Analysis of Innovation and Commercialization at Ragus Sugars

This report examines the significance of innovation and commercialization for Ragus Sugars, a UK-based sugar manufacturer. It explores the concepts of innovation and invention, differentiating their roles in business growth and customer satisfaction. The report delves into how vision, leadership, teamwork, and organizational culture shape innovation and commercialization processes. It analyzes various sources of innovation, the 4Ps of innovation (product, process, position, and paradigm), and the application of the innovation funnel. Furthermore, it discusses frugal innovation, the importance of the commercial funnel, the new product development process, and the creation of a business case. The report also covers tools for knowledge development, retention, and protection, as well as the impact of small businesses on the economy. Overall, the report provides a comprehensive overview of innovation and commercialization strategies, offering valuable insights for business improvement and sustainable growth.

Innovation and
Commercialization
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Explanation of innovation and its importance and comparison with invention.....................3
P2 The way in which vision, leadership, teamwork and culture can shape innovation and
commercialisation........................................................................................................................5
M1 Different sources of innovation.............................................................................................6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P3 Explanation of 4Ps of innovation and Innovation funnel.......................................................6
P4 Developments in frugal innovation and their use...................................................................8
M2 Application of innovation funnel in an organisation.............................................................9
M3 Evaluation of role of frugal innovation.................................................................................9
D1 Analysing development and measurement of innovation in an organisational context........9
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................10
P5 Importance of commercial funnel and application of new product development process...10
P6 Innovation business case for an organisation.......................................................................11
M4 Business case that includes the measurement of all its effectiveness techniques...............11
P7 Tools that can be used by the organisations to develop, retain and protect knowledge.......12
M5 Evaluation of tools in the context of wider business environment.....................................12
D2 Impact of small business on different level of the economy...............................................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14
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INTRODUCTION
Innovation is a sales promotion tool which is used by most of the organisations in order to
enhance their sale by modifying their existing products and services. Commercialisation is an
introduction of a new and innovative manufacturing method in the market in order to grab
attention of customers. Both the elements are mainly used by companies in situation of decreased
market share, sales and number of customers and helps to revive them with a modified or
innovative product or service. This assignment aims at the importance of innovation and
commercialisation of an enterprise who is dealing with business issues like reduced profits and
unsatisfied customers. Organisation taken for this report is Ragus Sugars which is established in
UK and operating business activities. Various topics are discussed under this assignment like
detailed explanation of innovation and its importance to an organisation as compare to invention,
different types of innovations that may help an organisation to overcome all its challenges and
process required for commercialise innovation. Evaluation of range of methods for protecting
ideas and their advantages and disadvantaged are also discussed under this report (Abebe and et.
al., 2013).
TASK 1
P1 Explanation of innovation and its importance and comparison with invention
Overview of Ragus Sugars: The organisation is running its business effectively in
Slough, England, UK and offering good quality sugar and syrups to the public there. It is also
rendering sugar manufacturing services and providing sugar to food, brewing, baking and
pharmaceutical industries all around the world.
Innovation: launching a new product with modification in the market so that the
business can be expanded is called innovation. it is chosen by those companies who are willing
to retain their existing customers and willing to acquire prospects. An innovation is very
beneficial for an organisation as tastes and preferences of customers always changes with time
and modifications can help to fulfil their needs. In Ragus Sugars innovations are used in the form
of modification in their process of producing sugar with less artificial ingredients (Avimanyu,
Reed and Jessup, 2012).
Invention: It refers to a new idea which has not been introduced in the market as yet and
is going to be launched for the first time. It helps to attract higher number of customers by
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providing them such product or service which is new to market. In Ragus Sugars managers are
using a machine which is not used by any other company and that provides such sugar syrups
that are made with natural ingredients and not having any fatty acids.
Difference between innovation and invention:
Innovation Invention
It is important for the company to provide
innovative products to the customers so that
their needs get satisfied.
It is essential for Ragus Sugars as it is tool
that may help to attain organisational goals.
Professional skills of employees and other
staff members can help the organisation to
introduce an innovative product in the
market.
It required technical skills as it is a new idea
which have not yet been introduced in market.
It is essential while Ragus Sugars is willing
to retain all its customers by offering them
good quality products with innovation.
If Ragus Sugars want to expand the business
in different location than invention is very
important because it helps establish a good
market image as an inventor organisation.
If organisation is thinking to invest less
mount but want to increase sales than
innovation is a good option as it is made in
existing product.
When organisation is having sufficient money
to invest and able to take risk than invention is
a right option and it may help to grab attention
of large number of individuals.
Innovation and invention both are very important for Ragus Sugars but if organisation is
willing to invest less money and get good result than innovation is a good option because
modification in existing products costs less and there is a possibility of getting positive results. It
is an element that may help to attain all the individual and organisational goals because if all the
organisational objectives achieve than workforce may attain their by getting good benefits in the
form of monetary and non monetary resources (Batkovskiy and et. al., 2015). Innovations is very
important for the employees of the organisation because it helps to attain all the organisational
goals that may help to provide benefits to the workforce of the organisation according to their
efforts. It also guides the employees to attain their personal goals with the help of their
engagement in the work of the organisation.
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P2 The way in which vision, leadership, teamwork and culture can shape innovation and
commercialisation
Innovations and commercialisation both are vital for a company like Ragus sugars because
if the organisation is able to operate and execute all its activities effectively than all the
employees may get benefited with this. They will be appraised for their efforts and their good
performance. Organisational culture, leadership vision can help the employees to attain their
goals and also shape the process of innovation and commercialisation for the organisation. The
importance of all these elements can be understood with the help of following explanations:
Organisational vision: It is the long term view of the organisation where it want to stood
in future. For this purpose, companies have to make effective policies and strategies so that all
the long term objectives can be achieved. Vision of Ragus Sugars is to be the top of the sugar
industry in future so that all the goals can be attained. If managers are going to clarify the vision
to the employees then it may help them to work effectively because it is the way of their personal
development. A clarified vision will also help the company to find best way to be successful. It
may shape innovation and commercialisation because Ragus Sugars need to make modification
in their products to rule on the minds of customers and to be on the top of the industry.
Leadership: Effective leadership can motivate and influence employees to perform with
full efforts. If leaders of Ragus Sugars are very cooperative and supportive then it may increase
employees trust in them and also result in enhancing work quality of their subordinates.
Decentralised leadership style if followed in Ragus Sugars in which all the power is distributed
among staff members and all the employees in which they are free to give their opinion. Leaders
take advice form their subordinates as they have practical knowledge of market and customers
because they interact with them and perform their duties in market. While managers are thinking
of innovation and commercialisation than thoughts of employees may help to shape the process
that are presented by leaders to the higher executives on behalf of them (Budzianowski, 2016).
Organisational culture: Effective and appropriate organisational culture may help to
establish a new business and to be successful in long term by achieving all the objectives. In
Ragus Sugars, task culture is followed by the managers in which different individuals are taken
form different departments and then they formulate a team to find solutions for organisational
issues. All the members of the team are experienced and skilled and they are able to handle all
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the challenges. It may help to shape the innovation and commercialisation as team members may
formulate effective strategies so that this may help to acquire higher market share.
Teamwork: Teams of an organisation are the elements that are required to perform all
the organisational activities and also very important for the process of commercialisation and
innovation. If all the teams members of Ragus Sugars are working effectively and their leader are
supporting them than it may result in favour of the organisation as good team work always lead
toward success. While willing to achieve all the goals than team work can help to make it easy
and also help to shape the process of innovation effectively (Cho and Lee, 2013).
M1 Different sources of innovation
There are various sources of innovation that may be used by Ragus Sugars to achieve all its
objectives. These sources are changes in perception, needs and demand of customers,
modification in market structure, development in knowledge of society, changes in
demographics etc. All these sources lead to innovation and help organisations to be more
competitive in the market and to acquire higher market share (Datta, A., Mukherjee and Jessup,
2015).
TASK 2
P3 Explanation of 4Ps of innovation and Innovation funnel
4Ps of innovation are introduced by John Bessant and Joe Tidd. These are the elements that
may help to choose right innovation in the product or services (4Ps of innovation, 2015). Theur
Ps are product, position, process and paradigm that may be used by Ragus Sugars in the process
of innovation to identify the best field where the modification and required and should be made.
Managers of Ragus Sugars can choose any of them for the innovation that may be introduced in
future. All of them are described below:
 Product: It refers to the element which is sold by the company and modification is made
according to the specification and needs of the customers so that higher market share can
be acquired by the company. If Ragus Sugars is willing to attract more customers than it
is essential for the organisation get right idea of customer’s needs so that appropriate
strategies can be formulated by the managers in order to attract them.
 Process: All the steps that are followed in manufacturing process are called process. It
also include the activities of human resource department in which employees are hired
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and selected. It is vital for Ragus Sugars to make right modifications or innovation in
such processes so that goals can be achieved (Datta, Reed and Jessup, 2013).
 Position: It is same as the promotion in marketing mix in which organisation make
strategies to aware customers about their products. Innovation in promotional activities
can be made by Ragus Sugars in order to acquire higher market share.
 Paradigm: It refers to the process of formulation of policies that are used to monitor all
the activities of the organisation. If Managers of Ragus Sugars are planning to make
innovation in this element than it may help to change the business model and help to
attain success.
From all the above mentioned elements product innovation is a good option for Ragus Sugars
as most of the customers are willing to use such type of sugar syrups that ay not harm their
health and also used as a diet element.
Innovation Funnel: It is combination of three different essentials that are investigation,
development and shipping products. Innovation funnel can be used by Ragus Sugars while
implementing the plan for modification in the products. In investigation, all the information of
market can be gathered. In development stage the modifications are made in existing products
and in last step shipping the innovative products are shipped in market and offered to the
customers. It is an effective tool that help the managers to shape the innovative ideas select right
strategy for the organisation (Dereli and Altun, 2013).
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Ill
ustration 1: Innovation Funnel. 2018

P4 Developments in frugal innovation and their use
Frugal Innovation: It is also known as frugal engineering in which managers of the
organisation try to reduce complexities and cost of products and services that are produced or
offered by the company. This type of innovation can be used by Ragus Sugars while making
modifications in its products as it may help to reduce cost and also decrease the possibility of
complexity in production process of the organisation. It guides to reduce those features from a
product that are not worthy and will not affect the sales. Outcome of such types of innovations is
positive and help to increase profit margin of the company (Grimm and Jaenicke, 2012). A good
example of frugal innovation is launching on Nano car by TATA it was the best innovation that
was made by the company as it was the innovation in the cars that can be afforded by medium as
well as lower class customers.
Example: As Ragus Sugars is a manufacturing company and it the organisation is
manufacturing a product which is not that much attractive and not making profits for the
company. This type of innovation can help to remove some old features of that particular product
and may guide to add appropriate feature to that product that may help to grab attention of
customers. This step of Ragus Sugars may help to reduce its cost of innovation process and
product as a modification is being made in existing product.
Find possibility in hardship: This principles guides the organisations to make effective
decisions and strategies to convert threats in to opportunities.
Do more with less: It depicts that organisations should make modification in the manner
in which cost can be saved.
Think and act flexibly: The managers of the companies should have flexible thinking
rather than inflexible.
Keep it simple: if the business entity is making innovation than it should make it simply
rather than making complex for the customers.
Include the margin: companies are suggested to conduct a market research and than
make effective decisions by considering feedback of customers.
Follow your heart: The managers of the organisations should be always passionate
about their work as it may help to generate innovative ideas.
All the above mentioned principles can help to make the innovation process effective and
appropriate for the customers.
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M2 Application of innovation funnel in an organisation
Innovation funnel can be implemented in Ragus Sugars as it is an effective tool that may
help to introduce the modified product in market appropriately. Its three elements investigation,
development and shipping guides the employees and leaders of the company to gather actual and
exact information of market and then develop the products according to the market trends and
then launch it in the market for customers (Hsieh, 2013). in investigation stage market research is
conducted for customers, in development stage modifications are made in the products that are
offered by company and in last the modified products are offered to the market in shipping stage.
M3 Evaluation of role of frugal innovation
Frugal innovation is a process of reducing costs of a product by decreasing it's
complexities. The most important role of this process is to remove unnecessary features of a
product which are not useful but only increases complexities and price of that product. This
process also helps an organisation like Ragus sugars to re design their product and serve their
users a batter version of that goods. Frugal innovation also helps a business organisation to
ascertain business models which can suit them best. This process often helps in discovering new
applications for innovation as they main aim of this process is to make innovation work. Frugal
innovation is a common concept of innovation and commercialisation as this process helps in
commercialise the innovative product or service in the market.
D1 Analysing development and measurement of innovation in an organisational context
Innovation is a process of creating new things in an organisation. In order to innovate an
idea or product, it is important to develop an innovation plan which can include all the aspects of
innovation such as costs, scope, risks and other attributes. Innovation is not a thing which can be
brought and everyone at the organisation stated using it, this needs to be embedded by bringing
the familiarity about the idea which is going to be used and its benefits so that maximum support
can be attained. Innovation can even be measured by the organisation by the process of
innovation frugal. This process ensures that it doesn't result in inappropriate and extra features of
a product which only increases its complexities. This is how the process of innovation is
developed, embedded and measured in an organisation like Ragus sugars (Vishnevskiy, Karasev
and Meissner, 2015).
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TASK 3
P5 Importance of commercial funnel and application of new product development process
Commercial funnel which is often known as purchase funnel is a process of buying a
product by a customer using all the information they have about the products. The concept of
commercial funnel is important for an organisation as it enables to ascertain demand and supply
of the product. The process of commercial funnel is categorised into five stages which are
important for increasing demand for the product. The first stage is awareness in which all the
features and characteristics are used to aware people about the product's benefits. The second
stage in this process is opinion in which opinion of the costumers is gained about the product and
it's innovative approach so that feedback can be recorded and be further used for improvement in
the product. Consideration is the another stage in this process of innovation funnel in which
value or price of the innovative product is set. The price is set after getting feedback of the
customers so that price optimisation aim can be fulfilled and customers can be satisfied. Another
stage in this process is preference, in this step preferences of customer is ascertained in order to
ensure that preferences and choices of the customers can be matched with the product so that
fifth stage can also be gained which is the final purchase stage.
The process of commercial funnel is conducted for new product development. NPD is a
process of developing a new innovative product to fulfil the basic aims of an organisation that is
client satisfaction and profit maximisation. This process of development is used in Ragus sugars
to develop the new sugar processor in this company. Idea generation is the first stage of NPD
in which idea about the sugar processor is deceloped. In the stage of Idea screening, this idea is
further analysed. In the stages like concept testing and business analysis, idea of the company
is evaluated from the business point of view. The last stage of this process is commercialisation
in which idea is further utilised and executed to attain commercial benefir from it. Application
of NPD is to develop the attributes of a product in such a way that it will benefit a customer with
the features. In the process of new product development, process of product which is developed
by the organisation is introduced in such a way that it will attract maximum of customers and
aims of the organisation can be fulfilled which are even the application of NPD. These objectives
are productivity, profitability and client satisfaction (Jacobsson, Lindholm-Dahlstrand and Elg,
2013).
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P6 Innovation business case for an organisation
Innovative business case is a concept of preparing a business strategy and plans to ensure
high profitability from organisational products. There are various aspects which should be
considered while making a business case that are scope, cost, risk , quality and managing
operations. Business case for Ragus sugars is developed below:
Executive summary - Ragus sugars is planning to introduce an innovative process of
processing their sugar products in order to serve better quality products to their customers.
Scope of this innovation is limited to the machines of this company as this process can
not be used in other type of machineries.
Quality - The basis of the innovation of Ragus sugars is quality. In order enhance the
processing of their sugar products, this company decided to use innovation process. This can be
said that quality of the innovative product of this company is high.
Risk - Risk factor which is involved in the process of using that innovative process in the
manufacturing of organisational products. It is considered that a reasonable amount of risks is
involved in every innovative idea as that idea is not previously used by any other individual. In
the case of Ragus sugars, there is risk involved in the using of method of processing sugar as it
can result in high cost and low customer satisfaction. Risk involved in this innovative project can
be minimised using techniques of evaluation and budgeting.
To execute a business case effectively, it is important to have appropriate funds of
finance. There are various sources from where, Ragus sugars can acquire funds. Funds from
previous earnings, savings and retained income and company funds are the internal sources
which can help this company to execute their plan. In the case when, internal sources are not
enough business organisation can even acquire funds from external sources. These external
sources are loans from financial institutions, grants from governmental authorities, unsecured
debt and raising of capital (Kilelu, Klerkx and Leeuwis, 2014).
M4 Business case that includes the measurement of all its effectiveness techniques
Business case is a concept of introducing a new innovative product or process by a
business organisation. In order to measure overall efficiency of the business project it is
important to analyse future demand of that product. For example: if Ragus sugars is introducing
a new innovative product in market then they first have to measure its future demand with its
help of present price of the product and market conditions about that product. Overall efficiency
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of a product can be measured by using techniques such as budgets and future estimations of
demand. Efficiency of a business case is necessary to be measured as it can tell whether or not
business case will result into profitability or not.
P7 Tools that can be used by the organisations to develop, retain and protect knowledge
Ragus sugars is a sugar manufacturing company which is opeartig in wholesale and retail
market. It is important for this organisation to develop and retain their intellectual property as
they are involved in introducing innovative processes. Innovation is considered as one of the
greatest concerns fro this organisation. In this competitive market structure, to gain competitive
advantage Ragus sugars uses the approach of innovation so that they can acquire a distinctive
identity. All the innovations which are developed by organisations are required to be protected so
that any other company can not imitate it. There are various tools by which new innovations and
inventions can be protected and are mentioned below:
Patents – These are the tools which protect every innovation related to technology and
invention performed by the company. This tool enables the organisation to securely protect their
information but for a limited period of time. After the expiry of that period they have to renew
the their patent in order to continue security services.
Copyright – This is an another tool of securing innovative ideas of a company.
Copyright helps an organisation to secure any idea which is related to art and creativity. Any
third party which requires to use this information or idea first has to take the permission of
inventor. In the case of Ragus sugars, they attain competitive advantage as the system which they
use to process their sugar is innovated by them and can not be used by any other organisation
unless Ragus sugars permit them.
Trademarks – This is an another tool for protecting innovations under which an
organisation is enable to differentiate their product or processor with others. This tool provides
an opportunity to business organisation to make identity of their product or process different
from others. This type of tool protects the invention or innovation for a limited period if time.
The tools which are mentioned above helps an organisation like Ragus sugars to protect
their innovation and inventions (Qian, and Haynes, 2014).
M5 Evaluation of tools in the context of wider business environment
Tools which protect innovation and inventions of a business organisation are trademarks,
copyrights and patents. These tools can be used by every business organisation regardless of
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