Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Report

This report delves into contemporary issues in entrepreneurship, specifically examining the application of transformative innovation and design thinking to address 'wicked problems'. The report uses the challenges faced by Jewish schools in Melbourne, Australia, as a case study, highlighting issues such as low student enrollment due to high fees and competition. The author proposes a transformative innovation approach, including implementing design thinking stages like empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and implement. The proposed solution involves lowering course fees, seeking government support, and developing engaging websites to attract students. The report emphasizes the importance of cultural transformation, embracing community initiatives, and creating mutually advantageous outcomes. The report concludes that transformative innovation, supported by design thinking, can effectively address complex challenges and drive positive changes in various systems, especially in the context of the Jewish schools in Australia.

Running head: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
Contemporary issues in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Name of the University:
Name of the Student:
Authors Note:

1CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
Executive Summary
Sustaining such innovation with the support of design thinking approach can facilitate in
enhancing efficiency along with prolonging the life of the existing systems. In solving the
wicked problem faced by the Jewish schools in sustaining the fierce competition to attract
students to the schools implementation of transformative innovative theory can act as an
effective solution. Among the major aspects of the problem identified is low enrolment of the
students in Jewish schools of Australia due to their high course fees. The transformative
innovation base solution to such issue is to lower the course fees that can support continuing
Jewish education through attaining governments support in developing the program of
encouraging education among these children. It has been evidenced from the findings of the
report that transformative innovation serves as great solution to the wicked problems as it can
drive through introducing breakthrough ideas. It supports in expanding mutually advantageous
outcomes of activities to the society and business that can increase the scale of human strengths
and invokes greater shift in values, behaviours as well as assumptions that can guide the Jewish
school in enrolling ore Jewish students.

2CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Defining the Wicked Problem.........................................................................................................3
Transformative Innovation as a Solution.........................................................................................4
Transformative Innovation in Addressing the Problem...................................................................6
Conclusion and Recommendations..................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................11

3CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
Introduction
With the emerging era of increasing complexity, the challenges faced by the communities
and the organisations in it are turning out to be less predictable that needs an innovative
mentality along with approach in dealing with the emerging issues (Avelino et al. 2017, p. 4).
Despite having realisation of the challenges, finding of solution on the challenge is becoming
quite complex. In the current years landscape of difficult dilemmas regarding changing concepts
in work and education, technological disruption, political up heal along with resource wars has
resulted in emergence of certain effective problem solution approaches. Such solutions are
emerging in the form of effective design thinking and transformative innovation process that is
considered to address wicked problems to a great extent with proposing new ideas and solutions
(Correa-Velez et al. 2017, p. 800). The objective of the report is to analyse the wicked problem
faced by a workplace situation based on which effective solutions can be developed through
implementing the theory of transformative innovative by implementing the design thing
approach. Moreover, effective of such solution in solving the revealed challenge as well as its
potential impact on the related stakeholders will also be evaluated in the report. The workplace
issue that will be analysed in this report is regarding the problems faced by the Jewish schools in
attracting students due to increased competition and small community of Jewish population
residing in Melbourne, Australia.
Defining the Wicked Problem
Elwood et al. (2016, p. 43) defined a wicked problem as a problem that is quite complex
or impossible to sol for the reason of incomplete, contradictory along with certain changing
requirements that are quite complex to recognise. In the workplace report that is being analysed

4CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
for describing the wicked problem and its likely solution, the current job that is held by the
researcher is of an assistant accountant in a Jewish School in Melbourne, Australia that is a
private school. The wicked problem or challenge that is revealed in the private Jewish school is
that the Jewish community in the Melbourne region is quite small and there are eight other
Jewish schools that that are making increased attempts in keeping their enrolments high.
However, due to existence of a small Jewish community they are facing the issues related with
attracting students due to increased competition that is taking place among the Jewish schools in
the region (Fernandez, Gearon & Clyne 2016, p. 10). It has been revealed that these schools are
dealing with issues related with significant risks associated with limited population of Jewish
community in the region. Moreover, the major challenge that is affecting the operations of the
Jewish schools in the nation is related with the problems faced by the Jewish community in
surviving in Australia as they are in small communities with, limited opportunities for teenagers
in attending schools. It has also been observed that the course fees charged in the Jewish
Schools in Melbourne region of Australia is quite high that is attracting less number students in
the schools because the Jewish community is the nation (Forrest-Bank & Dupper 2016, p. 290).
This is for the reason that the Jewish population in the region is observed to have lack of
resources in attaining the opportunities of career development and there is reluctance among
these people to come forward ad seeks assistance.
Transformative Innovation as a Solution
Hocking, Brown & Harris (2016, p. 25) defined transformative innovation as it enhances
efficiency along with prolonging the life of the existing systems. Considering this transformative
innovation theory most of the companies initiates the transformation process that leads in these
companies to innovate a whole new way of conducting business along with providing value as

5CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
well as service. This innovation theory also considers bringing in transformation from the
problem situation through encouraging deeper cultural transformation that can lead the
community, company or society in transforming and reinventing itself (Iversen et al. 2016, p. 2).
In case of solving the workplace issue faced by the Jewish schools it can be stated that
transformative innovation in these schools can come in the form of fundamental changes within
the culture along with the identity. In such problem situation the transformative theory as a
solution suggests that experimenting along with accepting change can transform the challenging
situation as it can facilitate in shifting the whole system to a new and viable pattern fit for the
future.
In addition, sustaining such innovation with the support of design thinking approach can
facilitate in enhancing efficiency along with prolonging the life of the existing systems (Koh et
al. 2015, p. 13). In solving the wicked problem faced by the Jewish schools in sustaining the
fierce competition to attract students to the schools implementation of transformative innovative
theory can act as an effective solution. This can be ensured through intersecting the business of
the schools with community along with embracing environmental, social, ethical and identical
initiatives as an integral part of their strategic mission. Transformative innovation serves as great
solution to the wicked problems as it can drive through introducing breakthrough ideas. It
supports in expanding mutually advantageous outcomes of activities to the society and business
that can increase the scale of human strengths and invokes greater shift in values, behaviours as
well as assumptions that can guide the Jewish school in enrolling ore Jewish students (Lönngren
& Svanström 2016, p. 160).
Design thinking can be an effective form of transformative innovation that can solve
wicked problems through imaging the best explanation, resolving tensions’ by grasping the

6CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
problem and solution components together and enables organisations in learning their own way
of dealing with the wicked problems. As problem solving the major activity of entrepreneurs and
innovators design thinking based transformation innovation approach maintains a natural fit
between the entrepreneurs and innovators in solving wicked problems (Melles et al. 2015, p.
200).
Transformative Innovation in Addressing the Problem
Implementing design thinning approach can serve as the best transformative innovation
solution to solve the wicked problems indented to be faced by the Jewish schools of Melbourne
in Australia. In this transformative innovation approach, solution-based thing can be initiated that
can start with setting a goal for dealing with the identified problem (Ney & Verweij 2015, p.
1696). The figure below indicates the design thinking based transformative innovation stages
that can be implemented in solving the wicked problem faced by these Jewish schools.

7CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
Figure 1: Design Thinking Transformative Innovation Process
(Source: Nielsen & Stovang 2015, p. 991)
 Empathise: In this process identifying the problems along with developing innovative
solutions must be considered where the important stakeholders associated with the
operations of these Jewish schools in Australia will also be considered in the decision
making process of solving the student enrolment and fierce competition problem. These
stakeholders include teachers, students, patents and the support staff (O’Donohue 2016,
p. 1610). In this process, the Jewish schools must consider interviewing the students,
parents, educators and few families belonging to Jewish community in arriving at a
mutual solution to the issue through recognising the reasons for which the students are
resisting to enrol in the Jewish schools.
 Define: This problem solving stage is focused on analysing the observations from the
survey to identify the real reasons causing problems faced by the Jewish schools. It has
been revealed that along with having a small community of Jewish people in Australia
there also exist issues related with no continuation of education among these people even
after the age of 12 (Piquet 2017, p. 160). In solving such problem an innovative solution
regarding introduction of “Pierce Jewish Studies Program” is deemed to be useful to be
implemented by these schools that can combine the Jewish studies within formational
educational activities like educational field trips.
 Ideate: This stage of the transformative nation through design thinking will include think
creative solutions in dealing with the identified problem. The problem that defined above
based on the wicked problem faced by Jewish schools is deemed to serve as an
innovative approach to the Jewish schools to attain competitive edge in increasing

8CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
interest among students to join schools that can increase enrolment (Shaked & Schechter
2016, p. 450). Moreover, implementation of “Pierce Jewish Studies Program” as a
transformative innovation approach is anticipated to maintain Jewish education stable in
Australia where the Jewish day schools are not practical because of secularity or small
size of their community in the region.
 Prototyping testing: This step in the transformative innovation process considers
developing the solution prototype for all the aspects related with the recognised problem.
Among the major aspects of the problem identified is low enrolment of the students in
Jewish schools of Australia due to their high course fees (von Thienen, Royalty & Meinel
2017, p. 306). The transformative innovation base solution to such issue is to lower the
course fees that can support continuing Jewish education through attaining governments
support in developing the program of encouraging education among these children.
Moreover, another issue that is observed to be faced by Jewish schools is fierce
competition among them in attracting students in which they are failing due to lack of
resources. In solving such problem, the transformative innovation idea must be focussed
on attaining fund support from Australian government for necessary resource allocation.
Ensuring same can facilitate the Jewish schools in promoting career development to the
Jewish community through attracting best facilities in professional communal services
(von Thienen, Royalty & Meinel 2017, p. 306).
 Implementing: This step will include testing the solution developed for solving the
problem faced by the Jewish schools through employing the best solutions recognised. In
order to attain competitive edge in Australian education industry and to increase
enrolment of Jewish students in the Jewish schools certain creative strategies are deemed

9CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
to be effective. As it is observed that the community of Jewish students in less in
Australia, these schools can implement the strategy of harnessing students’ motivation
and creative engaging website for Australian Jewish schools in order to attract Jewish
students from other nations (Shaked & Schechter 2016, p. 450). This transformative
strategy considers developing an engaging webpage for Jewish schools where once the
students add the university to their evaluation list they tend to check webpages of the
university to know more about the courses and career developed opportunities offered by
the schools. Having a well thought out website in consideration to structure and content
can influence decisions of Foreign Jewish students to enrol themselves in Australian
Jewish schools. To motivate students to join these schools the website must be designed
in a way that can motivate students’ decision to select Australian Jewish schools. Such
transformative innovation strategy can encompass developing a clear navigation pattern
and mobile responsiveness along with virtual campus tour to encourage students’
motivation to join schools.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The objective of the report was to analyse the wicked problem faced by a workplace
situation based on which effective solutions can be developed through implementing the theory
of transformative innovative by implementing the design thing approach. It was gathered from
the report that implementation of “Pierce Jewish Studies Program” as a transformative
innovation approach is anticipated to maintain Jewish education stable in Australia where the
Jewish day schools are not practical because of secularity or small size of their community in the
region. This evidenced that design thinking can be an effective form of transformative
innovation that can solve wicked problems through imaging the best explanation, resolving

10CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
tensions’ by grasping the problem and solution components together and enables organisations in
learning their own way of dealing with the wicked problems. Based on the findings regarding the
wicked problems faced by the Jewish schools in Australia in competing successfully and
increase their student enrolment, certain solutions to such problem has been revealed through
implementation of transformative innovation and design thinking approach. Based on such
solution theories, these schools are recommended to train the facilities on design thinking
methodology implementation that can fuel several business innovations in attracting children.
This can facilitate in improving these Jewish schools through sharing best practices and attain
reactive solutions to enrol more children through involving variety of stakeholders including
teachers, students, parents and support staff.

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References
Avelino, F., Wittmayer, J., Kemp, R. & Haxeltine, A., 2017, ‘Game-changers and transformative
social innovation’, Ecology and Society: a journal of integrative science for resilience and
sustainability, Vol. 22, No. 4.
Correa-Velez, I., Gifford, S.M., McMichael, C. & Sampson, R., 2017, ‘Predictors of secondary
school completion among refugee youth 8 to 9 years after resettlement in Melbourne, Australia’,
Journal of International Migration and Integration, Vol. 18, No. 3, pp.791-805.
Elwood, K., Savenye, W., Jordan, M.E., Larson, J. & Zapata, C., 2016, ‘Design thinking: A new
construct for educators’, thannual, p.43.
Fernandez, S., Gearon, M. & Clyne, M., 2016, ‘Community language learning in Australia’,
Second and Foreign Language Education, pp.1-12.
Forrest-Bank, S.S. & Dupper, D.R., 2016, ‘A qualitative study of coping with religious minority
status in public schools’, Children and Youth Services Review, Vol. 61, pp.261-270.
Hocking, V.T., Brown, V.A. & Harris, J.A., 2016, ‘Tackling wicked problems through collective
design’, Intelligent Buildings International, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp.24-36.
Iversen, O.S., Smith, R.C., Blikstein, P., Katterfeldt, E.S. & Read, J.C., 2016, ‘Digital fabrication
in education: Expanding the research towards design and reflective practices’, International
Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, Vol. 5, No. 1–2, pp.1-2.
Koh, J.H.L., Chai, C.S., Wong, B. & Hong, H.Y., 2015, ‘Design thinking and education’, In
Design thinking for education, pp. 1-15. Springer, Singapore.