BUSM4537 Management of Technology and Innovation

Assessment Brief

Overview

Assessment 1 entails an individual engagement with an immersive virtual reality simulation. Detailed instructions for accessing this simulation will be provided during the Week 2 tutorial. Following your participation in the immersive experience, your task is to craft a written reflection. This written reflection will be assessed for your Assessment 1 grade. Active participation in the immersive virtual reality simulation is a prerequisite for composing this reflection. While the task itself is individual, you are encouraged to discuss your experience with teammates post-simulation. Your reflection should encompass critical insights into your personal learnings as well as comparative analyses with others' experiences. It is crucial that the written reflection solely reflects your own thoughts and expressions.

Learning Outcomes

The targeted Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this assessment are:

• CLO1: Manage business innovation and technology challenges in business both nationally and internationally.
• CLO2: Research and evaluate data to inform and support decision making that contributes to the effective management of technology, change and innovation.
• CLO3: Reflect on the knowledge and skill required of managers to make ethical and sustainable business decisions in relation to technology and innovation.
• CLO4: Construct and present effective oral and written forms of professional communication

Marking Criteria

Assessment Task 1 requires you to submit a written reflection after participating in the immersive virtual reality simulation.

This reflective writing exercise aims to help you focus on significant new insights gained through your participation in the immersive virtual reality exercise. Success in this reflection depends on your ability to critically reflect on your simulation experience with literature, demonstrate the insights you have gained, and your ability apply these insights in a professional situation that recent MBA graduates are likely to find themselves.

The RMIT Learning LabLinks to an external site. provides material to assist students in undertaking a reflection exercise such as this one.

This assessment will measure your ability to:

• Critically reflect on the learning experience provided by the immersive virtual reality simulation, and connect to the literature on integrative negotiation skills (25%)
• Use appropriate evidence and examples to support claims related to the strengths and limitations of your performance in the simulation (25%)
• Apply the lessons learned in a practical professional environment and suggest strategies for future improvements (25%)
• Communicate effectively (25%)
  • Write using an appropriate style while using an appropriate structure (10%)
  • Use correct grammar (10%)
  • Provide appropriate referencing (5%)

Assessment Details

Overview 

Assessment 1 entails an individual engagement with an immersive virtual reality simulation. Detailed instructions for accessing this simulation will be provided during the Week 2 tutorial. Following your participation in the immersive experience, your task is to craft a written reflection. This written reflection will be assessed for your Assessment 1 grade. Active participation in the immersive virtual reality simulation is a prerequisite for composing this reflection. While the task itself is individual, you are encouraged to discuss your experience with teammates post-simulation. Your reflection should encompass critical insights into your personal learnings as well as comparative analyses with others' experiences. It is crucial that the written reflection solely reflects your own thoughts and expressions.

Purpose

Integrative negotiation is an effective and valuable skill set for managers. A skilled integrative negotiator will build trust and ask questions of the counterpart, in an effort to uncover that party's underlying interests and priorities. This VR experience allows students to practice and assess their integrative negotiation skills.

Simulation Scenario 

You are working as a technology consultant at a multinational consulting firm, and you have been assigned to assist an executive client who is considering a new HR software system. Your organisation has requested you to develop an implementation plan to apply this new technology in your client's business.  There have been pushback and reluctance from the affected departments in the client's organisation as employees have growing concerns. You need to clearly describe the implementation plan and negotiate the development strategy with the Chief People Officer (CPO),  which you will report to your organisation.

Conversation Goal 

The conversation goal of this immersive simulation is to develop your ability in utilising effective negotiation skills to reach a mutual agreement (integrative win-win solutions) with a business executive who does not necessarily share your agenda or priorities.

VR Simulation Objectives 

• Students will acquire immersive experience for understanding negotiation.
• Students will improve the awareness of their strengths and weaknesses as a negotiator.
• Students will perform an integrative negotiation strategy to reach a joint agreement by creating value for each party.
• Students will demonstrate problem-solving techniques for distributing value and strengthening relationships.

Essential Readings for the Reflection: 

You MUST read the guideline and critically refer to the following article in your reflection. You are encouraged to refer more broadly to the literature on negotiation skills.

• BUSM4537 Immersive VR Simulation Integrative Negotiation Guide.pdf
• A Proposed Model for Effective Negotiation Skill Development.pdf