9955 3888
Sydney CBD Campus: Level 5, 303 Pitt St Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: +612 8959 6340 F 02 9955 3888
Canberra Campus: Suite 1, Level 4, 40 Cameron Avenue, Belconnen ACT 26 17 Tel: +612 6253 5184

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement

Assessment task 1 - Written responses and

Continuous improvement and innovation project

Part A

Provide answers to all of the questions below:

1. Outline two methods for conducting cost-benefit analysis.

2. Describe two creativity theories and their application to workplace innovation.

3. Describe the diffusion of innovation theory and why a manager implementing an innovation may
find this theory useful.

4. Outline the concept of a learning organisation.

5. Explain the concept of shared vision as an important organisational learning principle.

6. Explain the concept of team learning as an important organisational learning principle.

7. Identify and discuss in detail five quality management and continuous improvement theories.

8. Discuss the implications for businesses of Kotter’s 8-Step change model for transformational
change.

9. Explain the purpose of the ISO 9000 Standards for Quality Management and the standards that
are included.

10. Describe the concept of risk as identified in the Australia/New Zealand Standard for Risk
Management (AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009).

11. Describe the concept of risk management and outline the factors that make a risk management
system successful and the factors that may inhibit effective risk management.

12. In your own words, describe the seven steps in the risk management process as outlined in
AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009.

13. Identify and outline three different sustainability practices common in Australian workplaces.

BSBSTR601 Assessment Task 1 v 1.0 Page 1 of 5

 Crown Institute of Business and Technology Pty Ltd ABN 86 116 018 412 National Provider No: 91371 CRICOS Provider Code: 02870D
North Sydney Campus: 116 Pacific Highway North Sydney NSW 2060 Tel: +612 9955 0488 F 02 9955 3888
Sydney CBD Campus: Level 5, 303 Pitt St Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: +612 8959 6340 F 02 9955 3888
Canberra Campus: Suite 1, Level 4, 40 Cameron Avenue, Belconnen ACT 26 17 Tel: +612 6253 5184

Part B

Carefully read the following scenario.

Woodhouse Recruitment is based in central Melbourne and is a recruitment agency

offering recruitment services, including sourcing, screening and selecting
candidates to meet clients’ requirements. The company was established in 2010 by
Simon and Petra James, a husband-and-wife team who are the Directors of the
company. The company also employs a receptionist, five recruitment consultants
and an Administration Manager. The agency plans to recruit a further 2 new
consultants to start with the company in early 2018.
The company specialises in the recruitment area of Administration and Office
Support, Accounting, IT and Sales and Marketing for both permanent and
temporary staff. The company sees its point of difference as being an owner
operated, boutique recruitment agency. The company currently has approximately
30 clients who regularly use their services.
At a recent management team meeting, the management team (the Directors,
Administration Manager and the Senior Recruitment Consultant), discussed the
need to implement systems and processes for continuous improvement and
innovation into the company. This is in part based on the need to stand out from the
competitors in an industry where there are a large number of recruitment agencies.
A number of issues were discussed at the management meeting, which the
management team feel need further exploration as part of introducing continuous
improvement systems and innovations.
Services Standards

The company states on its web site that it has the following delivery service
standards:

 Service Promise: we are clear in what we offer and the benefits it brings to you

 Service Delivery: we offer consistent and reliable service to you

 Customer Relationships: we are open and friendly with all of our customers

 Compliance: we ensure we adhere to all ethical and legal requirement

However, service standards have not been clearly defined and there are no
performance indicators in place to measure performance.
Key performance indicators
No formal performance indicators in place to measure key service standards
including how quickly candidates are recruited to fill jobs or how many of the
candidates pass the trial period effectively.
Social Media
There is no social media strategy in place. Currently the company is not using
social media to market positions or to source candidates but recognizes this is an

BSBSTR601 Assessment Task 1 v 1.0 Page 2 of 5

 Crown Institute of Business and Technology Pty Ltd ABN 86 116 018 412 National Provider No: 91371 CRICOS Provider Code: 02870D
North Sydney Campus: 116 Pacific Highway North Sydney NSW 2060 Tel: +612 9955 0488 F 02 9955 3888
Sydney CBD Campus: Level 5, 303 Pitt St Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: +612 8959 6340 F 02 9955 3888
Canberra Campus: Suite 1, Level 4, 40 Cameron Avenue, Belconnen ACT 26 17 Tel: +612 6253 5184

area for development. Currently most candidates are usually found through the
existing database (60%) or through advertising on job search web sites.
Staff professional development
While all recruitment consultants are expected to have minimum qualifications and
experience, there is no process in place to ensure that recruitment consultants
continue to participate in professional development activities to keep their skills up
to date. There is also no performance appraisal system in place.
Sustainability
The business currently does not have any formal sustainability initiatives in place
and is conscious of moving towards a green office environment both to be an
environmentally friendly business, as well as to reduce costs.

Key business performance statistics:

 Annual sales revenue for financial year 20 14 - 2015 is $1,350,000, an

increase of 10% from the previous year.

 Increase in profits for this financial year compared to the last one is 9%

 16% of placements are in the IT area, 18% in accounting, 20$ in sales and
marketing and the remainder in administration and office support.

 60% of revenue is from repeat client business.

 Fill rate is 40% (where fill rate is the number of job orders filled by the number
of job orders received multiplied by 100).

 Average time to fill contracts for 2014 were as follows:

o Temporary contracts are 8 days
o Contract work is 20 days
o Permanent search 23 days
o Executive search 33 days
Key performance indicators currently used to measure business performance focus
on financial indicators, including net operating profit and sales revenue. The
company

1. Develop a continuous improvement and innovation briefing report.

Review the scenario information and based on your review, select two topics or
areas that you can research and review, develop continuous improvement and
options and then plan to implement innovative processes for. One of these topics
you select must be in relation to improving a sustainability program.
When you have identified the two topics or areas, you will then be required to
prepare a report to your manager (your assessor). Your report should be written in
clear and concise English and contain relevant headings to address the required
information. As a guide, your report should be 3 to 4 pages long.

BSBSTR601 Assessment Task 1 v 1.0 Page 3 of 5

 Crown Institute of Business and Technology Pty Ltd ABN 86 116 018 412 National Provider No: 91371 CRICOS Provider Code: 02870D
North Sydney Campus: 116 Pacific Highway North Sydney NSW 2060 Tel: +612 9955 0488 F 02 9955 3888
Sydney CBD Campus: Level 5, 303 Pitt St Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: +612 8959 6340 F 02 9955 3888
Canberra Campus: Suite 1, Level 4, 40 Cameron Avenue, Belconnen ACT 26 17 Tel: +612 6253 5184

The student is to submit a report that is clear and concise and approximately three
to four pages in length.
Your report must address the following for both topics:

 Your topics or areas for improvement that you will plan a continuous
improvement and innovative processes for, one being a sustainability program

 Identify and discuss a range of strategies that you can implement to monitor
and evaluate the current performance and sustainability of your topics/areas
for improvement. Identify at least two strategies for each area selected.

 Analyse and provide a detailed account of the current supply chain and the
(operational, product or service) systems the business is using to deliver their
service. Explain what is working well and what could be improved.

 Identify how the topics/areas for improvement performance could be

measured, including an outline of the assessment tools or techniques that
could be used. Evaluate the effectiveness of each tool/technique.

 Identify at least two specialists that could help Woodhouse Recruitment. For
example, this may be to identify technology and electronic commerce
opportunities or to implement your ideas about continuous improvement and
innovation. Include their contact details, the services they offer and a rationale
as to why it may be beneficial for the company to use their services.

 Conduct research and analyse and report on trends and opportunities relevant
to Woodhouse Recruitment in relation to your topics/areas for improvement.
Use the resources provided by the assessor as listed under ‘Required’, as well
as any other relevant resources.

 Compare Woodhouse Recruitment's business performance statistics to

industry benchmarks and provide an assessment of why or why not the
company may not have met their targets.

 Discuss three examples of other innovative business ideas that Woodhouse

Recruitment could adopt and implement.

2. Send an email to the Manager (your assessor).

It should introduce and summarise the contents of the attachment, seek their
feedback, and ask for the place, date and time of your meeting.
Attach your report to the email.
The report should be sent at least three days prior to the meeting.

3. Participate in a meeting to discuss your continuous improvement and innovation report.

Your assessor will organise two other students to attend your presentation. These
students will be playing the role of the management team.
At the meeting, you should discuss the key findings of your report, as well as your
ideas for continuous improvement and innovation in the business.

BSBSTR601 Assessment Task 1 v 1.0 Page 4 of 5

 Crown Institute of Business and Technology Pty Ltd ABN 86 116 018 412 National Provider No: 91371 CRICOS Provider Code: 02870D
North Sydney Campus: 116 Pacific Highway North Sydney NSW 2060 Tel: +612 9955 0488 F 02 9955 3888
Sydney CBD Campus: Level 5, 303 Pitt St Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: +612 8959 6340 F 02 9955 3888
Canberra Campus: Suite 1, Level 4, 40 Cameron Avenue, Belconnen ACT 26 17 Tel: +612 6253 5184

During the meeting, you will need to demonstrate your interpersonal skills, as well
as your ability to build trust and confidence and encourage creativity in the
management team. To do this you will need to demonstrate throughout your
presentation your ability to clearly and confidently present information, encouraging
questions from the team, discussing/brainstorming ideas and active listening
techniques.
Make notes as required of the feedback provided. At the end of the meeting, you
will need to take on board feedback provided and agree with the management team
on the best way forward with your continuous improvement and innovation
initiatives.

4. Prepare a draft email to all parties involved (your assessor).

The email should summarise the ideas agreed to and seek final agreement to
proceed with the initiatives based on the meeting discussion and as summarised in
the email.

BSBSTR601 Assessment Task 1 v 1.0 Page 5 of 5