Lesson Plan

• Describe the role of R&D in product development and market responsiveness.
• Explain how R&D contributes to competitive advantage and profitability.
• Analyse the five key stages of the R&D process and their business implications.
• Evaluate metrics for measuring R&D effectiveness, including RORI, patents and time‑to‑market.
• Apply R&D concepts to real‑world examples such as Apple, Dyson and Unilever.

• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Slide deck covering R&D concepts
• Handout with R&D process flowchart
• Case‑study worksheets (Apple, Dyson, Unilever)
• Calculator or spreadsheet for RORI calculations
• Sticky notes or index cards for brainstorming

Begin with a quick “product brainstorm” asking students to name recent products they believe stem from intensive R&D. Connect these ideas to prior knowledge of product cycles, then outline today’s success criteria: students will be able to explain the R&D process, assess its impact on business performance, and use simple metrics to evaluate effectiveness.

1. Do‑now (5'): Brainstorm recent products; share a few examples.
2. Mini‑lecture (10'): Define R&D, discuss why it matters, and present key benefits.
3. Guided analysis (12'): Walk through the five R&D stages using the flowchart handout; students annotate examples.
4. Metric activity (10'): Calculate a simple RORI scenario; discuss other performance indicators.
5. Case‑study groups (15'): Teams analyse assigned company (Apple, Dyson, Unilever) and identify R&D strategies and outcomes.
6. Whole‑class debrief (8'): Groups present findings; teacher highlights common themes.
7. Exit ticket (5'): Write one way a future business could leverage R&D for competitive advantage.

Recap the R&D process, its strategic benefits, and the metrics used to justify investment. Collect exit tickets to gauge understanding, then assign homework: each student researches a local company's recent R&D initiative and writes a short paragraph linking it to today’s concepts.