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Advice for teachers -
Industry and Enterprise

Unit 4 – Sample approach to developing an assessment task

Area of study 2
Outcome 2: Innovation​​ ​

Task: Expository essay

On completion of this unit, students should be able to discuss the extent to which innovation is occurring in an Australian workplace, evaluate examples of innovation occurring in one or more workplaces within industry and discuss the relationship between innovation and an enterprise culture.

Introductory information

Trends in the textiles, clothing and footwear industry have been rapidly changing in Australia due to cheaper imports and manufacturing costs in overseas countries. Australian manufacturers have therefore turned to innovation and technology in order to boost the local industry and compete. The relationship between innovation, enterprise culture and competitiveness is important if locally based manufacturing is to survive. In Australia, there has been a move away from larger scale businesses that mass produce to smaller businesses appealing to niche markets. Australian manufacturers cannot compete on price with overseas-based producers. They therefore seek to compete through quality and diversity of products.

Case Study:

Read the Industry Capability Network (ICN) article,​ 'What lies ahead for the clothing, textiles and footwear sector?' by Sara Conners, National Sector Manager, Textiles, Clothing and Footwear (TCF).

Task:

Write an expository essay (see below for instructions) on the following topic:
Analyse the extent to which innovation is occurring in one or more workplaces within the TCF industry.

The following could also be undertaken as learning tasks in class:

  • Research history of the TCF industry in Australia as an example of manufacturing in Australia.
  • Explore reasons why the TFC industry has largely moved its manufacturing offshore.
  • Define and explain innovation and enterprise culture.
  • Explain why it is important for industries to be innovative in order to survive in Australia.
  • Explore the connection between innovation and an enterprise culture.
  • Describe strategies the industry as a whole could take to respond to the movement of TFC manufacturing offshore using the above case study as stimulus.
  • Explain how Pacific Nonwovens has used innovation and technology to establish a new direction for the TCF industry.
  • Identify and explain how Pacific Nonwoven has survived in the changing environment of the TCF industry.
  • Explain the barriers to accessing major projects and supply chains for Australian-based manufacturers.
  • Outline possible strategies to counteract the impact of imported ‘cheaper’ goods on the TCF industry.
  • Investigate the industry training programs offered to the TCF industry in Australia and why it is important for industry to maintain a skilled work base.
  • Explain which work-related skills link to and affect the TCF in developing an enterprising culture.
  • Forecast the future for Australian manufacturers based on the evidence gathered.​​

Writing an expository essay

  • An expository essay presents reasons, explanations or steps in a process. Effective expository writing should contain a main idea, ​supporting details and a conclusion.
  • In the introduction, students should start with an interesting statement to engage readers (a hook). This might be some historical information about the TCF industry in Australia, for example.
  • The next step is provision of background information and context for the topic.
  • Finish the introduction by identifying the question or posing a statement that will be explored in the essay.
  • Next, there should be at least three body paragraphs with each including:
    • ​A topic sentence that outlines the main ideas for the paragraph.
    • Factual evidence that answers the question or statement posed in the introduction. Aim for at least two facts with supporting evidence.
    • Analysis of the evidence; statements about causes, pros and cons; discussion about what is possible/not possible and significant about the evidence.
    • Use of transition sentences to move onto the next paragraph – these include a statement linking back to the paragraph topic.
  • ​The conclusion should provide an overview of the main ideas discussed, offer solutions, and pose one or two unanswered questions to encourage the reader to think about the future of the TCF industry. The conclusion should also suggest the larger significance of the changes facing industry.

Unit 4 performance descriptors provide a guide to the levels of performance typically demonstrated within each range on assessment task/s. The performance descriptors for each outcome identify the qualities or characteristics expected in a student response.