4/3/22, 9:36 AM Milestone One Guidelines and Rubric – MBA-580-X4576 Innov/Strat High-Perform Orgs 22TW4

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Milestone One Guidelines and Rubric

Overview

In the highly compe��ve automo�ve market, it is cri�cal to keep up with current technology to stay in or get ahead in the

marketplace. To remain compe��ve, companies must innovate and integrate new technologies within their product lines and

services.

Scenario

You work as a middle manager for one of the top U.S. producers of luxury and mass-market automobiles and trucks.

The chief technology officer (CTO) of the company from the course scenario has been monitoring new technology developments

that the company could integrate into its vehicles to enhance the usefulness of and improve access to the data acquired by the

many digital sensors integrated into vehicle subsystems over the past 20 to 30 years. The technology trend of par�cular interest is

the internet of things (IoT)—the interconnec�on of embedded devices, such as sensors and computers, over the internet. By taking

advantage of this trend, the CTO believes the company can seize an opportunity to provide be�er service and predic�ve

maintenance to its customers, improving customer sa�sfac�on and adding addi�onal revenue streams.

Based on briefings by the CTO and your Module One memo, senior management has decided to implement IoT into its product line.

Your CTO has asked you to lead a cross-func�onal team to take this ini�a�ve forward. Your first task is to create a presenta�on that

will include your recommenda�on for how the company should approach this business problem: should you use incremental or

discon�nuous innova�on?

Specifically, should the company:

A. Design a completely new product line, based on the new technology (discon�nuous innova�on)

or

B. Add new technology features first into one model and then incrementally into the broader product line (incremental

innova�on)

The recommenda�on you and your team will make is an important first step in pursuing this new technology. Your presenta�on and

recommenda�ons will be reviewed by senior management. Un�l senior management approves your approach to this innova�on,

your cross-func�onal team will not have a budget and will not be able to start work on the innova�on. You should u�lize your work

from the Module Two presenta�on and data analysis when making and jus�fying your recommenda�on in this first milestone. In

Milestone Two, you will subsequently develop a go-to-market strategy. For your project in Module Nine, you will compile your work

from Milestones One and Two, and include a proposed organiza�onal structure to best integrate, produce, and market the new

technology.

Prompt

Create a PowerPoint presenta�on to make a recommenda�on for how the company should pursue the IoT technology to remain

compe��ve: either by discon�nuous or incremental innova�on. To make your recommenda�on, you will need to iden�fy how the

evolving IoT (sensor) technology fits into the company’s products and services and determine poten�al risks and benefits. You will

also need to look at your compe�tors to see what they are doing. Finally, you need to analyze the company’s capability (resources)

for pursuing the innova�on. Use the informa�on and data from the CTO Brief, Compara�ve Growth Data, Compara�ve Opera�ng

Sta�s�cs, and Compara�ve Product Plans to complete this milestone.

1. Explain poten�al risks and benefits for op�ons A and B.



MBA-580-X4576 Innov/Strat High-Perform Orgs 22… TM

4/3/22, 9:36 AM Milestone One Guidelines and Rubric – MBA-580-X4576 Innov/Strat High-Perform Orgs 22TW4

https://learn.snhu.edu/d2l/le/content/1022928/viewContent/17973058/View 2/4

p p p

Overview (1 slide): Present the business problem and op�ons A and B.

Op�on A (1–2 slides): Explain at least two poten�al risks and benefits for op�on A.

Op�on B (1–2 slides): Explain at least two poten�al risks and benefits for op�on B.

2. Compare your compe��on’s products and services.

Compe�tors (3–4 slides): Evaluate the compe�tors’ current products and services.

What are your compe�tors' current products and services?

Are your compe�tors expanding in the current market? Explain how this impacts their market strength.

3. Analyze your company’s capability to pursue the innova�on.

Complete a par�al gap analysis (2 slides):

Does your company own the technology, or does it need to be purchased?

How is the technology currently being used in today’s products and services?

What type of technology is available to purchase?

4. Recommend the innova�on approach your company should pursue.

Innova�on approach (2 slides): Explain which innova�on approach you are recommending and why.

Consider the different stakeholders—research and development (R&D), marke�ng, finance—when

communica�ng your recommenda�ons.

1. Include a descrip�on of the incremental or discon�nuous product that you are recommending for

R&D.

2. Include the sales forecasts for marke�ng.

3. Include a financial snapshot for finance.

Guidelines for Submission

Submit a 10- to 13-slide PowerPoint presenta�on with detailed speaker notes that highlight the important points you want to

emphasize to senior management. If you include references, they should be cited according to APA style. Consult the Shapiro Library

APA Style Guide for more informa�on on cita�ons.

Criteria Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (80%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Risks and Benefits Explains poten�al risks and

benefits for op�ons A and B

Shows progress toward

proficiency, but with errors

or omissions; areas for

improvement may include

ci�ng both risks and benefits

for both op�ons A and B

Does not a�empt criterion 15

Compe�tors Compares compe��on’s

products and services

Shows progress toward

proficiency, but with errors

or omissions; areas for

improvement may include

discussing whether

compe�tors’ products and

services are expanding in the

current market

Does not a�empt criterion 15

Company

Capability

Analyzes company’s

capability to pursue the

innova�on

Shows progress toward

proficiency, but with errors

or omissions; areas for

improvement may include

comple�ng a par�al gap

analysis

Does not a�empt criterion 10

Milestone One Rubric

4/3/22, 9:36 AM Milestone One Guidelines and Rubric – MBA-580-X4576 Innov/Strat High-Perform Orgs 22TW4

https://learn.snhu.edu/d2l/le/content/1022928/viewContent/17973058/View 3/4

Recommenda�on Recommends the innova�on

approach the company

should pursue

Shows progress toward

proficiency, but with errors

or omissions; areas for

improvement may include

considering stakeholders’

interests when making a

recommenda�on

Does not a�empt criterion 30

Ar�cula�on of

Response

Clearly conveys meaning

with correct grammar,

sentence structure, and

spelling, demonstra�ng an

understanding of audience

and purpose

Shows progress toward

proficiency, but with errors

in grammar, sentence

structure, and spelling,

nega�vely impac�ng

readability

Submission has cri�cal errors

in grammar, sentence

structure, and spelling,

preven�ng understanding of

ideas

20

Cita�ons and

A�ribu�ons

Uses cita�ons for ideas

requiring a�ribu�on, with

consistent minor errors

Uses cita�ons for ideas

requiring a�ribu�on, with

major errors

Does not use cita�ons for

ideas requiring a�ribu�on

10

Total 100%

4/3/22, 9:36 AM Milestone One Guidelines and Rubric – MBA-580-X4576 Innov/Strat High-Perform Orgs 22TW4

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