§-Business Innovation syllabus
SA · SACE Board← Business Innovation
Business Innovation syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the SA Business Innovation syllabus, with a focused answer for each. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions and links to related points.
Business and Society
Module overview →How does a venture turn data into business intelligence that improves its decisions?
Create and apply business intelligence from data to develop and evaluate business models and plans.
How do digital and emerging technologies create both opportunities and challenges for a venture?
Analyse and evaluate the opportunities and challenges that digital and emerging technologies pose for a business.
How do you evaluate the social, economic, environmental and ethical impacts of a business venture?
Analyse and evaluate the social, economic, environmental and ethical impacts of a local or global business.
How does a venture protect its ideas and meet its legal obligations?
Identify intellectual property and legal requirements relevant to protecting and operating a venture.
How do project management and decision-making tools turn an idea into delivered actions?
Apply project management and decision-making tools and strategies to plan and deliver a venture in a business context.
Business Model
Module overview →How does a venture choose a revenue model and price that captures the value it creates?
Select and justify a revenue model and pricing strategy that captures value and supports a viable business model.
How does the Business Model Canvas map how a business creates and captures value?
Use the Business Model Canvas to map and evaluate how a business creates, delivers and captures value.
How does a clear value proposition match what a defined customer segment actually needs?
Define customer segments and design a value proposition that fits their needs, using the Value Proposition Canvas.
Financials and Testing
Module overview →How do you work out whether a business idea can make money and stay solvent?
Assess the financial viability of a venture using start-up costs, break-even analysis and a cash flow forecast.
How does a new venture fund its start-up and growth without running out of cash?
Evaluate sources of finance and select appropriate funding for the start-up and growth of a venture.
How do you test whether customers actually want your idea before building it fully?
Test and validate the riskiest assumptions of a business idea using lean experiments and a minimum viable product.
Idea Generation
Module overview →How does design thinking turn a customer problem into innovative solutions?
Apply design thinking and ideation techniques to generate and select innovative solutions to a defined problem.
How does deep empathy with customers uncover the real problem worth solving?
Apply empathy research methods such as interviews, observation and empathy maps to understand customer problems and needs.
How do entrepreneurs spot real opportunities and uncover unmet customer needs?
Identify business opportunities by researching customer needs, market gaps and emerging trends.
How do market research and trend analysis reveal where a real business opportunity sits?
Use primary and secondary market research and trend analysis to identify gaps and opportunities for a venture.
Pitching, Prototyping and Review
Module overview →How do you pitch a business idea so stakeholders understand and back it?
Plan and deliver a persuasive pitch that communicates the value proposition and business case to stakeholders.
How does building a prototype turn an idea into something customers can react to?
Create and iterate prototypes of a product or service to test, demonstrate and refine the value proposition.
How do you review feedback to refine a venture and communicate the outcome?
Review feedback and performance to refine the business idea and communicate decisions and the business plan.
How does a business plan turn a tested business model into a clear, evidence-based document?
Construct a business plan that communicates the opportunity, model, market, financials and implementation for a venture.