Sunday, October 7, 2012

Case Analysis of Post it notes (Creativity)

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A Case Analysis
On
Post it – Notes
1)Scenario of the case:
The case is related to the creativity.  It talks about the famous company 3M’s new strategies and the inventiveness of the company.  This company is famous for pest/glue. This case just talks the previous experience of the manager of this company. Once the manager in 1980s, wanted to mark the pages so he could quickly find them. This was so difficult because the piece of paper could easily fall out. The manger needed something that would adhere to the page but not tear it. At the manager’s request, a batch of glue was prepared and applied to small pieces of papers that could be used as bookmarks.
Then the manager knew that, the glue could be used to attach message to files and send notes along with letters and memos. Then he distributed it to all the secretaries throughout the company. Slowly, all the peoples understand the need of glue.  Thus, today 3m company’s best product is also the glue.
2)Analysis of the case comparing the standard norms
We know that business run through different strategies basically on cost-leadership, differentiation and quick response.  Differentiation can be done by taking current product and modifying it or by innovation of new strategy. Some people think beyond the box and forward the process in an innovative way. So, has done the Manager of the 3M Company. First of all, he himself was in the difficulty. Everyone sees the falling of apple, but how it falls is not thought by most of the people. Before the invention of glue, the people faced the problem of sticking the papers but no one got the idea.  Manager of 3M thought and tried to make the product which best meets the demand of the situation. Finally, we can conclude that thinking beyond the box by calculating the risk may lead to innovation when one works hard on that topic.
Responding to the questions:

1. How did the creative thinking process work in the development of this product? Describe what took place in each of the creativity process?
Ans: Creativity is the generation of new ideas that improve efficiency and effectiveness. Thinking 'outside the box' is not limited to artistic and writing professions. Innovative thinking, brainstorming, and creativity exercises are encouraged and used by forward thinking businesses to successfully plan, create, and sell products and services. When the manager of 3M Company wanted to stick the paper without turning it. It was a difficult task. A bookmark would not do, because the piece of paper could easily fall out. After thinking in a creative way, the company today is able to produce glues.  This only due to hard working and the way of thinking beyond the box.

2. Why did the manager have the Post- it notes sent to secretaries throughout the company? What was his objective in doing this?
Ans:  Managers need to get the information from the secretaries and also give them the information required to them.  Secretaries could use glue to attach message and the managers could send notes along with letters and memos. However, it was not only the objective, but also the reason was that employees are the first customers who forward their messages to the different places because they belong to various locations. Thus, the main objective was marketing his product through employees.

3. What types of innovation – invention, extension, duplication or synthesis? Defend your answer.
Ans: This is the innovation- invention type of creativity. The idea was quite unique and it was totally according   to the need of the situation. Various inventions and innovations have been seen and those all are by creative thing. Asking to the employees to donate the knowledge and giving them chance to put forward their idea makes them happy. In the healthy environment, one can think in creative way.  Preparing glue is the secret through which the company got the success because it was the demand of the time. It helped to reduce the use of bookmark which was not effective and efficient.

4. Which of the sources of innovative idea helped for this product success? Explain in detail.
Ans:  There are various sources of innovative ideas. Manager of 3M Company also got these innovative ideas from these sources. Employees, Business partners, Customers directly, Consultants, Competitors, Associations, Internal Sales & Service Unites, Internal R&D, Academia, Think-tanks, Labs and/or other institutions. However, unless and until one does not have desire on innovation one cannot be innovative.  For innovative, one should be thinking strategically, and be willing to implement the ideas.

Submitted By:                                                              Submitted To:
Rajendra Chaudhari                                                   Shrijan Gwanwali
Roll. No. 18                                                                   (Course Instructor)
MBA IV
Subject: Entrepreneurship and Innovation


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