Module: Social and sustainable innovation
Assignment type/format of paper: Empirical paper format
Assignment Objectives:
- To convey your expert opinion and critique on a research worthy question.
- Given the breadth of content covered in the course, you should find it relatively easy to link the key concepts, models, tools, and issues discussed in class to any set of research question or issues.
- Overall I look for: unique arguments, discussion depth and clarity of presentation.
- The paper should have a clear focus and thesis – rather than making it too general or trying to speaking to all the literature we covered.
Format of the paper:
- Empirical paper (Introduction, brief literature review, method, results, discussion, conclusion, references)
- You can adapt the formatting guidelines from a specific journal you would like to submit to.
The paper will be evaluated on the basis of:
- Purpose: Sets out the question and / or objective(s) clearly.
- Methods: Explains process used to arrive at answer or insights.
- Literature: Cites appropriate literature and builds upon previous work.
- Results: Presents convincing theoretical and/or factual evidence.
- Discussion: Logically answers the question and /or develops an argument.
- Implications: Infers significance of findings, arguments, claims.
- Relevance: Contributes to innovation and sustainability.
- Presentation: Language, formatting, references.
- Structure: Identifies outlet and uses clear coherent structure.
- Publication: Potential for submitting for publication.
MY RESEARCH TOPIC:
To write about how new emerging start-ups (focus on new innovative products regarding periods products/menstrual products) in feminine hygiene products sector contributing to a circular economy. Also, explain the issue in traditional feminine hygiene product period products how it is not contributing to a circular economy and the sustainable impact of it.
Possible Research Question:
- How are emerging start-ups contributing to a circular economy in the feminine hygiene product sector?
Here you will have several examples to support your answer to your question – unless you know some of these examples/companies first-hand, you can draft your empirical paper based on secondary data (reports, articels, websites, databases).
The whole assignment should have literature from the readings in the class interspersed throughout.
The paper should only focus on innovative period products – Examples for innovative period productions:
Examples: Traditional companies – period products:
- P&G – brand: Always
- Kimberly and Clark – Kotex
- Essity: Libresse/Bodyform
CORE CONCEPTS TO BE COVERED:
You should analyse, reflect upon and relate whatever you are writing about back to the module concepts, frameworks and theories.
- Explain Circular economy with theory
- Innovations (what kinds ect) – why is it sustainable innovation.
- S-curve
- sustainable innovations
