Creativity and Business Health: Addressing Social Needs through Innovation in BHP

Running Head: CREATIVITY AND BUSINESS HEALTH 0
Creativity and business wealth
JUNE 23, 2018

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Contents
Introduction................................................................................................2
(How can innovation address the social need)........................................2
Company background (BHP-Billiton Ltd).................................................2
Social Need (Access to Healthcare)...........................................................3
Innovation contributes to the ease of access to healthcare.........................4
The benefit to the poorest socioeconomic group (Bottom of the pyramid)5
Benefits to the organisation........................................................................7
Conclusion..................................................................................................7

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Introduction
(How can innovation address the social need)
In every organisation, the people or employees face certain issues that might affect their
personal as well as professional life. Especially some social needs or challenges can be social
exclusion, poverty, a considerable level of inequalities, health and demographic challenges,
access to education and healthcare facilities. Social needs in organizations arise because of
the working conditions, education, community development, health. Therefore, in order to
meet these social needs strategies, ideas or activities are implemented. The level and nature of
social challenges differ from person to person, as well as from one organisation to another
(Innovation policy platform, 2013). Innovation can help address various social needs in the
organisations to improve their productivity and performance. The issue of social exclusion
can be resolved in a way by reducing unemployment and creating opportunities for the
disadvantaged groups especially. In addition, production of goods that are easy to use and
afford for the public can diminish the inequalities or differences between different sections of
the society. Thus, it will help in improving the living standard of people. Innovation can also
bring light towards addressing health needs by providing more personal and preventive health
care products.
Company background (BHP-Billiton Ltd)
In the year 1885, BHP Billiton Ltd was established. It functions to perform the operations of
extracting minerals, oil and gas. The formation of the company takes place through the
merger of the Australian Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (BHP) and the Anglo-
Dutch Billiton, plc, which formed as a dual listed company. The company Headquartered in
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. BHP is the largest mining company based on market
capitalization. BHP operates in a broad sense, diversified operations in mining, processing,

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oil and gas production operations in over 25 countries. Therefore, the company has five
operational units, which are, coal, copper, iron ore, petroleum, and potash. Innovation in
mining industries is very crucial if they want to grow and develop. As with the reduction in
productivity, bringing new and innovative methods of working can keep costs down
particularly through automation. The main aim or the corporate purpose of the organisation is
to look towards the interests of shareholders, creating value through procuring, developing
and marketing of the resources. BHP focuses on three core values such as leadership, client
focus and integrity and collaboratively brings about innovation to the market in a culture that
demands competence, value. These all factors will lead to improving the services and lives of
the people. BHP is consistent with the strategies that mean they have the plan to grow the
value of BHP. The company follows a strategy to own and operate a long–life, with least cost
and expandable upstream assets that vary according to the commodity and market (BHP,
2018).
Social Need (Access to Healthcare)
Amongst all the different social issues present according to the company, access to the
healthcare is one of the major issue observed in the mining sector. The rising number of the
elderly people demands advanced health care services and the public expenditures related to
them. Since, mining sector consists of people of different age groups from different
backgrounds, who lack nutrition, proper food, shelter. Resolving the social need of the
workers in the BHP mainly includes both technical and organizational innovation which can
contribute towards addressing health problems by providing more personal, and preventive
health care products (Bucher, Jager and Prado, 2016). Providing opportunities and services to
the older people to remain active and work with more enthusiasm. The success of innovation
in any organisation depends on two things that are resources such as people, money or
finance, equipment, tools and the capabilities of the organisations to manage it. Innovation