Functions and Process of Innovation

Running Head: INNOVATION PLAN OF SONY
Innovation Plan of Sony
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Introduction
The following report is a brief study about the innovation process and functioning
associated with the respective organization Sony in the market where the key objective of the
report is to understand and evaluate the future innovation strategies and understand the current
market operation related to Sony. Sony electronics is considered to be one of the highly
competitive and strong sectors related to functioning associated with Sony America. The
company in the market has enhanced adaptive and advanced growth since 1960. As a part of
adopting their innovative strategies in the market and in order to remain more competitive and
sustainable under all terms, the core strategy adopted by the company under this respective part
was to announce a long term agreement of the organization with Intel Corporation.
. The report concentrates under the area of 4Ps associated with the organization in their
innovation operation along with creating a link with the role of company’s leadership,
organizational culture and employee’s coordination in the respective innovation strategy. There
are some certain recommendation and conclusions included in the study to make the report more
effective and understanding.
Discussion
Difference between Invention and Innovation (Sony)
According to the operational aspect that is associated with the market operation of the
respective organization, it is considered to be an understandable part, for an organization

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invention generally means the system of introducing a new and innovative product in the market
for the first time.
On the other hand, operation prospective associated with the system of innovation means
certain adaptive and strong development strategies which are introduced to the existing product
in the market.
As compared to the market functioning and innovation strategies adopted by the
respective organization Sony in their international market operation for example it can be that the
future innovation strategy associated with the respective organization is completely based under
the area of manufacturing hardware in the market (King and Baatartogtokh 2015). This is
considered to be one of the core initiatives undertaken under the organizations development and
research part. In the market competitive era Sony is considered to be the market leader under the
area of implementing and developing new and advanced innovative strategies within the
organization under international market operation where the company generally gives more
emphasis in the part of imaginations rather than introducing the product directly to the market.
As compared to the part of invention strategies adopted within the internal environment
of the company, it can be stated that after the process of adopting strong relationship with Intel
Corporation, the company was successful in the area of introducing innovative DVD player and
DVD in the market which changed the standing of the company in their market performance as
whole. On the other hand giving more emphasis one the digital technology was considered to be
the core innovative strategy, the company is planning to implement and adopt in the future.

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Innovation plan and trend identification of BMW and Teknion
Compared to the market operation associated with other companies Teknion and BMW in
the year 2002 they respective companies were rewarded for the part of corporate innovators for
adopting outstanding innovative strategies in the market during the respective year. The award
was offered form the side of management association and Product development teams in the
international market (Kodama and Shibata 2015). This respective Award recognition was offered
only to those companies which have successfully demonstrated innovative and sustainable
excellence under the area of profitable commercialization and development of new services and
products in their global market functioning.
In order to evaluate several trends that are associated with the workplace, both the
companies use the system of VOC (Voice of Customer) strategy where this helps them under the
part of understanding certain factors that are associated with the workplace patterns along with
adopting a clear understanding in the part of analyzing certain system of preference related to the
customers (Cecere, Corrocher and Battaglia 2015. After adopting the VOC strategy, the findings
are translated in to new ideas and proper implementation of these ideas in made on the product.
This helps the company under the area of bringing a rapid revenue increase along with the
system of fulfilling the wants and needs of customers associated with the market under all terms.

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Source of Innovation in Sony
The first part of change associated with the organization Sony in the market is completed
related to the organization changing structure of management operation in the market which has
strongly helped the company in the part of remaining more competitive and adopting new and
advanced innovation strategies to their current market operation in the part of remaining more
sustainable in the future. It is understandable that the several growths enhanced under the area of
IT and shift form the organizations analog technology to digital is considered to be a continuous
process in the market.
As compared to the internal operational aspects associated with Sony the company’s 50th
anniversary in the market was considered to be the beginning of new and innovative digital stage
in the market. Under this respective part the organization gave more emphasis under the area of
enhancing strong innovative measures to their current market structure in order to bring adaptive
mode of development to the divisional system of the company for the part of introducing and
responding to the market change factors (Wesley and Barczak 2016). The core development and
innovation strategy implemented within the organization was to introduce a kind of market
structure which would completely facilitate and guide in the area of developing strong motives to
their new business measures and plans in the future.
On the other hand, based on the performance of the company as a part of adopting
innovation measures, Sony realized that as compared to the current performance in the market it
was important for them to introduce strong and adaptive change under their future oriented
product planning techniques. It was important for the company to adopt the technique of system
planning in the place of their planned product planning technique made for the future.

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Considering the respective part under their current operation in the market in order to boost up
the system of market responsiveness and decision making,
Sony restructured their current corporate structure to horizontal system for the first time
instead of giving more emphasis on vertical system in the market. Through the process of
introducing strong mode of innovative changes to the internal technological aspects the
organization has made them more demonstrative in the area of remaining more effective under
the part of achieving their objectives and goals (Dhillon and Gupta 2015). Certain implemented
measures and strategies in the part of innovation within the organization have made the company
remain more competitive and sustainable in the market.
Organizational culture, Leadership and Teamwork
As compared to the functional aspects associated with the respective organization in the
market, Sony is considered to be the strong market leader under the part of introducing strong
innovative operation in the industry on a regular terms (Wesley and Barczak 2016). Before the
function of implementing any innovative operation within the internal environment of the
organization they generally give more emphasis under the area of imagination before
implementing the planned system for the company. As the past functioning and plan associated
with the company is under the area of manufacturing hardware where this respective segment is
currently initiated to be changed to a new and innovative path.
As a part of culture and system related to the organization, they are currently giving more
focus on the company’s research and development part under the area of integrating broadband
realm and discovering the synergy between the system of content and hardware. As a part of
understanding the innovation strategies that are associated with the organizations leadership and

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teamwork segment, the core strategy and operation adopted by the team to introduce certain
qualitative products which may have an intense touch on the consumer’s heart. According to the
functional aspects that are related to the respective organization in the market there major focus
in the part of developing new and innovative products in the market is to through the process to
remaining more proactive towards the upcoming future trends and customer preferences.
The company fosters more creativity in the market through the process of encouraging
the engineers and the leadership team in the part of integrating more advanced and functional
techniques into their new product designs. one of the most adaptive core strategy adopted by
the organization is to stay more connected with the customer and the market form which it
will be easier for them to evaluate and understand the future customer prospective in the
market.
4Ps of Innovation in Sony
According to the current innovation prospective that is associated with the respective
organization in the market. Some of the methods associated with the 4p in novation process of
the respective company is classified under four major heads which is related to the method of
product, process, position and paradigm innovation. The market innovation strategies of Sony
under this respective segment are mentioned below.
Under the product innovation segment, it is completely based upon the system of
introducing new and innovative products in the market through the process of introducing
certain innovative products that are unique and demonstrates a differentiated approach on the
available product categories in the market (Von Lohmann 2017). Under this respective part,
the core emphasis of the organization under the product innovation part was to adapt cut cost

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along with increasing accountability among divisions which were associated within the
organization. There major focus was under the area of giving more emphasis on the
organizations three major pillars which involves Mobile devices, business of semiconductors and
the gaming segment of the organization.
On the other hand TV and audio segments were considered to be the organizations
independent subsidiaries in the market (Von Lohmann 2017). This ensured responsibility and
competitiveness under the area of each business operation associated with the brand in the
market. It can be stated that more responsibility under the part of product segment and
organizational performance may enhance more innovation in the market which can considered
as the clear path which is to be adopted by the companies to remain more sustainable in their
market operation in the current and in the future.
The functional prospective associated with the system of process innovation within the
internal environment of the organization involves the system of introducing new and innovative
changes to the organizational structure, production methods, techniques, software and many
other. The process innovation strategies and changes adopted within the organization generally
involve the following parts.
 The first part associated with the organization is under the area of targeting consistent
mode of profitability under the organizations Hardware business which includes TV,
digital imaging and gaming segment.
 Providing new user experience through the process of integrating innovative and adaptive
hardware, software and facilities.

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 Developing new and innovative geographical markets through the process of reaching out
to existing and new customers in the market.
 The other part of the organization is associated with the system of giving more emphasis
under the area of introducing such products which are more environments conscious.
As compared to the process innovation operation associated with the respective
organization Sony in the market, the company had a huge successful factor under the area of
introducing demonstrative changes to their target market and geographical market operations.
The first and foremost innovation done under this respective area is based on the system of
introducing Digital Dream Kids in the market where the motive of the organization was to
remain more advanced and proactive for the future under digital technology operations
(Cusumano 2016). Dream kids are considered to be the future oriented customers of the
company. This respective strategy was designed under the part of remaining more advanced and
active for the future in the part of meeting the upcoming customer expectations.
In order to innovate more developing measures to the digital technological aspects, Sony
took the core initiative of identifying the digitally literate and young categories of customers in
order to design certain products which will give them an unique and differentiated approach in
the market. The organization believed that creating a huge drive in the market through their
development and research operation can enhance them to remain more proactive and change
oriented in the future functioning.
With related to the organizations paradigm innovation process, they adopted strong
change in their current operating organization structure in order to remain more sustainable and
competitive in the future. The strategy adopted by the company was associated with the process

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of introducing a kind of market structure which would completely facilitate and guide in the area
of developing strong motives to their new business measures and plans in the future (Cecere,
Corrocher and Battaglia 2015). The other part is related to the system of adopting strong changes
in the part of restructuring their current corporate structure to horizontal system for the first time
instead of giving more emphasis on vertical system in the market. Through the process of
introducing strong mode of innovative changes to the internal technological aspects the
organization has made them more demonstrative in the area of remaining more effective under
the part of achieving their objectives and goals.
Value of Innovation Funnel and Frugal Innovation
Frugal innovation is considered to be the process of delivering and offering high value
at the range of lower cost value to more population. It is regarded as frugal because in order to
remain more competitive under this respective part it is important to maintain a strong mindset of
adopting simplicity and low cost strategies within the organization without sacrificing quality of
user experience (Alsanad and Abdel-Razek 2016). Compared to Sony, the core initiative required
to be adopted by the company is to give more emphasis on lower level customers rather adopting
price strategies for upper and middle customers. This can help the brand in increasing more
customer base through adopting reasonable and affordable pricing strategies in the market.
On the other hand the system of innovative funnel is adopted by much business
organization under the area of creating and developing realistic and innovative action plan for
the organization. This generally involves three major stages which generally involve the process
of generating ideas, planning particular criteria, adopting the system of market testing and
implementing the sesame to the external environment. This can help the organization in the area

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of understanding the development measures that are required to be adopted under the part of
technological advancements and customer preferences which can help them to remain more
consistent in the future operations.
Recommendation
Revise the pricing strategy for including the lower income group of people in its target
segment
Analyzing the above scenario, it has been identified that introducing the premium range of
products, the company mainly targets the upper class and upper middle class people. In this
situation, enhancing the target market, Sony needs to focus on revising its pricing strategy. A
reasonable product range needs to be introduced for grabbing the attention of the lower income
group of customer.
Training and development initiatives
Being the market leader, efficiency and efficacy are the major strength of the company. In order
to maintain its sustainability, the company needs to focus on managing the sustainable position
in the market. In that case, maintaining its continuous training and development initiatives
towards adopting innovation can ensure the positive outcome in the company.
Organizational culture needs to be improvised
It is true that diversification and inclusion are included in the operational strategy of the
company. In order to improvise the internal culture, restructuring the employee benefits as well
as promoting the others cultural benefits, Sony can properly bring improvement in its internal
space.

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Training and placement opportunities for future innovators
Being a leading brand in the electronic industry, the company can introduce training
opportunities in different universities, where they can appreciate the future talents and based on
the performance career opportunities will be provided by the company. It can be assumed that
with this initiative, the company can make its significant contribution towards providing the
future innovator to the industry, and giving the placement opportunity it can contribute in
increasing the employment rate.

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Conclusion
In this study, it can be concluded that being a market leader in the electronic industry, Sony has
made its noticeable impact on customers’ mind. Through various innovation initiatives, the
company has brought revolution in the particular industry, which has not only generated the
positive business revenue, but also it has ensured the long term sustainable position of the
company in the market. In order to improvise the innovation initiatives of the company, the study
has suggested some improvisation strategies, which can ensure its positive image on the market.
Therefore, in the conclusion, it can be said that following the improvisation strategies, the
company can be maintain the internal collaboration, which can indirectly bring positive impact
on the company image.

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