MANAGING INNOVATION

Review the exercise BELOW. The exercise file contains questions to be answered. The format of the paper can be numbered double-spaced responses to the questions. The total length of the paper should be 300 – 400 words. Email the assignment to me through the course email.

INNOVATION PORTAL

1. Sector Innovation Patterns

Think about the sector in which your firm (or one with which you are familiar) is active. You could, for example, be looking at a firm involved in children’s toy manufacturing. Now try to list the major changes in that sector over the past 25 years in terms of what contributes to competitiveness. Who (which firms) have been the winners and losers and why? You are trying to get a feel in this for how technological change can shape the competitive dynamics of an industry, so think about questions like these:
• How has the industry changed – and how has technology helped (or could it help)
deal with these changes?
• What new technologies have emerged – and how have they been used?
•What are the main market demands (e.g. price, quality, design, customization, speed
of response, etc.) and how has technology affected the ability of firms to offer these?
• If a new entrant came into the industry what would he/she have to offer to become a
market leader – and how might technology help them do so?
You may need to spend some time asking people in your firm or reading about the firm and its wider sector to build up this picture. Summarize your research in the form of short ‘bullet points’ which highlight the strategic role played by technology. You could use the framework below, which is filled in for the example of a children’s toymaker.
1. Major changes in
the industry
Big influence of
TV and films –
increasing tie-ins
Price pressures
push actual
manufacturing to
the Far East
Fashion industry
with high risks –
and benefits for
the right products
Costs of new
technologies
mean fewer
players can stay in
the game of new
product
development – so
consolidation of
the industry

2. Major new
technologies
Electronics and
programmability
TV/Video and
computer games – as
competitors to
traditional toys but
also as complements
which can extend
their range, e.g. Lego
bricks plus computer
= programmable toys

3. Main market
demands and how
technology affects
them
Strong price pressure
– pushes
manufacturing to low
cost locations –
technology relevant
in keeping costs low
whilst enabling
consistent quality
Major emphasis on
design technologies
4. How to become a
market leader
Close market
understanding and
the ability to
communicate this
deep into the
organization and
configure products to
meet these demands
Broad knowledge
base – especially in
newer technologies
like computers and
software but also in
design of parts
Access to
distribution
networks
Strong design and
marketing capability

: Managing Innovation

Order Description

Managing Innovation Assessment

Task
You are required to compare and contrast the innovation management of two organisations in the same sector but with headquarters in different countries e.g. Toyota and Tata Motors. You need to compare some of the key aspects of the innovation management of each organisation by utilising appropriate models and frameworks from module materials (e.g. Tidd and Bessant’s (2013) 4 step innovation process – search, select, implement and capture). You should then go on to establish what the respective organisations can learn from one another in terms of innovation management. Finally, you are expected to provide recommendations to improve the innovation management in each of the businesses. Key Points:

1. Individual Work

2. Primary and Secondary Research
You may find the required information on the organisation via primary (i.e. contact someone in each business at a management level) or secondary/desk (i.e. web, journal articles) research. English language sources are preferable, non-English sources are acceptable as long as a translation of the reference is provided. Please ensure that you reference your secondary sources at the end of your work and in the text of your main report.

3. Writing the Report
Write up your work in a report format. Your report should explicitly include all the items listed in the marking schedule below. It should be a minimum of 4000, to adequately answer the question and a maximum 4,500 words in length (excluding references, appendices etc.). Please include the word count on the title page; work that exceeds the word limit will be capped per University regulations.

4. Referencing & Plagiarism

It is essential that you provide appropriate referencing to avoid both the impression of plagiarism or that you are fabricating work. Plagiarism or fabrication can result in substantial penalties. It is your responsibility to ensure that you understand how to reference and avoid both fabrication and plagiarism.

Marking Sheet
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: __________________________________________________
ORGANISATION: ___________________________________________________________
Introduction
Introduce the two organisations. Identify some of their main innovative end results. 15%
Analysis
• Compare and contrast the innovation management of the two organisations from your first section. Utilise appropriate models and frameworks from class material (e.g. some episodes from Tidd and Bessant’s innovation process model -search, select, implement and capture and relevant contextual elements). 40%
• On the basis of your analysis, establish what the respective businesses can learn from one another in terms of innovation management. 10%
• Provide recommendations to improve the innovation management in each of the businesses. 10%

Report conclusions
Briefly summarize the report’s main points. 5%

Presentation
• Easy to follow
• Contents page, page numbers, subsection; easy to read- font, spacing, header/footer (matric. number(s), date)
• 4,500 words – strictly enforced. 10%

References
• Appropriate use (‘in text’ a must!)
• Consistent style. 10%