Optimizing Customer Satisfaction Through Activity Assignment

This assignment tasks students with utilizing concepts from innovation management (Camisón & Villar-López, 2014; Crossan & Apaydin, 2010) and new product development stages (New Product Development Stages, 2017) to design an activity assignment strategy aimed at maximizing customer satisfaction. Students should analyze the needs and requirements of hypothetical customers to create a detailed plan that optimizes task allocation for enhanced satisfaction levels.

Innovation
and
Commercialisation

Contents
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1.................................................................................................................................................3
P1: Difference between innovation and invention and its importance in comparison with invention 3
P2: Contribution of organisational vision, leadership, culture and team work in innovation and
commercialisation..............................................................................................................................5
TASK 2.................................................................................................................................................6
P3: Analysis of 4P’s of innovation and application of innovation funnel in development of
innovation ideas.................................................................................................................................6
P4: Development in frugal innovation and its uses............................................................................8
TASK 3.................................................................................................................................................9
P5: Use of NPD for innovation and commercialisation and importance of commercial funnel.........9
P6: Development of innovation business case.................................................................................11
TASK 4...............................................................................................................................................12
P7: Different tools that organisations can use to develop retain and protect knowledge and
intellectual property rights...............................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION...................................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES....................................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Innovation refers to an action which is taken to improve something in order to attract
interest and buying behaviour of customers towards to purchase them. Every organisation has
focuses on implementing innovation in their business structure with a motive of expanding
business on a large scale and earns huge profits. The main purpose of preparing this report is
to provide the benefits of innovation and commercialisation in the growth of an organisation.
Rowlinson Knitwear, a UK small-sized company which is engaged in producing clothing
wear garments to school and corporate people. The project includes the vision and objectives
of the company and its contribution in implementation of innovation and commercialisation.
There are 4P’s of innovation which are also introduced under this report. Innovation funnel
and its development, Use of NPD, commercial funnel along with their importance,
deve3loment of innovation business case, different tools useful to develop, retain and protect
intellectual property rights are also covered under this report (Brettel and Cleven, 2011).
TASK 1
P1: Difference between innovation and invention and its importance in comparison with
invention
Innovation and invention are two different concepts which are developed by every
organisation with a motive of grabbing attention of loyal as well as new customers. The
management is wholly responsible to think something new which help organisation in getting
strong position in competitive market. They need to analyse the market trends and
accordingly concentrate on bringing something new and innovative that fulfil customer’s
needs and requirements (Camisón and Villar-López, 2014). Here are the some differences
between invention and innovation:
Invention v/s Innovation
Invention Innovation
It is developed by management when they
have new ideas and concepts to introduce in
market.
Changing something through adding some
extra value features with the purpose of
maximising the satisfaction level of
customers.
The main objective of invention is to provide
customers something new which they
The main aim of innovation is to compete
with their rivals through giving extra value

expected from an organisation. added products and services to the customers.
R&D team of an organisation should require
to focus on creating new ideas and concepts.
It occurs when the management feels the
need to change or improve product.
Importance of Innovation to organisation
Improving products on regular basis will bring profitable result to every organisation
irrespective of size whether small, medium or large. But only requirement is to select right
time thus the management are held liable to implement different methods in order to find out
the market trends and customer’s taste ad preferences and accordingly directs the different
departments of an organisation to improve their business functions so as to maximise
satisfaction level of customers. Therefore, the management and leaders both are playing an
important and valuable role in implementation of innovation in different business functions.
For example, upgrading existing technology used in production process help in producing
quality products as compared to their rivals’ products. There are some other advantages as
well after implementing innovation which are given as below:
Application of best method: As every departments working in an organisation are
responsible to think something new and innovative that will help them in achieving better
possible result. Such departments include marketing, finance, operation and sales which
perform with a motive of achieving desire goals and objectives of an organisation. Thus,
changing ways of performing into better one will bring efficiency in worker. For example, the
manager of marketing department should require to implement innovative ways of attracting
customers towards the products improved by production department. They need to focus on
adopting various marketing tools and techniques such as Advertisement on TV, Newspaper
etc. help Rowlinson Knitwear to gain large number of customers through which they generate
huge profitability and sustainability (Crossan and Apaydin, 2010).
Competitive advantages: Changing products into better through adding some extra
value will enable Rowlinson Knitwear in giving quality products better than their
competitors. For this, R&D team of Rowlinson Knitwear should require to carefully analyse
the rival’s strategies and their products and accordingly focus on enhancing their products
and services. This will increases competition in competitive market which brings benefit to
customers as well.

P2: Contribution of organisational vision, leadership, culture and team work in
innovation and commercialisation
Innovation can be introduced not only to maximise customer’s level of satisfaction
but also implemented with a motive of achieving vision and mission of company. For this,
the leaders, managers, team work etc. helps company through giving maximum contribution
in implementing innovation in overall business structure. The managers and leaders of
Rowlinson Knitwear should required to help employees of different department to perform in
better way and bring new ideas that how to improve existing products and services. The
employees can able to provide maximum efforts when they grouped together and perform in
a team. It will ensure organisation to sustain in competitive market environment for longer
period of time. The management should require to consider all elements with the help of
which they can successfully implemented innovative changes. Such elements are briefly
explained as below:
Vision: It may be defined as the desired target that every organisation have before
entering into market. All the business functions have been performed only to achieve
company’s vision. As Rowlinson Knitwear is a company which are operated its business on
small scale thus their main vision is to expand their business and achieve strong brand
position in market for longer period of time (Crossan and Apaydin, 2010). Therefore, such
vision forces them to bring new and unique ideas while performing several business activities
that will help them in achieving their vision as soon as possible.
Culture: Every organisation is facing cultural differences irrespective of size whether
small, medium or large which can affect their business operations as well. As there are large
number of employees who contributes the maximum efforts in achieving desired goals and
objectives. Thus such employees comes from different cultures and backgrounds due to
which they may faces lots of problems which may related with communication, biased
behaviour etc. Therefore, the management should liable to remove such differences through
creating a platform where the employees can easily communicate and support each other.
Implementation of orientation programs, digital technology etc. help company in roving such
differences.
Leadership: An organisation can achieve better possible outcomes from different
business functions only when they have an effective leader who is capable to guide and
motive their employees to perform in an optimum manner. As they are the only one who

encourages employees to think something new and innovative in order to complete their
delegated work in an effective and efficient manner. Therefore, the leaders should required to
give full freedom to their employees to work in their own way and bring something different
which help company in achieving competitive advantage (Filippetti, 2011).
Team work: Here, leaders also play an important role in providing motivation to
employees to work in a team and gives maximum profitable result to company through
helping each other in completion of allotted roles and responsibilities. As the manager first
identify employees having different and specialised skills and knowledge and grouped them
together which increases the chances of introducing new and innovative methods and
techniques to complete work. This will help employees as will in gaining new knowledge
from their co-workers and provide them support as well in achieving common team goals.
Thus, working in a team increases the chances of introducing and implementing new and
innovative ideas into action in more successful manner.
TASK 2
P3: Analysis of 4P’s of innovation and application of innovation funnel in development
of innovation ideas
4P’s consist of product, process, position and paradigm. All such points help
organisation in implementing innovation in more effective and efficient manner. This will
also help in motivating workers to focus on company’s objectives and accordingly perform in
right direction. Such 4P’s of innovation are briefly explained under the below:
Process innovation: This is the innovation which takes place in the process of doing
something. It can be implemented in production process, marketing process etc. which
increases the quality of outcomes. As Rowlinson Knitwear deals in producing clothing wear
garments which has limited sales and revenues (Furukawa, 2010). Therefore, implementing
an effective marketing tools and techniques such as advertisement on TV, newspaper etc.
helps them in grabbing more attention of large number of customers which increases their
customer base and sales figures as well. Therefore, adopting innovation in process will
always help company in achieving profitable outcomes in near future.
Product innovation: It includes the innovation in relation to improving the products
and services. It can be done through adding extra value to existing products in order to

enhance their quality through which they can easily attract and influence buying behaviour of
customers. For example, Rowlinson Knitwear offers school and corporate wear garments thus
building professional design, pattern, colour etc. will help them in attracting professional
easily.
Position innovation: It is important for every organisation to locate their stores or
outlets nearby to the customers so that they can easily get without facing so many problems.
Thus, it affects their sales as well. For example, Rowlinson Knitwear deals in school and
corporate wear garments thus establishing stores nearby to the schools and colleges will help
them in gaining more customers which increases their sales as well (Hanna David and
Francisco, 2010).
Paradigm innovation: This type of innovation is related with business structure
which affects the working behaviour of employees while working at workplace. The
management should liable to create healthy environment at workplace through establishing
communication channel which helps in bringing motivation and confidence level among
workers. This will all help in improving the performance of employees as well as an
organisation.
Innovation funnel:
It refers to the implementation of new ideas and converting them into action as to
maximise the quality of products with a motive of increasing satisfaction level of customers.
This, such implementation can be done after following three steps:
Wide of Mouth: In this process, the management of Rowlinson Knitwear should first
gather information about the perception of customers towards company’s products through
conducting research which help them in changing existing products into better quality that
will help in satisfying the needs and requirements of customers.
Selection of idea: At this stage, the management should required to carefully analyse
all innovative ideas and select one on the basis of their effectiveness received in future.
Implementation of ideas: This is the last stage at which the management took final
decision of implementation of ides into action. After knowing their future outcomes, the
management are directing employees to implement ideas into existing products.

P4: Development in frugal innovation and its uses
Frugal innovation: It refers to such innovation which minimises the complexities
from business operations and thus reduces cost of production as well. It can be done through
removing unwanted or useless features from the goods which are not desired and preferred by
the customers at the time purchasing (Huang and et. al., 2012). Through this, the managers
are able to invest amount on other important resources which maximises the value of
products. This will help Rowlinson Knitwear in providing products at an affordable process
thus can easily attract large number of customers. The main objective of frugal innovation is
to enhance the quality of products and increasing sales figure. As Rowlinson Knitwear offers
school and corporate wear garments thus designs which are mostly rejected by the customers
and feels them uncomfortable should be removed by the company in order to increases their
level of satisfaction. It helps company in retaining loyal customers for longer period of time.
There are various benefits the company will get in near future out of which few benefits are
briefly described as below:
Minimising production cost: Removing non-essential features from the products
definitely decrease the production cost due to which the company can able to provide quality
products to their targeted customers at affordable prices. It is important for management to
transfer information about the customer’s perception and views towards company’s products
to production department according to which they are able to focus on customer’s
requirements while manufacturing quality products.
Development of new features: As removing non-essential features form the products
will save money of company due to which they are able to invest such money in adding some
extra value added features to the products so as to maximise the quality of products. This will
provide an opportunity to management to develop existing production through minimising
cost of production. It directly affects the sales figure and revenue of company in positive
manner (Ke, Fang and et. al., 2015).
Application of new technologies: As eliminating unwanted is not totally manual work
as it is essentially required by company to adopt an effective technologies and tools which are
better than before in order to produce quality products. This will help company in reducing
wastage and maximises the efficiency level of employees as well.

TASK 3
P5: Use of NPD for innovation and commercialisation and importance of commercial
funnel
Commercial funnel: It includes the process of changing perception and buying
behaviour of customers towards company’s products and services. The management should
require to identify what customer’s thinks about their products and what they expected from
the company. Such questions should be answered by the management which help them in
retaining loyal customers for longer period of time. It is important for an organisation to read
customer’s mind and it can be possible only through conducting research. Therefore, the
R&D team of Rowlinson Knitwear should required to find out which feature of product
would restrict purchasing decision of customers and which features attracts most. Through
this, the company has an opportunity to attract and influence buying behaviour and
perception of customers in favour of their product.
Advantages of Commercial funnel to Rowlinson Knitwear are briefly explained as
below:
Improved quality of product: After conducting research, the management can
successfully able to read customer’s mind and also able exactly identify the perception and
needs of customers. This will provide an opportunity to add demanded featured into products
in order to produce quality products so as to changes and maximise the interest and buying
behaviour of customers.
Reduce cost: Commercial funnel forces the company to use advanced and updated
technology in their production process due to which the chances of wastage will be very low.
This will help company in recuing cost of production and generate huge profit (McCoy and
et. al., 2010).
Improvement in goodwill: Commercial funnel help Rowlinson Knitwear to provide
quality products that will help in fulfilling the needs and requirements of customers which
indirectly positively affects their brand image as well.
New product development
It is the process of presenting new product into market with the purpose of capturing
large market share and high profitability. Rowlinson Knitwear engaged in providing only

school and corporate wear thus capturing limited share of market. Therefore, to generate huge
revenue and customer base the company should require to focus on introducing new product
into market such as casual wear garment due to which most of the customers are easily
attracted. Thus, NPD helps in expansion of business therefore the management should
required to follow given steps in order to introduce new product in market and make them
more successful:
Generate idea: This is the first stage at which the management introduce new idea
with the help of information receiving from research so as to fulfil customer’s requirements.
Idea screening: In this step, the managers should choose one ideas after receiving
feedbacks from all employees of an organisation. The management of Rowlinson Knitwear
should fist determine its effectiveness on sales of company and accordingly took final
decision.
Define concept: At this stage, the management informed all members of an
organisation about selected ideas so as to motive them to perform in right direction.
Business analysis: In this process, the managers carefully determine the effectiveness
of decision regarding introducing new product in market (Saunila and Ukko, 2012).
Product development: In this stage, the management focuses on developing the
process of introducing new product through implementing an effective tools and techniques
in production process.
Test marketing: In this, various promotional strategies should be implemented after
analysing g their future outcomes. This will help in attracting attention and buying behaviour
of customers towards new product.
Commercialisation: This is the last stage at which the management look out all above
steps and examine them carefully so as to ensure in getting profitable result in future.
P6: Development of innovation business case
Rowlinson Knitwear is established in UK which is offering school and corporate wear
garments thus attained limited market share of UK and their sales figure is also not much as
expected. Therefore, the management has decided to introduce casual wear garments in order
to attract maximum number of people. Through such decision, the company can able to attain
huge customer base and high revenues as well. Such new innovation business case of

Rowlinson Knitwear are included not only the development of new products but also includes
the adoption of advanced technologies which help in minimising the operation cost and
enhances the performance of workers as well. Therefore, the innovation business case of
Rowlinson Knitwear is as follows:
Executive summary: Rowlinson Knitwear is UK-based Company which is generally
small in size. It offers school and corporate wear garments to the people of United Kingdom.
Therefore captures limited market share but after introducing casual wear garment the sales
figure of company goes high. The main aim of management is to provide wide range of
clothing product at affordable prices so as to attract large number of customers (Un, Cuervo‐
Cazurra and Asakawa, 2010).
Need: It is required for management to know and analyse their rival’s strategies, quality of
products and services, price and the preference of customers. This will provide an
opportunity to Rowlinson Knitwear to make an effective decisions and business plans
regarding development of new products according to the needs and requirements of
customers.
Solution: It includes finding out the solution of maximising the level of satisfaction of
customers. It can be related with pricing policy, quality etc. which are mostly affect
customer’s perception and buying behaviour.
Research on customers: It includes the research which is conducted with an objective
of identifying interest, perception and buying behaviour of customers. The management
should require to take an effective decision and plans on the basis of feedbacks and
information collected from the customers. This will probed an opportunity to fulfil
customer’s needs and requirements in an effective and efficient manner.
Design and development plan: After above, the management further should focus on
designing development plan of new clothing product as per the demand of customers. This
includes the plans and strategies, defining the roles and responsibilities to each employees of
company. The management communicate whole process of implementation of pre-planned
strategies in order to develop products more effectively.
Investment required: In this, the management should focuses on arranging funds
from different sources such as investor, financial institutions etc. which help in execution of
further business activities related with developing new product.

TASK 4
P7: Different tools that organisations can use to develop retain and protect knowledge
and intellectual property rights
As there are large number of competitors in market which gives huge competition to
each other. Thus, it is important for Rowlinson Knitwear to maintain and protect their crucial
information and knowledge from their rivals. There are number of companies who follows
illegal ways to achieve competitive advantages therefore the management of Rowlinson
Knitwear should required to use different systems in order to protect their information from
such companies. There are various tools which just required to use by Rowlinson Knitwear in
order to protect and retain the knowledge and innovation. Such tools are given as below:
Patent: Such tools are used in order to protect their designs, features etc. from
outsiders. But to protect these, the management nee to first fill an application form in order to
register such design with name of company and thereafter submit to the government.
Trademark: It is also an important tool with the help of which the company can
protect their symbol, work line etc from their outsiders and allow them only after giving them
permission.
Copyright: It is a tool which restricts outsiders not to use their name for the purpose
of generating huge sales and revenues. If any such illegal activities are founds, then company
have full right to take legal action against them (New Product Development Stages, 2017).
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the above project report that the concept of innovation and
commercialisation is necessarily required to consider by the management of every
organisation in order to achieve huge growth and success within limited period of time. There
are 4P’s of innovation which also need to be considered along with their effectiveness.
Commercial funnel also provide an opportunity to company to perform business activities
according to the needs and requirements of customers so as to maximise their level of
satisfaction as well.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Brettel, M. and Cleven, N. J., 2011. Innovation culture, collaboration with external partners
and NPD performance. Creativity and Innovation Management. 20(4). pp.253-272.
Camisón, C. and Villar-López, A., 2014. Organizational innovation as an enabler of
technological innovation capabilities and firm performance. Journal of business
research. 67(1). pp.2891-2902.

Crossan, M. M. and Apaydin, M., 2010. A multi‐dimensional framework of organizational
innovation: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of management studies.
47(6). pp.1154-1191.
Crossan, M. M. and Apaydin, M., 2010. A multi‐dimensional framework of organizational
innovation: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of management studies.
47(6). pp.1154-1191.
Filippetti, A., 2011. Innovation modes and design as a source of innovation: a firm-level
analysis. European Journal of Innovation Management. 14(1). pp.5-26.
Furukawa, Y., 2010. Intellectual property protection and innovation: An inverted-U
relationship. Economics Letters. 109(2). pp.99-101.
Hanna, D., David, I. and Francisco, B. eds., 2010. Educational research and innovation the
nature of learning using research to inspire practice: Using research to inspire
practice. OECD publishing
Huang, C., and et. al., 2012. Government funded renewable energy innovation in China.
Energy Policy.51. pp.121-127
Ke, W., Fang, and et. al., 2015. Low-temperature solution-processed tin oxide as an
alternative electron transporting layer for efficient perovskite solar cells. Journal of
the American Chemical Society. 137(21). pp.6730-6733
McCoy, A.P., and et. al., 2010. Concurrent commercialization and new-product adoption for
construction products. European Journal of Innovation Management. 13(2). pp.222-
243.
Saunila, M. and Ukko, J., 2012. A conceptual framework for the measurement of innovation
capability and its effects. Baltic Journal of Management. 7(4). pp.355-375.
Un, C. A., Cuervo‐Cazurra, A. and Asakawa, K., 2010. R&D collaborations and product
innovation. Journal of Product Innovation Management. 27(5). pp.673-689.
Online
New Product Development Stages. 2017.[ONLINE]. Available through:
<http://productlifecyclestages.com/new-product-development-stages/>.