Strategic Innovation Alignment Model

This assignment focuses on analyzing the strategic alignment model for innovation. It requires students to delve into concepts like strategic performance measurement, systems of innovation, and the impact of CRM 2.0 on customer insights. Further, it necessitates understanding the role of organizational readiness for change, global optimization techniques, and levers of control in driving strategic renewal. The assignment utilizes various research papers and online resources to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject.

Innovation and risk management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
Critical analysis of the seven dimensions within a strategic innovation framework that drives
growth.........................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Innovation is the aspect that is related to the operational activities of the organization for
the purpose to create the new products and services that enable the employed manpower to
practise the better aspects then the previous one (Gassmann, 2006). This helps into creating the
new models and strategies through which the innovation can be brought up in a significant form.
Through this the company is able to be more competitive in the market. For the better
understanding of the project Apple Plc has been chosen. It is the multinational technology
company that design and develops different types of software, electronics and several other
products. The present report critically evaluates the different dimensions of the strategic
framework which is associated with the growth aspects.
Critical analysis of the seven dimensions within a strategic innovation framework that drives
growth
There are different dimensions that helps in the strategic innovation framework of the
product through which the portfolio is being developed that helps in driving the growth of the
organization.
Strategic innovation is the breakthrough of the points that are adopted in order to link the
companies operational activities with the innovative perspective that helps the particular
organization to be think as per the requirement of the customers (Palmer and Kaplan, 2016.).
Similarly, Strategic innovation refers to the creation of the growth strategies that helps in
categorizing the products as per the categorization. Through this , organization is able to generate
the new values for the customers as well as of for the organizations.
Apple Plc adopt the effective framework to strategic alignment of the different
dimensions through which they are able to deploy its entire framework to operate over the
multiple levels. This framework helps in application of the creativity and innovation to manage
the operations in systematic form (Liebe, 2002.). The seven dimensions within the strategic
innovation framework that drives the growth of Apple Plc are discussed underneath:
A managed innovation process: It is the process that covers the sequence of the activities
that are carried out in Apple Plc from the beginning of the schemes so that it is able to implement
the traditional and non traditional approaches to manage the entire working (Tushman and
Anderson, 2004.). The framework of the process is being divided into two modes that are related

to the innovative perspective which helps into the improvement of the entire working of Apple
Plc. The modes are discussed underneath:
 Divergent mode: It refers to the spontaneous thinking of the personal who try new things
with the free flow of different aspects. Through this, the new ideas are generated for the
betterment of Apple Plc. The ideas are generated in a spontaneous manner which means
that the ideas are unorganized in nature. Thus, the thoughts are processed with the
exploration of the possible solutions over the frequent basis. Convergent mode: This mode is opposite of the divergent mode of Apple Plc. Generally,
it dictates the ability of the personal to provide the relevant solution to the questions that
are associated with the process to manage the functional activities of Apple Plc. Through
this, the single innovative idea is being generated to manage the entire operations in a
significant form. It is linked with the knowledge which provide lots of innovative ideas to
suggest the pathways to deal with the issues that are encountered with the adaptation of
the convergent mode. Hence, it is focuses over the speed, accuracy and the logics that are
implemented for the strategic growth of Apple Plc.
Strategic alignment: This is the aspect which is associated with the alignment of the
process over the short term and long term basis (Avison and et.al., 2004). Strategic alignment
dictates the enthusiasm and support between the stakeholders that are associated with Apple Plc
and stimulate and ensure that the activities are focused over the mission, vision , goals and
objectives. Strategic alignment comprise of two different types tat are discussed below:
 Internal alignment: It refers to the pay structure and the design of the organization along
with its work structure. This focuses on the internal structure of Apple Plc to define the
pay rates that are offered over the job which is performed at the work place. The work is
directed in a proper form with the alignment of the strategies that make their working
fair and equitable towards the organizational objectives and goals (Chenhall, 2005.).
 External alignment: This alignment help in gathering the insight and different ideas from
the partner organization by making them the part of their co-creative to build the core
and extended team which includes different representatives from the organization to
maintain the proper flow of the work process with the proper alignment (Löytynoja and
Goldman,2005).

Thus, the strategic alignment helps into the proper engagement of the senior leadership
teams of Apple Plc to take the effective innovative initiatives to make the efforts to implement
the change in an effective and efficient form. Through this, cross-functional participation occurs
in the alignment of the stakeholders within Apple Plc and also among the external key
stakeholders.
Industry foresight: This dimensions helps in obtaining the view of the emerging trends
that drives the entire operating environment of Apple Plc. Through this, the entire process are
monitored that helps in compelling strategy through which the different divers are explored. It is
the top down approach which is adopted by Apple Plc to perform the entire process with the
identification of the different aspects beyond the market reach of it. This provide the complete
foresight of the industry in which Apple Plc operates with the intersection of the other
environmental factors such as technical, demographic and others that provide extensive
opportunities (Walden, Carlsson and Liu, 2000).
Monitoring the emerging trends enables Apple Plc to reduce the level of threats which are
associated with the existing business strategy of it. This helps in identifying their potential to
avail the marketing opportunities which are able to them with the proper coverage of the trends.
Through this, Apple Plc would be able to seek the opportunities that are beyond its boundaries
and make the effective strategies to align it in an appropriate form. Along with this, they would
be able to work as per the present trends and obtain the future oriented view to meet the different
opportunities that are present. Hence, this will help in obtaining the proper insight of the industry
(Edquist, 2011).
Consumer/ customer insight: This is related to bottom-up approach that leverages the
insight of the behavior, perceptions and needs of the customers that are presently catered by
Apple Plc. It is the non traditional approach that is adopted to obtain the clear understanding of
the of the different needs and requirement of the clients (Greenberg, 2010.). Through this, Apple
Plc would be able to develop the strategies in a significant form through which they effectively
responds to the requirement of the customers. With the involvement of the customer in the
innovative process will help Apple Plc to make the offering in an appropriate form with
soliciting the response of the internally generated product concepts such as feature preferences,
packaging etc.

The main objective behind the attainment of the customer insight is to validates the ideas
in order to meet the requirement of the customers as per their needs. Through this, Apple Plc
would be able to explore the goals with the help of the customer insight and experiment the new
things which will help it in gaining the deeper insight and provide them with the ease to
experiment the new things wit the adaptation of the new technology that is emerged into the
market place in which it operates.
Core technologies:This is the perspective that provides Apple Plc a practical dimension
to practise the imaginative ideas that are assessed and shaped into the investment worthy
opportunities. With the proper use of the technologies, Apple Plc can possess the deep insight
about the needs of the customers which will help in availing the future trends. Through this, the
innovation would be integrated that will help in linking the entire functioning of Apple Plc with
its core competencies (Brantingham and et.al., 2000). With the proper identification of the
capabilities, Apple Plc make the effectual use of the core technologies to develop the unique
relationship with the suppliers and other resource managers.
For the purpose to be more viable, Apple Plc possess the effective link with the core
competencies to integrate the success perspective. Though this, they are able to list out the
opportunities that are present beforehand with the proper development of the operational
activities that are concern with the proper allocation of the core technologies to make the entire
working of Apple Plc more effective and efficient. Hence, this will help in short-listing the
opportunities that are beneficial for them along with the different growth options to expand as
per their potentiality and determine their stability into the market place.
Organizational readiness: This dimension define the organization readiness to act upon
the new ideas and implement it with the adoption of the new innovative strategies to make the
entire working of Apple Plc organized and quick (Simons, 2013. ). This will help Apple Plc to
manage the entire operations and financial demand which is associated with the innovation
perspective of it. Similarly, Apple Plc has its importance in the innovative stage through which
the products are offered to them. They have the ability to follow the strategies and make the
entire working of Apple Plc more innovative and effective (Lehman, Greener and Simpson,
2002).
There are different forms which are associated with the organization readiness that are
sated below:

 Cultural readiness helps the individual to develop the mindset and follow the norms
which allow them to think more innovative and adopt the different aspects to deal with
the risk that is associated with it.
 Process readiness is the aspect that is associated with the business process and practises
that is carried out in Apple Plc and the functional group is able to operate in an effective
and efficient form towards the common goals. Structure readiness of Apple Plc refers to the dimension which is associated with the
structure and the technology that act as a support system for bring innovation in the work
procedure. Along with this, it also provide flexibility to perform the different tasks in a
significant manner by assigning the work to the proficient employees,
Disciplined implementation: This is the dimension which helps into the implementation
of the new ideas and strategies so that the effectiveness of Apple Plc are enhanced. This helps in
going forwards with the innovative ideas that are implemented in accordance to be more
innovative and beneficial for Apple Plc.
The implementation perspective includes the different design and development
perspective that is associated with Apple Plc to market and adopt the different strategies that
helps in defining the criteria and develop the innovative perspective for the business (Liberti and
Maculan, 2006). The implementation is done with the effective use of the hiring and training
perspective that helps in identifying the loop holes and make the continuous improvement into
the innovation process of Apple Plc. For the implementation of the strategic innovation
framework the creative thinking is being involved in order to make the result meaningful which
is associated with the implementation of the ideas that are generated. Thus, the growth
perspective is served in an effectual form.
CONCLUSION
Strategic innovation framework helps into the effective adaptation of the different
dimensions that helps into the growth perspective of Apple Plc. Through this, they are able to
provide the required perspective that are beneficial for the organization. Thus, it can be
concluded that the different dimensions provide the clear insight of the different prospectives
that are associated with the entire function of the business unit and perform the significant role to
attain it. Further, it is determined that the decisions are taken in an effectual form which helps in

attaining the creative goals and objectives. With the successful implementation of the different
dimensions the entire work is carried out in a smooth form with the proper strategic alignment.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Avison and et.al., 2004. Using and validating the strategic alignment model. The Journal of
Strategic Information Systems. 13(3). pp.223-246.
Brantingham and et.al., 2000. Raw material quality and prepared core technologies in Northeast
Asia. Journal of Archaeological Science. 27(3). pp.255-271.
Chenhall, R.H., 2005. Integrative strategic performance measurement systems, strategic
alignment of manufacturing, learning and strategic outcomes: an exploratory study.
Accounting, Organizations and Society. 30(5). pp.395-422.
Edquist, C., 2011. Systems of innovation: perspectives and challenges. African Journal of
Science, Technology, Innovation and Development (AJSTID), 2(3), pp.14-43.
Gassmann, O., 2006. Opening up the innovation process: towards an agenda. R&d Management.
36(3). pp.223-228.
Greenberg, P., 2010. The impact of CRM 2.0 on customer insight. Journal of Business &
Industrial Marketing. 25(6). pp.410-419.
Lehman, W.E., Greener, J.M. and Simpson, D.D., 2002. Assessing organizational readiness for
change. Journal of substance abuse treatment. 22(4). pp.197-209.
Liberti, L. and Maculan, N., 2006. Global optimization: from theory to implementation (Vol. 84).
Springer Science & Business Media.
Liebe, C.C., 2002. Accuracy performance of star trackers-a tutorial. Aerospace and Electronic
Systems, IEEE Transactions on. 38(2). pp.587-599.
Löytynoja, A. and Goldman, N., 2005. An algorithm for progressive multiple alignment of
sequences with insertions. Proceedings of the National academy of sciences of the United
States of America. 102(30). pp.10557-10562.
Simons, R., 2013. Levers of control: how managers use innovative control systems to drive
strategic renewal. Harvard Business Press.
Tushman, M. and Anderson, P., 2004. MANAGING~ STRATEGIC INNOVATION. Change,
Oxford University Press, Inc.
Walden, P., Carlsson, C. and Liu, S., 2000. Industry foresight with intelligent agents. Human
Systems Management. 19(3). pp.169-180.
Online

Palmer, B and Kaplan, S., 2016. A framework of Strategic innovation. [Pdf]. Available through:
<http://www.innovation-point.com/Strategic%20Innovation%20White
%20Paper.pdf#page=15&zoom=auto,-22,626 >. [Accessed on 14th March,2016].