Challenges and Opportunities in Promoting Organisational Creativity and Innovation

This document discusses the challenges and opportunities in promoting organisational creativity and innovation. It explores alternative perspectives of influential contemporary theorists and models. The case study of Webasto, a leading automotive supplier, is used to illustrate these concepts.

Corporate Innovation and
Entrepreneurship

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Document has presented number of innovations that Webasto has brought for their
customers considering the Lead User Methodology built on the work of Eric von Hippel.
Focusing on this methodology, organisation has reached to in the best 100 automotive suppliers
within the market through offering their clients with both roof systems and temperature
management systems and other products integrated into cars of various companies like Mercedes
and so on. But, in order to bring change within the market and due to heavy innovations
company sill become unable to deliver the best to it's customers in a short span.

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
a) Demonstrate an adequate knowledge and understanding of challenges and opportunities in
promoting organisational creativity and innovation or developing corporate entrepreneurship 4
b) Alternative perspectives of influential contemporary theorists, contributors and models.8
RECOMMENDATIONS...............................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
It is very important for business to have creative and innovative thinking in order to
survive and sustain at marketplace for positive outcomes. As business is operate and run by
entrepreneurs so they requires individual who can take high risk and creative thinker for positive
outcomes. This is the era of modernization which make business to have innovation and creative
ides to survive and gain profits at market. The given organisation is based on case study of
Webasto which is co-creating innovation with lead users at business. The main aim of report is to
discuss about challenges and opportunities in promoting organisational creativity and innovation
or development of corporate entrepreneurship along with their models, theorists and contributors.
On the other hand, report is specifically considering the case of Webasto that was found in the
year of 1901. The main aim of report is to discuss about challenges and opportunities in
promoting organisational creativity and innovation or development of corporate entrepreneurship
along with their models, theorists and contributors.
MAIN BODY
a) Demonstrate an adequate knowledge and understanding of challenges and opportunities in
promoting organisational creativity and innovation or developing corporate
entrepreneurship
Creativity is defined to be an aspect in the organisation which focuses on innovation
which leads organisation to better capital gains. To facilitate the same it is crucial for an
organisation to create a conductive environment to creativity. When employees in an
organisation are encouraged to bring forward with their ideas of doing a task so that it leads to
better performance. In order to run business in competitive market, it is very important for
organisation to have creativity and innovation so that maximum gain can be achieved. Here,
creativity thinking is referred as ability in order to create new things having solution, method,
actual, physical evidence, concept, work of art and so on. This means out of box thinking in
order to perform work in an effective and efficient manner.
It requires individual having skills that bring perspective to work, fresh and unorthodox
and so on. This provides valuable asset to company in positive manner. There are different types
of creative thinking skills such as mindedness, communication, problem solving and
organisation. For thinking in creative manner, it is very important to examine various aspects for

positive results. This is very significant to structure each and every action of plan with clear
deadlines and goals to gain positive outcomes. It is not easy for individual as well as organisation
to implement new idea at market due to various reasons. The implementation of idea can be
positive or negative to business as it can be liked by consumers if they have need for that idea
and creativity. Some of the different challenges and opportunities in promoting organisation
creativity and innovation or developing corporate entrepreneurship are as follows:
Challenges
It is very common for all business and organisation to face challenges while doing
innovation and creativity at marketplace (Johnson, 2016). Some of the major challenges which
are faced in context of promoting organisational creativity and innovation or to develop
corporate entrepreneurship are described below:
Risk- In order to promote innovation and creativity at organisation, risk is very high as
new idea may or may not be liked by people. Before doing any innovation, it is very important to
understand need and demand of consumers so that their requirements can be fulfilled. Therefore,
it is important challenges which is faced by each and every organisation like Webasto at
marketplace. The respective person has also faced risk while doing innovation in both roof
systems and temperature management systems at marketplace.
Success Factors- It is also challenges in context of promoting organisational creativity
and innovation to develop corporate entrepreneurship (Wu and Huarng, 2015). The success is
unpredictable for both organisation as well as individuals. Success depends upon level of
creative and innovation performed at marketplace. For example, Webasto has made innovation
and applied creativity to manufacture both roof systems and temperature management systems
for domestic and international level use which leads to consider Lead User methodology.
Similarly, on other hand, if innovation is not applied and opening of new business lead to failure
which is challenging factors for them.
Implementation- For developing corporate entrepreneurship, it is very important to gain
knowledge first and implement it in business so that positive outcomes can be achieved (Kohler,
2016). The implementation of creativity and innovation itself is a big challenges for Webasto and
individual as it requires huge cost for it. The company have failed miserably the past while
attempting to implement changes, therefore it is essential for them to consider all the
circumstances and resources so that it leads to rightful implementation. Webasto undertook the

commercially acceptable best practice approach to develop OEM's but due to poor
implementation, the idea failed.
Resources- For development of innovation and creativity, various resources are required
in terms of finance, physical, human, technical and so on. It is very important to have adequate
resources so that proper innovation and creativity can be performed. Webasto also required
resources such as consumers, technical skilled people to work with them. If these are lacked
then, challenges has to be faced by business.
Opportunities
The promoting organisational creativity and innovation provide opportunities to business
to develop their market in an effective and efficient manner. Some of the opportunities are as
follows:
Development of capable R&D: Research and department working with Webasto is
aimed to identify the strategies and practices which can be successful at the commercial stage.
This opportunity will be helpful to a business in dealing with it's failures in the past and develop
a identifiable goodwill for the company. Considering the views presented by Lang, it is essential
for organisation to develop innovation which are deliverable to end users. Market oriented
practices can be a useful approach in fulfilling customer requirements.
Effectively Customer Satisfaction- The promotion of organisational creativity and
innovation helps in customer satisfaction (Kuratko, Hornsby and Covin, 2014). Products and
services of business are purchased by customer so that they should be provide full satisfaction in
order to enhance profits and gains. With customer satisfaction, organisation can move towards
new ideas and opportunities for positive outcomes. For example, Webasto has analysis market
and grab opportunities by manufacturing and supplying both roof systems and temperature
management systems for their clients like Mercedes within short span.
Product and Market Development- The creativity and innovation helps in development
of market and product. It is the opportunity which is grabbed through doing creativity at
marketplace in order to increase high profits margins. It is very important to do development in
terms of market as well as product to get opportunities for organisation. For instance, Webasto
has made innovation in both roof systems and temperature management systems in order to
achieve positive outcomes in an effective and efficient manner but somewhere somehow,

interesting innovations, change management, leadership issues, organizational strategies, this
case brings up, all likely to generate number of issues as well.
Improve Quality of Work- The organisation should focus on improving quality of work
for their consumers so that they can buy products and services accordingly (Rexhepi, Kurtishi
and Bexheti, 2013). Creativity and innovation helps to improve quality of work of business to
gain positive outcomes. Therefore, it is important to do innovation on continuous basis for their
consumers so that they can buy goods and services to gain positive outcomes. This could be
understood with a good example where, Webasto has focused on doing improvement on quality
of work to gain positive outcomes so that goal and objectives can be gained.
 The given report is based on case study of Webasto which is considered as world leading
automotive supplier at Germany. During the late of 2000s, it was very challenging time
period for automotive suppliers to supply and manage their consumers. This company
was founded in year 1901 as Wire and Iron Factory Wilhelm Baier in Germany.
 It manufactures goods which are made of cut and bent mental. The mechanical engineer
Wilhelm Baier has developed first folding car roof at marketplace that is folded and
opened manually. It is regarded as first step towards becoming automotive supplier. It is
the organisation which keeps on doing innovation and creativity at marketplace for their
consumer to fulfils their requirements. After that in 1935, Baier has designed fresh air
heating system for water cooled machines. As it focus on doing innovation in terms of
manufacturing first steel sliding roof, first five piece retractable hard top and first glass
sliding roof and so on.
 The respective organisation was considered as global leader in market for two segment
having 50 percent market share in both organisation such as roof systems and
temperature management systems.
Market demand plays minor role in culture and process of company especially in terms of
Business to Business and providing strong reliance for new leads through sales. As engineers
working in respective organisation believe that they are the best in project management process
as other added that first culture need to be changed first in order to change mindset to one which
is centred on market demand.
The chosen case study for assignment is about Webasto is making production network of
26 production units which has 43 subsidiaries company at global level. The respective company

is high in research and development which leads to success it business activities and operations
at marketplace. It has developed sophisticated cars which was used for demonstrating new ideas
at automotive events and exhibitions. It is currently presented in 56 countries having more than
6286 employees in three different factories.
 Webasto is producing different types of products such as heating systems for cars and
cooling, complete roof system, air conditioning systems for travel vehicles, trucks, boats
and so on. The history of respective organisation is excellence in terms of engineering
and it has good record of successful product innovations. It has technical problem solving
capability in order to get success and growth at marketplace in an effective and efficient
manner for positive outcomes. There are many engineers who are working in an
organisation for various products. For implementing such an idea, Webasto has used
heating systems for cars and cooling, complete roof system, air conditioning systems for
travel vehicles, trucks, boats and so on.
 But, this has led company to deal with number of issues, which impacted negatively on
their performance level as well due to whatever company has followed in a faithful
manner considering the Best practices focuses on methods which are acceptable at a
commercial level. It is recommended organisation to focus on such aspects so that it leads
to better output at a global level but considering the case study of Webasto, it has been
ascertained that undertaking this approach didn't result organisational benefit. Therefore
under such circumstances an organisation can opt for innovation approaches which lead
to higher gains. When proposing advancements which had been created without a solid
interest from an OEM, Webasto set an unsafe wager each time it introduced a model to
an OEM.
For creative approach, Webasto has combined ability to conceive and developing
technical inventions along with designing skills so that to become one of the crucial OEM-
oriented supplier within the market (He and Tian, 2018). This creative approach to creative
design and inventions that depends on getting ideas and solving it through by working on it
rather then going on internal idea generation alone but to communicate with other suppliers so
that it could gain effective results to sustain in the market. Webasto is using OEM running on
personal computers for different purposes particularly presentation drawings, producing
engineering, and analysing test results. As technology of OEM is not directly relevant to creative

design which can be liberate from particular routine drawings and other tasks to do creative
work. In order to develop both roof systems and temperature management systems by Webasto,
observation and experience are really required along with hard work that includes technical
expertise and practical skills so that ideas can be converted into marketable product. Therefore,
after analysis of above case study, it has concluded that Webasto has used creative thinking
techniques and computer aided design.
b) Alternative perspectives of influential contemporary theorists, contributors and models
It is very important to develop alternative approaches in order to survive and sustain at
market place for positive outcomes. Some of the alternatives approach for creative thinking skills
are as follows:
Analytical Thinking- This is the approach of visual thinking which gives ability in order
to solve problems quickly and effectively. This consists of methodical step approach to think
which allows to break down complex issues and problems to manageable or single components.
In regards to Webasto has focused on doing improvement on quality of work to gain positive
outcomes so that goal and objectives can be gained. In order to bring the same, Lang also
specifically made a creative section within the workstation so that it would directly lead
company to inspire environment.
Critical Thinking- It is defined as approach which analyse facts in order to form
judgement. For critical thinking, subject is very complex along with various definition exists that
includes Skeptical, evaluation, rational, analysis of factual evidence. This has brought Land to a
position of thinking that being a less solely OEM-oriented supplier, it will be required by the
company i.e. Webasto to become innovative and bring innovations among it's products and
services offered by them.
Creative Thinking- It is referred as ability in order to do new creation or invention at the
company like Webasto (Sahut and Peris-Ortiz, 2014). With such thinking, creative work can be
performed for positive outcomes.
Logical Thinking- It is defined as procedure which uses reasoning consistent to get
conclusion. The different situations or problems includes logical thinking that call for structure,
relationship among facts and chains of reasoning to make sense within the business organisation,

which raised number of issues for Webasto while considering the logical thinking as one of the
primal perspective.
Reflective Thinking- This involves consideration of huge context, implication and
meaning of experience and action. The reflection is based on personal experience which has been
gained by individual in an effective and efficient manner.
With use of development approach, training plan is developed to promote creative
thinking skills for enhancement of innovation within Webasto and corporate entrepreneurship in
relation to case study of Webasto which is as follows:
Training Plan
Department- Training Department
Approaches Time
Period
Enhancement of
Innovation
Enhancement of Corporate
Entrepreneurship
Analytical
Thinking
Week 1 With use of analytical
thinking, within each and
every activities within
Webasto should effectively
be analysed in proper
manner so that innovation
can be enhanced.
For running of corporate
entrepreneurship, it is
essential to have analytical
thinking so that each and
every work should be
analysed properly to reduce
risk within a company like
Webasto.
Critical Thinking Week 2 The training should be
provided related with critical
thinking where session is
given to think in critical
manner in order to solve
problems for doing
innovation.
The training is provided for
enhancement of corporate
entrepreneurship so that with
help of respective approach,
arise problems can be
resolved in critical manner.
Creative Thinking Week 3 It is the most important
training which should be
Corporate entrepreneurship
requires creative thinking in

provided to individual and
organisation to think
creatively in order to make
innovation in an effective
and efficient manner for
enhancement of innovation
at Webasto.
order to earn high profit
margin at workplace of
Webasto so that positive
outcomes can be attained and
achieved to survive at
competitive market.
Logical Thinking Week 4 There are some issues which
requires logical thinking to
be resolved so training is
required to be provided for
positive outcomes in terms
of innovation.
For enhancement of corporate
entrepreneurship, logical
thinking training should be
provided in an effective and
efficient manner so that
problems and issues can be
resolved in appropriate
manner.
Reflective
Thinking
Week 5 This types of training is not
provided as it is learned
from own experience to
enhance innovation at
workplace or organisation.
Reflective thinking is
developed by doing business
activities and operations at
marketplace as it is learned
from time to time to get
positive outcomes.
In order to improve training plan, it is recommended to Webasto to do proper monitoring
and controlling so that provided training are checked and guidance is provided to improve in
positive and effective manner. With the implementation of such suggestion, business of Webasto
can easily sustain and survive at marketplace.
RECOMMENDATIONS
With the help of above mentioned information it is recommended that Webasto would
require to deliver training to individuals in regards to Analytical, Critical, Creative, Logical and
Reflective Thinking so that all the goals and objectives could effectively be managed in specified

time frame. On the other hand, it is also required by the company to develop plans so that
Webasto could effectively bring number of innovations at workplace easily, considering the
ethical beliefs and code of conduct, so that goals and objectives could effectively be attained in
specified time frame.
CONCLUSION
From the presented report, it has summarised that creative thinking is the most important
skills which is required for enhancement of innovation and corporate entrepreneurship at
workplace. Creative thinking is learned by observing various things at marketplace. The different
approaches are used for solving process such as creative thinking, logical thinking, reflective
thinking and so on. The respective case study is based on use of creative thinking for doing
innovation at marketplace to gain positive outcomes. It is also important to make training plan in
order to promote creative thinking skills to enhance innovation and corporate entrepreneurship.
This is important to conduct training and development session on regular basis for enhancement
of performance of individual along with organisation.

REFERENCES
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Online
Creative Thinking: Definition, Examples & How to Boost Creativity. 2019. [Online]. Available
through: <https://zety.com/blog/creative-thinking-skills>.

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