D081 Task 1 - Grade: a PDF

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Task 1: Innovative and Strategic Thinking

Course Code: D081 and C714.V2 Student Name: Sandra Reynolds Student ID: 001478529 Date: Program Mentor Name: Brittani Wardell

A1.

1. The company has created a culture of innovation. This culture has been facilitated by encouraging employees’ creative ideas through incentives and creating a lab for customers to test products and provide feedback. The decentralized structure supports this culture by allowing all employees to be “equal” allowing for access to the founders. This establishes a flow of ideas and collaboration throughout the company. The company furthers this culture of innovation by inviting innovators of other industries improve on their designs. This culture of innovation leads the decision to request for local fisherman’s’ collaboration in designing the new boat, as well the testing of the boat by a variety of fishers that represent different sectors of the fishing industry, different regions, and different cultural segments. Testing will provide generalizable, qualitative data about the product use and effectiveness. Innovation is the backbone of these decisions.

2. This company is decentralized(flat). Information flows freely through the employees and founders. Employees are free to access the founders at any time with the open-door policy. Collaboration and shared decision-making happen between employees and founders. All company decisions are evaluated by all employees to ensure that everyone is committed to the decisions. Decisions are made by the company collectively.

3. The mission statement of the company is “We will provide the most innovative customerdriven design and growth in the industry.” This statement sets the standard for the products. The mission statement requires customers to be an intricate part of the decisionmaking process. The company is following the mission statement with the production of a new economical foldable fishing boat. The founders’ ideals for the company are described in the vision statement: “We will be the most sustainable company in the industry.” This statement sets a path. When making decisions about new products, the company will need to be creative in the material used to make the product. In the production of the new foldable boat the company is employing local fisherman and planning to manufacture a new

foldable boat made from plastics in India with an environmentally friendly waterproof coating.

A2 1. The company’s clan culture could positively affect market entry. The company’s commitment to openness and collaborative decision making will help all employees transition to this new market. The employee’s opinions and ideas are heard and valued throughout the company. The employees see their ideas manifest in the transition further creating a sense of value. The barrier to earn trust in the new market will easily be overcome since the company is has created a strategic partnership with a local Indian fisherman to provide feedback and testing of the boat. The transparency of the project will earn the trust of the local community in the new market, as well as confidence for the hired local fisherman that this company will partner honestly with him and for the betterment of the local community. A3. 1. The flat organizational structure is advantageous to this company. The flow of communication between all employees and founders creates a sense of unity and purpose towards the goals of the company. The incentives given to the employees for their innovate ideas creates a larger scope of growth for the company. The employees feel seen and valued which in turn fosters their commitment to the company. Decision making has the possibility to happen quickly. Emerging into new markets or creating new products have the full support of the company as decisions are made as a group company wide. This type of structure has little friction or employee dissonance.

B1 1.

Growth and income potential is an emerging market characteristic that would benefit this company. India’s economy has been growing steady, that is attractive to this company as the potential growth scope and return on investment are broad. The company can set up manufacturing in India at a lower cost reducing the cost. The market has potential that has not yet been maximized. India is accepting and looking for innovation in their country.

2.

Laws and regulations are an emerging market characteristic that require strategic planning for this company. The company will be required to manufacture the boats with plastics and environmentally water coating friendly required by the NFDB in India.

B2. 1.

The new foldable boat is an innovate product that is an improvement of the most common boat currently utilized in India. This new design fits the ideals and goals of India’s’ desire to preserve the natural environment. Laws and regulations surrounding the use of nonmechanized boats favor importing foldable boats. The manufacturing plant will be in India using only plastics in India. This satisfies the requirements of the NFDB. Hiring a local fisherman allows the company to be visible to the local community and establishes trust. Hiring local workers furthers that trust expanding the customer market. Additionally, employing the local community flows money back into India’s economy expanding the potential for sales.

B2a

1. The empathy stage seeks to understand the needs and feelings of the local fisherman as well as India’s reasons for environmental preservation as it pertains to fishing boats. The company partners with the local fisherman to receive feedback about needs and designs for the boats. The company meets with the NFDB to learn the environmental regulations and concerns. 2. During the defining stage, the company would analyze the research gathered during the empathy stage. The company would begin to define where the problems exist for the consumer. This understanding leads to the discovery of where innovation can occur. 3. In the ideate stage, the company begins thinking. All the employee’s ideas are welcomed. The company might consider the average user age of the fishing boat, materials, design, how and where to manufacture and prototype. 4. The protype stage gives he company an opportunity to test the ideas from the ideate stage without great financial risk. The company would sketch out various models, print 3D model or use other methods of testing to discover if the idea presents a solution to the problem. 5. The final stage is testing. During this step in the process, a variety of local fisherman from different regions, sectors and culture will try out the foldable boat. The fisherman will report back to the company data about useability and effectiveness.

B2b

1. The company’s ethical statement defines decisions will be made based on the sustainability to the customers and the environment. This statement dictates the company will follow all environmental laws and expectations. The company has chosen to set up manufacturing in India to follow the standards set forth by the NFDB. The company will only source use plastic in India n the design process. The boats can be recycled when the consumer no longer needs the boat. The company has decided to hire local people

to be sustainable to the local community and economy. Hiring a local fisherman for feedback during the design process ensures the boast are produced for maximum efficacy for both the customer and the environment. 2. Global legal systems have set in place environmental regulations that will affect the design process. The NFDB encourages the use of non-motorized fishing boats to protect eco logical fishing environment. Endorsement from the NFDB will only be given if the company sources only plastics from India. This will require different materials and designs to be tested during the design process. Additionally, the company will need to be educated and aware of all environmental laws. 3. Organizational structure of this company allows the design process to flow throughout the company. Employees have access to the founders at any time. Collaboration is encouraged and ideas incentivized. This type of structure allows for a broader scope of ideas to be generated and greater intellectual resources. The decisions are made together as a company. The design process is richer with structure as ideas are constantly flowing and problem solving is a group effort.

B3. 1. The company’s ethical statement defines how the company will enter the market. The statement demands to make decisions based on sustainability to consumers and environment. The statement guides the decision to enter the market by hiring local fisherman and setting up a manufacturing plant in India to abide by the country’s regulations. As well as meeting with local fisherman to discover the needs and sustainability of the new boat, further meeting with the NFDB for regulations for endorsement....