Managing Innovation: Interview with an Entrepreneur and Innovator

This report presents the summary of interview with an entrepreneur and innovator. It also demonstrates my personal competency, proficiency, experience, and capabilities. It also assesses different tests that I have undertaken and lessons learnt from interview.

Running head: MANAGING INNOVATION
Managing Innovation

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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Section A: summary of an interview with an entrepreneur/innovator..........................................................3
Section B:....................................................................................................................................................5
Reflection: reflect on their innovation capabilities and discuss perceived strengths and areas for
development (e.g. feedback from others, past experiences, etc.).............................................................5
Planning:.................................................................................................................................................8
Section C: Overview of the models of innovation.....................................................................................11
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................18
References.................................................................................................................................................20

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Introduction
This report presents the summary of interview with an entrepreneur and innovator. It also
demonstrates my personal competency, proficiency, experience, and capabilities. It also assesses
different tests that I have undertaken and lessons learnt from interview. This report also
addresses the strength and weakness that I have addressed through feedback of others and
experience. It also discusses personal innovation capability audit that I will develop to going
forward. This report assesses the innovative model through a table that Entrepreneurs should use.
Section A: summary of an interview with an entrepreneur/innovator
Why did you select this individual to interview?
I have selected a leading small entrepreneur for conducting the face to face interviews such as
Katy Barfield who is CEO of Yume Food. I have selected this individual in order to gain insight
into the innovation capabilities. She has innovated different things in food industry as it would
lead me for making innovation in my interested field i.e. organic food industry [26].
What insights did you gain from talking to them?
From talking to these entrepreneurs, I have gained my insights that confidence in their personal
capacity can aid to bring innovation in business. I have also observed that Katy Barfield is highly
encouraged and have high energy. This energy enables her to decline the complex task of
entrepreneurship and encourages her to attain the goal of the company. Furthermore, all
entrepreneurs are highly encouraged and have high power. Their power can make competent to
them to avoid the difficult task of entrepreneurship and leads other individuals for attaining the
objectives of the company. In spite of these, she is an entrepreneur who is open for criticism and
advice. Besides this, she learns from the criticism and applies the required alteration to her

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businesses.
What will you do differently based on your discussion?
I will discuss different factors for creating an effective base in an interview. There would be a
number of entrepreneurship that will have different business skills with high experience hence; I
will discuss the model for gaining the innovation capabilities. These discussions can have a
favorable impact on the innovative entrepreneurship. I came to know that innovative
entrepreneurship will need of management skills and the capability for managing the
transformation. I will also discuss the number of personal attributes that aid me for innovative
entrepreneurship such as the ability to make innovation, being transformation oriented and
creative leadership.
What advice could you offer this entrepreneur?
I will give advice to each entrepreneur as per their innovation. I will advise to Katy Barfield to
use optimum utilization of resources to gain competitive advantage and increase the profitability
in the market. Moreover, I would also suggest the Katy Barfield to make long-term objectives for
meeting their expectation in the targeted time period. I will also give advice to Katy Barfield to
use low-cost pricing strategy that aids her to sustain in the market the and also effective for
pulling the attention of bulk of customers.
Provide a summary of the date and time of the interview, the length of the interview, the
format of the interview (i.e. in person, phone or video)
Following table shows the data, time and length of interview and format of the interview that
will use by me to conduct the personal interview on Entrepreneur:
Name of
Entrepreneur
Designation Date Time Length of
Interview
Format of
Interview

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Katy Barfield CEO of
Yume Food
30/9/2018 11.30 am 15 min Open-ended
questionnaire
Section B:
Reflection: reflect on their innovation capabilities and discuss perceived strengths and
areas for development (e.g. feedback from others, past experiences, etc.)
To assess my innovation capabilities, I have conducted the different independent entrepreneurial
assessment. These tests were helped me to clarify my personality and other factors associated
with entrepreneurship. For acquiring the information about my personality, I have conducted the
entrepreneurial test. Personality is significant for every success of an entrepreneur. There is a
large number of entrepreneurs who observed that my personality contributes to success. From
getting the feedback from others, I came to notice that I have sustainable innovation skills that
aid to obtain the success. Most of the people believe that I have confidence in personal
capabilities that would aid me to bring transformation. I have also gained my experience with the
success of entrepreneurship. This was beneficial for me to understand that problem solving and
innovativeness is beneficial for obtaining the success.
I have increased my learning that being in business indicates that an individual would be prone
towards the competition. There are a large number of entrepreneurs who have different
personalities that make sure them to be competitive without the fear of breakdown. I have gained
my understanding of the T type personality tests, Bill Wagner’s Personality test and DaVinci
type personality test [11]. These tests were demonstrated different questions with the aim of
assessing the personality. I have conducted T type personality tests that define that my
personality fit for being an innovator as I have scored high in this test.

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By conducting the HBDI personality test, I have recognized my tendency to think. This tendency
leads me to illustrate whether I am more likely to make theoretical or experimental in thinking.
Although, this tendency could be different in different sectors but it aids a person for discovering
the right profession. For me, these tests assess the key issues that are required to become good
entrepreneurs. These tests have different quadrants. In this way, the first quadrants focus on my
capacity for solving the issues. In this quadrant, I have learned that I need to be competent for
thinking logically and assesses the factors earlier making judgments. The second quadrants
determine my competencies for executing the decision [16]. The next quadrant determines my
competency related to communication that aids to become a good entrepreneur. It aids me to
communicate and ensures to coordinate other stakeholders in the business. The fourth quadrants
of test assess my capabilities to take the risk. Risk taking is significant for me as an entrepreneur
and as it would support to me to deal with issues and respond towards the setback.
Another test developed was the marketing test [15]. In this way, marketing is significant for the
business. This test assesses how I can be aware of the marketing strategies and potential market.
I have conducted a market research assessment that is essential for a business perspective. This
test also identifies how I can understand the needs of the market. The questions demonstrated
help the person for assessing the required market investigation in order to obtain the higher
return [29]. Another test was conducted by me was related to leadership. This test aids me to
assess my qualities of leadership. Moreover, entrepreneurs are leaders in their respective
companies. To become a successful entrepreneur, I need to become a good leader.
Strength and weakness

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Assessment of personal capabilities and practices of entrepreneurial test competent me for
discovering my weakness and strength as an entrepreneur. The assessment was developed with
respect to organic food delivery business that I have in mind.
Organic food delivery is related to providing the healthy and quality food. It takes the form of
business expansion. I have investigated that customers face the health issues by consuming the
fast food. Thus, it indicates that my innovativeness and creativity is my strength. The
innovativeness would make competent to me to reach at the solution of customer’s health issues.
My strong base is innovation and creativity that is feasible for doing the business [30]. This
experience will make competent to me to offer the organic food to customers to resolve the
health concern of people. The analytical skills were acquired by me through the education
system that would compete to me to get the rational solution of the concern.
Through the personality test, I was competent for assessing my strengths with weaknesses. From
the test, I have realized that I am assertive and outgoing. This quality is significant for
entrepreneurs. The quality would facilitate me to deal with other customers. The assertiveness is
also my strength that aids me to deliver the organic food to their potential customers. It would
aid to increase the demand of customers and fast growth. The assertiveness also supports me for
negotiating the business with the potential partner of business [28].
Problem-solving is a key component of the success of entrepreneurs. Through the HBDI test, it is
demonstrated that I have capabilities of good problem-solving. Organic food delivery is related
to offering natural services that will focus on solving the individual’s health concern [26]. The
capabilities will also make competent to me to deal with the customer’s issue with no difficulty.
The weakness is address from the test was leadership and communication challenges.
Furthermore, the assertiveness was identified for impeding the interpersonal communication by

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threatening the other party. In the context of leadership, my leadership quality was addressed and
self-centered. For overcoming the issues posed my personality is communication and leadership.
I would invest in the field of ensuring the enhancement. Furthermore, the personal reflection
would competent me to be sensitive towards other people in communication and respond
feasibly towards the psychological requirements [25]. It would also make competent to me for
declining the intoxicating charisma. For improving my leadership skills, I would like to register
in the leadership course. It would help me in leading and managing individuals.
Planning:
Develop a plan of how they intend to maintain/develop their capabilities on an on-going
basis
This section includes the plan which is formed with the motive to maintain or to develop the
capabilities on an ongoing basis.
Milestone Time duration Description
Entrepreneurship Awareness
campaign
Twice in a week for 6
months
Mass entrepreneurship awareness
related to the innovation is one of the
factors through which they can learn
different skills.
Entrepreneurship
Development training
2 months This includes the intensive training
for the 5 days in a week for the full
training program that contributes to
bringing the innovative development
of entrepreneurs [20].
Ideation, Business planning
workshops
2 month Workshops on innovation, generation
of the idea and forming the plans are

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essential for the entrepreneurs to learn
more related to the innovation in their
actions.
Mentoring and incubation 1 month Expert mentoring, linkage with the
domain that is particular to the
incubator and funding opportunities.
This mentoring can be received from
the experts who are already expert in
making the decisions.
Discuss strengths in terms of innovation management and also how they will capitalize on
these strengths going forward
As an entrepreneur, I am creative and competent to reach with the solution by using the creative
way. In my school, students relied on me to arrive at the solution when they have confronted the
challenge. I have been capabilities to practice my innovativeness and interest in the organic food
industry in the diverse way [22]. I have prepared a software application that can help to order the
organic food and helps to solve the issues. At my business, I developed a software application
that aids me to prepare for every day. Along with this, my colleagues have discussed with me
about the issue of this software that aids me to make a necessary transformation in it [19].
Along with this, my positive belief aids me to enhance my qualities of entrepreneurship. I
believed in my capabilities to bring transformation for society and have it as accountability to
make favorable changes. Although, few people were not comfortable with the assertiveness but I
take it as a contribution that should be used for the good purpose for the people [18]. My inner

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drive supports me to eliminate the unfavorable reactions and pessimistic view of other people.
Skills and capabilities they should focus on developing plans
The entrepreneurs of the Organic industry should focus on different skills and capabilities while
developing the plans within the industry. These skills and capabilities include leadership skills,
the capability of solving the problems, capability of making the decision and skill of
communicating the things effectively [16].
The leadership skill helps in taking the right step and to lead the organization and industry. This
skill will further help in developing the plans for the organization for the activities. Moreover, in
the development of the plan, there is a need for the skill of decision making because each and
every action includes the decision of the brand that is taken by them [15]. These skills can be
developed and learn by the company with the help of the campaign and training centers. Further,
the entrepreneurs need to maintain the capabilities of solving the issues which are faced by them.
The workshops contribute to making the mind more active and diverse which is further used by
the entrepreneurs in resolving the numerous issues [12]. Moreover, the training activities have
brought the ways through which they can communicate with the team effectively which is must
for the entrepreneur for developing the plans within the organic food sector.
Develop these skills should be laid out using the SMART framework
Following are the SMART framework that would be used by me to develop my skills in a given
time period:
 To improve the leadership skills by attending the program in the next 6 months
 To enhance the communication skills by participating in events and campaign in the next
3 months
 To develop the problem-solving skills by discussing with my colleagues in next 1 months

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Section C: Overview of the models of innovation
Selection and application of the most appropriate models for effective innovation
management
Basis of selecting
Model
Junk Food
deliver by Katy
Barfield
Organic foods
(Innovation)
Gap between
ideas
Most
appropriate
models for
effective
innovation
management
Quality Junk food does
not provide the
quality product
to customers and
also creates the
health issues
such as fat burn,
and obesity.
Organic foods are
innovative idea
that I would like
to deliver as it
helps to avoid the
health issues due
to naturally grown
products.
There is gap
between junk
and organic food
is related to
quality products
and services.
Chain-linked
model helps to
breach these
gaps.
Taste Junk food has
good taste that
meets the
customer’s
expectation.
Organic food has
not good taste but
provides the
quality to
customers in
terms of living the
There is gap in
terms of taste
between junk
and organic
food. But,
organic food
Abernathy and
Utterback’s
three phases of
innovation that
could be used
by me in terms

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standard of life. helps to live the
healthy life.
of making
innovation.
Price Junk food has
low price as
compared to
organic food due
to availability of
raw material in
minimum cost.
Organic food is
delivered as the
premium price
due to low
availability of raw
material.
There is gap
between junk
food and organic
food in term of
`price.
The spiral
model can be
used by
entrepreneur to
make
innovation.
Chain-linked model
The chain-linked model of innovation was illustrated by mechanical engineer Stephen J. Kline in
the year of 1985. It was further discussed by both Kline and economist Nathan Rosenberg

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authors in the year of 1986 [11]. The chain-linked model is related to making efforts to
explaining the difficulties in the innovation procedure. This model defines that new information
is required for driving the innovation. In spite of initiating the process with the recognition of an
unfilled need of market [13]. This drives design and investigation and then redesign and
production, and finally marketing with complex feedback loops amid all stages. There is also
significant feedback loops with the company’s stored base for knowledge that is used to conduct
the new basic investigation and fill the gaps [10]. This is opposed to the linear model of
innovation where basic innovation may lead the applied development and then focuses on
engineering, producing and finally developing the marketing and distribution channels.
Applications
The Kline model was highly considered the commercial industrial setting in mind; however, it
has been found that there is wider applicability in other settings such as in organic food delivery
software development [8].
The spiral model

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The spiral innovation model is used for designing the development of the product as a spiral
demonstration. In this way, each loop is a phase of procedure [4]. Spiral development procedure
is relevant for the development of software. This process works effectively with emergent ideas
and software related to a partial solution like alternative sequences of event, interfaces, and
algorithms [7].
The principle of developing the spiral is an evolutionary model for developing the system. This
model integrates the iterative nature of prototyping with the methodical strategy of stage process.
Each stage of development procedure end with the assessment of uncertainty and developing a
prototyping that is in the working version of software [3]. Furthermore, inclusive and closing
version of the product would be developed after the feasible number of iterations [27]. Each
prototype is practiced for assessing whether the project should be stopped, continues and
regressed at the initial phases.
Abernathy and Utterback’s three phases of innovation
As per this model, innovations are combines ideas such as the development of old opinion and
creating new ideas. These ideas are associated with the products and things. The idea is
supported by the procedures and way of performing the things. Furthermore, successful
innovation may tend to create the meticulous winning integration of process and products. This
dominant design may win until the beaten by something innovative and creative [29].

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Triple helix model
The triple helix technique is related to the neo-evolutionary innovation model. It is a model of
assessing the innovation in the knowledge-based nation [9]. Triple Helix is an innovative model
that illustrates the multiple mutual relations in different points of gathering the known procedure.

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This model is categorized by a different dimension. The initial dimension is the internal changes
in each helix like the growth of lateral connection amid corporations, strategic alliances and the
assumption made by some companies to the economic development of the mission. Another
dimension is the mutual communication of propeller persuade over another. The third dimension
is to generate the new overlay associated with trilateral networks and companies [17]. The
communication of three propellers helps to arrive at the new ideas and formats for developing
the high technology.
Select one of these models/approaches which they feel is most relevant to the entrepreneur
interviewed and his/her industry sector
The model that has been selected is Chain-linked model because this model is most relevant to
the entrepreneurs who were interviewed. The entrepreneur who was interviewed includes Katy
Barfield who is CEO of Yume Food. She found that the model of chain linked is most
appropriate for their organic food industry [14]. The reason behind the considering the Chain-
linked models as the most appropriate one are as follow: -
• This model is an attempt that helps the company in describing the complexities in the process
of innovation. In the organic industry, it is must for the entrepreneur's to reduce the complexity
for which they need to identify the same. This model is effective in describing the complexity
[21].
• The model contributes to identifying the needs of an unfilled market need which is must for the
organic food industry because this leads to the further actions of the company. According to the
market needs the production will be undertaken by the entrepreneur’s so that they can meet the
needs [6].

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• The model helps the research and design with this it redesign and produce, them conduct
marketing with the complex feedback loops among all the stages [24].
Describe the industry sector you have selected and why this model is relevant/ important
The industry sector that I have in mind is organic food. This idea came in my mind as
consequences of developing the organic food delivery services that have transformed the culture
and standard of living of people. The traditional method of performing the business would not be
effective in this health-conscious era [5]. The health concerning era demands for natural products
that creates the need for changing the technologies. The other motivation for organic food
delivery is the philosophy of lean. There is a high amount of junk food is consumed by the
people that have no quality and also creates the health issues. In this way, organic food delivery
app enables me to provide the natural products to customers with high quality [23]. Although, it
is costly for both the company and customers but, it provides the quality to customers and
increases the goodwill of the company.
Organic food delivery requires and considers the use of natural products. As an entrepreneur, I
wish to implement the proficiencies for providing backing to business and competitive market
through the internet. I also wish to aid in developing the software for delivering the organic food
on the bench of the kitchen of the customers. I have high experience in application programming,
information technology, and marketing. My capability to predict the detail of difficult things
could enable me to avoid the challenges of developing the sales and marketing.
Junk food is used by most of the business [2]. Although, it has highly affected the health of
people, I find organic food as a key innovation. Organic food demonstrates the products that are
naturally grown and ensures the high quality. Without organic food, quality in products cannot
be provided. Inspired by this, I feel that the natural product is effective for avoiding the health

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issues. Organic food is an emerging business hence, there are very few competitors. This
innovation may lead to me to attract the potential customers by meeting their needs. A good
example of delivering the organic food is Chain-linked model. The corporation sells different
kinds of products to their customers via the internet [1]. But, organic foods are made by the
individual corporations. My vision is to launch the quality products that can avoid the obesity
issues of people.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be summarised that this reflection is significant to me as an
entrepreneur. This assessment will enable me to become an innovative entrepreneur. Through
this, I was competent to disclose the hidden challenges that will be posed by company. This
analysis enabled me for going step by step innovation through using chain model. This gives me
opportunity for relating the theoretical base of company with practical execution of issue. By
using the business idea, I can develop the practical environment. Through identification of
strength and weakness, I will be competent for developing the right measures and overcome the
challenges of innovative entrepreneurs.

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