Module Catalogue 2024/25

NES3113 : Food Innovation Consultancy

NES3113 : Food Innovation Consultancy

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Orla Collins
  • Lecturer: Mr Graham Cole, Dr Sharron Kuznesof
  • Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 10
Semester 2 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 15.0
European Credit Transfer System
Pre-requisite

Modules you must have done previously to study this module

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co-Requisite

Modules you need to take at the same time

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

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.

Learning Outcomes

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

At the end of this module students should be able to:
• Undertake in-depth secondary research of the external environment factors (PESTLE) driving change and identify
innovation gaps in the food sector/industry.
• Undertake primary research of the client’s industry sector/market segment.
• Develop a strategic innovation plan for a food sector client.
• Experience involvement in the University’s initiatives to integrate teaching, learning and research with the
regional economy and food community.
• Collect, analyse and present qualitative and / or quantitative data in both oral and written form.

Intended Skill Outcomes

At the end of this module students should be able to:
• Undertake planning of a consultancy project
• Develop and execute an appropriate research design for a given food industry brief
• Reflect on involvement in multi-disciplinary team working and industry exposure
• Conduct effective oral presentations and pitches
• Write effectively in business report format
• Acknowledge and comprehend feedback and performance reports

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion132:0032:00Personal Essay
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion160:0060:00Team Report
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion320:0060:00Presentation Preparation, including formative presentation
Structured Guided LearningLecture materials101:0010:00Formal Lectures
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading102:0020:00Directed Reading
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching101:0010:00PiP - Online lectures/workshops. Initial intro to the module.
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesWorkshops42:008:00PiP Progress updates and workshops
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study1100:00100:00Consolidation of learning. Preparations for Workshops.
Total300:00
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.

Reading Lists

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams
Description Length Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Oral Presentation202M20Presentation of written report to client and or supervisor. 20 minute team oral presentation including Q&As.
Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Essay2M30Individual Reflection ‘Effective applied food market research in a consultancy environment’. Max word 2,000
Report2M50Team consultancy report - indicative word content max 3,000 words.
Zero Weighted Pass/Fail Assessments
Description When Set Comment
Oral PresentationMResearch proposal/consultation brief to client/supervisor. 10 minute team oral presentation including elevator pitch and Q&As.
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.

Timetable

Past Exam Papers

General Notes

N/A

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Disclaimer

The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2024 academic year.

In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described.

Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Module information for the 2025/26 entry will be published here in early-April 2025. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.