Bentley Motors: Managing Innovation and Building Future Capabilities

This report explores Bentley Motors' approach to managing innovation within the luxury automobile industry, focusing on the future of the industry and the company's innovation requirements. It discusses the importance of curious employees, a culture of rewarding failure, inspiring leadership, employee development programs, and strong communication skills. The report also details Bentley's efforts to build future innovation capabilities, including establishing corporate leadership principles, setting key objectives such as better manufacturing and maintaining a competitive edge, and identifying key areas of innovation. Bentley's commitment to sustainability, including the Beyond100 strategy and the development of electric vehicles, is highlighted as a crucial aspect of its innovation management. Desklib provides access to this and many other solved assignments for students.

MANAGING INNOVATION IN BUSINESS

Table of Contents
MANAGING INNOVATION IN BUSINESS................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
FUTURE OF INDUSTRY AS OF 2020 AND BEYOND..............................................................3
INNOVATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE ORGANISATION..................................................4
Curious Employees....................................................................................................................4
A Culture of Rewarding Failure..............................................................................................5
Managers and leaders who inspire...........................................................................................5
Employee Development Program.............................................................................................5
Make Innovation a Prerequisite for Every Position...............................................................5
Strong Communication Skills...................................................................................................6
BUILDING THE FUTURE INNOVATION CAPABILITIES OF THE FIRM.............................6
Building corporate leadership principles in place for the organization...............................6
Key objectives for efforts..........................................................................................................7
Identifying key areas of innovation..........................................................................................7
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Innovation is considered as the actual work and its management is like all other corporate
activities. This does not mean that is similar to all other business strategies, but is an entirely
different work that is to be performed. Innovation lies in knowing the work that is to be done.
Managing innovation is a tedious task yet, unlike the other works in an organisation this is
usually worked (Nambisan and et.al, 2017). The report deals with the purpose of managing
innovation with respect to the company BENTLEY and how the future of industry is going to be.
It also includes the requirements of the organisation’s with regards to innovation. BENTLEY
motors or simply BENTLEY is the manufacturer of the luxury cars and SUVs. With its
innovation management it is now able to excel in the automobile industry being the best
manufacturer. The company was founded by W.O. BENTLEY in 1919 with its headquarters in
Crewe, England. The report shows all the development and innovation capabilities of this
company and the strategies that are adopted by the firm in innovation management. Diving deep
into exploring the building qualities of innovation, the report shows an extravagant piece of art
that defines the charm of this organisation.
FUTURE OF INDUSTRY AS OF 2020 AND BEYOND
The world is a fast growing in terms of economy. In the automobile industry is a bit ahead
in creating records. The number of vehicles that are required is increasing every year.
Automobile industry is the leading firm to carry a never-ending glory whose affect is going to
impact the world on a long run considering the future benefits of population (Frishammar and
et.al, 2019). This leads to the invention of different concepts and brand-new vehicles are coming
into limelight. Considering the environmental and safety standards, the industry is shaped in a
glorious way to put forth different vehicles. The Crewe government unveiled new business
strategy called Beyond100 which is a new sustainability. Its aim is to invent and release carbon
neutrality by 2030. Bentley explained in this regard stating that it is an end to end statement of
the mission which will cover the emissions upstream that are usually generated by the vehicles.
The business when taken into consideration from the year 2020 is able to cut down the emissions
by 30% and moving ahead with a target of reaching the cease up to 25% in the coming five-year
scope. It will work on applying innovation related to carbon-neutral headquarters to reach this
goal.

Beyond100 outlines its major plans that are related to highlighting the Bentley’s portfolio and
will have to handle the main source of Scope 3 emissions (Goffin and Mitchell, 2016). The brand
is working upon releasing two major plug-in hybrid electric models in 2021. This is to ensure
that the engines running over petrol will no more be used by 2030. The use of petrol is
deteriorating the environmental aspects and the company focused upon bringing the eco-friendly
automobiles with a sustainable future scope. The use of offsetting by Bentley will deal with
residual emissions and the Gold-Standard-verified carbon credits will be related. Its contribution
in creating the forest cover, conserving the resources and restoration policies will be immense
and can be referred in developing nations. Before launching the Beyond100, Bentley’s target was
2050 in achieving the target of carbon neutrality. This new innovation is going to be a leading
one in the reinvention process of the company. the UK government is all set to ban the petrol and
diesel usage vehicle by 2035. Earlier it was 2040 and now it the deadline was trimmed ad once
again the decisions are in a hustle to reduce it even more. This pressure of confining the target is
leading to the rise of various new innovations that are to be tested on a firm basis before being
launched. It is now planned to release the launch date as 2030 in view of maintain the green
cover (Tidd and Bessant, 2018). The plan is about to access in a couple of weeks times since the
agricultural bill and the environmental bill are still under progression. The major goal of this plan
is to cover the hydrogen production and infrastructure and to capture the carbon and control its
storage. The government has pledged to bring forth the nuclear fusion facility by 2040.
INNOVATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE ORGANISATION
Innovation will not come into existence overnight. It requires an entire company’s
workforce that fosters million possible ways to make it happen. Right from hiring a proper team
that will be vigorously involved in experimenting the ideas, this is a considered to be a major
project with immense conception. For any innovation related to company, there are six ways that
are to be followed to rise innovation performance. Following are these six ways:
Curious Employees
Any innovation to occur, it is not possible with the ones that are in curious. This is the
reason many companies and organisation list out the education qualifications such that people
who are really passionate about putting efforts in the work they have excelled and qualified will
be curious enough to bring out the unexpected. The working staff of Bentley learn new things

every day with a soothing work environment (Mir and et.al, 2016). People work on different
innovative project and everything is considered positively with a feedback attached. The
supportive management adds fuel to the employee thoughts and ideas.
A Culture of Rewarding Failure
This is considered to be a little strange at first, but the fact associated with this includes
that the companies focus upon achieving a good name and fame considering the worldwide
competition and approach rather than comforting themselves. This leads to an irrecoverable
failure sometimes. No matter what the failure is, the company must be able to incorporate ideas
and investigate upon altering the wrong approaches to make sure the next approach towards
innovation is successfully projected (Albors-Garrigos and et.al, 2018). Bentley’s work
environment is more like an encouraging one and this brings out the creativeness and thinking
abilities of its employees. Innovations will take place only when the failures are implemented in
a much better way.
Managers and leaders who inspire
There is no need to go to extremities to choose leaders. A leader’s contribution is essential
part of any innovation. The leader’s sole purpose is to make the team free of unorthodox thinking
ways and will have to provide that bliss of exploring things. Where there is an atmosphere to
explore, there innovation lies. Bentley never compromise in estimating their employee
capability. The managers and leaders keep the thoughts of its employee humming every now and
then which is a major attribution to be appreciated by the company.
Employee Development Program
When the company is clear about what essential factors are required from the firm, then it
can easily amend them (Grimpe and Sofka, 2016). The employees at Bentley are in a hustle to
develop the company that will further enhance them in their profession. This is a necessity for
any innovation to happen.
Make Innovation a Prerequisite for Every Position
Every job revolves around the concept of innovation. The number of trials and the errors
generated in this process are a ladder to make it possible. Bentley company made it a
requirement for every individual to work on different innovative ideas. No matter what the role
is, everyone can come up with their thoughts.

Strong Communication Skills
The strength of a human organisation depends on its communication skills. The
coordination in every team is possible only through communication. Bentley always deals with
techniques that are valued by the public and every person in the firm is well aware of the thought
process followed by maintaining privacy (McPhee, 2016).
BUILDING THE FUTURE INNOVATION CAPABILITIES OF THE FIRM
If at all there is a road-map that stands as a guidance to develop the capabilities of
innovation, how will it look like? The major initiation lies in bringing the fresh thoughts and
ideas into a single framework considering the present and past aspects. The organisation must be
in a state of pushing and developing the strategies by not loosing grip on the overall efforts that
are expected. Many questions usually arise when working upon the innovation capabilities in an
organisation (Möller and Halinen, 2017). the purpose of road map is that it acts as a guidance to
an approach containing all the complex functions that are to be included. This makes it easier to
develop proper strategies further. For building innovative capabilities, there are few approaches.
Building corporate leadership principles in place for the organization
There are a set of different principles that are to be followed in implementing this.
Working upon building corporate leadership principles requires some key elements. These key
elements deal with different functionalities. When a plan is made upon research, there must a
clear approach for it with the vision of future aspects. The key elements are often brought
together to properly align the outcomes. In brief, the leadership principles are a philosophy in
which the leaders of a particular organisation focus upon the outcomes when an approach is
made (Mendi and Costamagna, 2017). The following are the principles of Bentley:
A deliberate strategy: A deliberate strategy works with a collaborative mindset of the people.
Bentley developed a collaborative community in the organisation that has a great focus on the
future as well as pre-existing frameworks in operations.
A culture of contribution: Bentley focuses upon a culture of contribution. This is where every
employee of the company focuses upon contributing their thought and ideas without any
partiality.

Supportive infrastructure: Bentley ensures that when it is a collaborative team work, the
officials does not show up their status rather they will work as a team to bring and share the
desired innovative thoughts and ideas (Cohendet and et.al, 2017).
Key objectives for efforts
For any innovation to be worked on, as discussed earlier the roadmap must essentially
contain the key objectives. The objectives are nothing but the targets and approaches of the
innovation. The objectives are a necessity because they contain the detail that are pointed out in
brief. An innovation is something that brings a surplus change to the organisation (Tidd and
Bessant, 2020). the objectives list must include all the points that are associated with the work
comprising of the allotments of work too. The key objectives of Bentley include:
Better manufacturing: The automobile world is an immense sector with different manufacturing
units. The company major innovation is its manufacturing unit. Manufacturing unit is the main
for any automobile industry. Bentley unit aims to provide different brands adopting various
element of manufacturing relating to climate aspects as well as the customer point of criteria.
Competition: Being the leading automobile industry there is a scope for it to stand in the market
in a long run (Banu, 2018). Competition is a daily change factor since many companies are
coming up with innovativeness. Bentley aimed at maintaining the pace by opting for petrol and
diesel free vehicles in the mere future that will make the company stay in the competition for
over a long period of time.
Transformation: Transformation is anything that is related to the change. Since the world itself
is changing on a daily basis why not an industry change to compensate this change? Bentley
company is in favour of this changing world and is making more convenient vehicles
manufactured such that it meets the demands of the people (De Stefano and et.al, 2016).
Identifying key areas of innovation
It is confronted again that the manufacturing unit in an automobile company must be more
innovative. While going through this confrontation it is to be ensure that the future that is related
this manufacturing also defines the growth of the company. every innovation must be followed
by the areas first and there are few major areas through which the innovation will be carried.
They are:

Increased productivity: when it comes to production, programs are to be implemented by the
manufacturers to ensure productivity in operational excellence which will in turn improve labour
and capital. They can reduce the use of materials by combining the energy and the material
parameters which are non-renewable and are hazardous. A change towards product design will
also increase its life cycle (Meng and et.al, 2020). The value recovery is based on how the
company will recycle and reuse its materials. A logistics program will be conducted in which the
value recovery will be ensured. In most of the developing companies their focus is mainly the
management through the waste that is produces and then shaping the value of the product.
Bentley focuses upon reusing its materials upon which the estimated value can be attained. The
manufacturers of Bentley dedicate their time and efforts in into real innovation by thinking about
the ways they can use resources.
Implement a Continuous Improvement Culture: a continuous improvement aims at constant
development. This is followed by many companies striving to make their efforts count.
Continuous improvement must be ensured with respect to reducing costs, resources etc that will
no let the other firms to meet the expectations of the ongoing ideas and thoughts. Bentley focus
on real innovation in which the manufacturing unit create a havoc by being the model for
excellence. They focus upon altering their techniques every now and then that made them
creative in the automobile sector.
Creating an innovative culture: Manufacturers usually turn ordinary employees into something
extraordinary. Every auto mobile company is fixed upon making a strong basement required for
its metabolism. Manufacturers must be able monetize the creativeness of its employees by
making subtle changes in their working culture (Chaubey and Sahoo, 2019). Bentley ensures a
strong working relationship in which the employees as well as the heads of the company work as
teams in contributing to innovation.
Developing talent and ability to innovate: The major goal of any company is not just focusing
upon implementation, there must be a scope for development too. This development is not just
confined to its technology but also applied to its employees. When the work force is properly
trained and incorporated with the essence of development, their contribution towards work will
be adhered and will be a highlight to the organisation. Bentley believes that, it is not just the
manufacturing unit that brings about innovation, it is the entire employees of the firm who are
involved in shaping the ideas by adding a little glitter that is necessary for its development. It

also believes that managers must not showcase their status and must contribute their part and
work along with the normal roles because this will help in developing those that are weak to
share their ideas.
Ideation: Ideas are key aspects of any work or an innovation. Without thoughts, there will be no
implementations and without implementation there is no innovation. In the vast automobile
world where different people contribute in the work with different perceptions and different
ideologies. For any employee to showcase their talents of bringing out the required ideas into
existence the management must provide a strong platform with a listening mindset. As discussed
earlier the concept of collaboration in which the management and staff combinedly work upon
bring the required output. This is a very good initiation where people who are engrossed and
curious about making things possible but are afraid of management will be able to put forth their
ideas. Every person at any instance will come with an idea that serves to be the mile stone in the
journey of automobiles industry. That is possible when people are given an opportunity to
express their view by providing an interactive environment. The point where the person express
the innovative idea is the starting stage of entrepreneur qualities. The ideation process will
happen only when there are sufficient employees in the firm. Bentley company with this aim is
moving forward with to recruit more reliable candidates with the required educational skills such
that what ever field that person is allotted he will excel in that by providing the ideas that are
required at every stage. The expansion of any company is based on the extent to which the
company working upon new innovations. The Bentley company is now going to launch its new
innovation called the Beyond100 whose aim is to terminate all the petrol and diesel using
vehicles that are polluting the environment. Somewhere or the other this idea must be an
individual contribution which further lead to a greatest innovation. The thoughts are always
encountered among those who look towards the creative side of the process. The company is
now looking forward in trimming goal of 2040 to 2035 which means the firm is collaborating
with ideas of one another to make innovations possible on a long run.

CONCLUSION
The entire report wraps up with the possibilities of managing innovation the company. the
automobile industry is an immense firm in which the manufacturing is carried. For the fast-
growing world which aims at seeking new approaches with regards to vehicles, the companies
are on a daily basis working towards inventing new ideas and strategies choosing different
approaches as to how they can constant in competition using the minimal resources without a
jerk. To manage an innovation is a tedious task and that is done by the organisation in a tactical
manner. The company Bentley which is a major automobile firm in UK is a major manufacturer
of the luxury cars that are into usage by the public. They are striving hard with respect to future
scope of releasing new technologies like Beyond100 which is related to petrol and diesel free
environment. The report brings out the key objectives involved in the bring innovation into
existence and how they are related to the company, Bentley. The innovation requirements of the
industry and its relation to the people working in the firm are properly put forth explaining the
importance of having a work force in an organisation that contributes towards development. The
report clearly explains the power of employees and their part in developing trends in the
organisation. it is not just the leaders or the heads in the organisation that performs a task. It is
the entire work force in the company that are free to express their ideas through which the better
ones can be implemented. An innovation is not a process related to technology but also the
climatic aspects are talent into consideration. For any company to stand as long-term
competition, the most valued assets that are required include the mindset of dealing with limited
resources following reuse-reduce techniques.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
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innovation capability: a case of the automobile industry in Taiwan. Knowledge
Management Research & Practice. 15(3). pp.471-490.
Chaubey and Sahoo, 2019. Enhancing organizational innovation in Indian automobile industry.
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Cohendet and et.al, 2017. Managing knowledge, creativity and innovation. In the Elgar
companion to innovation and knowledge creation. Edward Elgar Publishing.
De Stefano and et.al, 2016. A natural resource-based view of climate change: Innovation
challenges in the automobile industry. Journal of Cleaner Production. 139. pp.1436-
1448.
Frishammar and et.al, 2019. Opportunities and challenges in the new innovation landscape:
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Goffin and Mitchell, 2016. Innovation management: effective strategy and implementation.
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Meng and et.al, 2020. Innovation network economic model of new energy automobile industry
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Mir and et.al, 2016. The impact of standardized innovation management systems on innovation
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Online
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https://www.bentley.global/home>
Future of industry in innovation: [ONLINE] Available through: <
https://www.kairosfuture.com/academy/lectures/the-future-of-industry-innovation/>
Innovation requirements in organisations: [ONLINE] Available through: <
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-
insights/the-eight-essentials-of-innovation#:~:text=%20The%20eight%20essentials%20of
%20innovation%20%201,value%20chain%2C%20diversify%20profit%20streams%2C
%20and%2For...%20More%20>
Managing innovation in a business: [ONLINE] Available through: <
https://www.europeanbusinessreview.com/effectively-managing-innovation/>
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