Analyzing Innovation Strategies for A1 Communications Ltd: Report

This report examines the concept of innovation within A1 Communications Ltd, a telecommunications enterprise. It explores the definition and importance of innovation, contrasting it with invention, and highlights the benefits for both the organization and its employees. The report analyzes how vision, leadership, culture, and teamwork shape innovation within the company, emphasizing the need for cohesive integration. It also delves into the 4Ps of innovation (product, process, positioning, paradigm) and the use of the innovation funnel to shape ideas. Furthermore, the report explains the process of developing frugal innovation within A1 Communications Ltd, discussing the identification of opportunities, and the importance of understanding customer needs. The report also covers the commercial funnel, the application of New Product Development, and building an innovation case, including funding access. Finally, it addresses various tools for developing, retaining, and protecting intellectual property within the company, providing a comprehensive overview of innovation strategies.

Innovation

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Define innovation and determines importance of organisations............................................1
P2 A1 communications Ltd vision, leadership, culture and teamwork can shape the
innovation....................................................................................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P34Ps of innovation and the use of the innovation funnel for shaping ideas or thoughts in
employees....................................................................................................................................4
P4 Explaining the process of developing frugal innovation in A1 communication Ltd.............5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P5 Importance of commercial funnel and the application of New Product Development..........6
P6 Innovation building case for A1 communications including way of access fund.................7
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................8
P7 Different tools for developing, retaining and protecting intellectual property......................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
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INTRODUCTION
Innovation refers to the new idea or thoughts or techniques. The general meaning of
innovation is to develop new things which is different from the current things. Innovation is the
development of new ideas which helps the society to grow at a higher level. It provides new
items or objects which helps to attract more customers. The innovation is dynamic activity which
helps to develop more effective products, services and new technologies. A1 communications is
a fastest growing communications enterprise which provides internet network services. It helps
to provides flexible package to their customers but also, they deliver cost saving facilities and
gives excellent customer services in the country (Lundvall, 2010). This enterprise analyses their
fixed line services, provides mobile broadband and also helps in vehicle tracking solutions. They
deal in mobile phones, tablet and provides SIM card to their customers. They provide fastest
mobile broadband and 4G network with 60MB speed per second. The purpose of this report is to
understand the innovation and its importance in this organisation. To analyse the vision, culture,
leadership and teamwork in innovation small medium-sized and also examine the shape of
innovative ideas. The enterprise can evaluate the different tools which develop, retain and
provides project knowledge.
TASK 1
P1 Define innovation and determines importance of organisations
Innovation is the process of change in large and small products and services that helps in
introducing new products in the organisation (Drucker, 2014). The enterprise provides new
innovative products to their customers and attract new potential customers. Innovation occurs
when organisation improves their existing products and makes new product.
The difference between Innovation and Invention are:
Basis Innovation Invention
Definition Innovation bring in new
products and services which
satisfy the customers’ needs
and wants.
Invention means creating
something that has not been
made yet by anyone.
Useful It brings modification in It helps in development or
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existing products/services to
inflate potential customers.
make completely new products
for the customers.
A1 Communication's Ltd is operating in telecom sector that has faced huge competition with
other big companies. There are many enterprises who entry in a large market to serve products or
services to their customers and invest large money to start a new business. The organisation also
faces threats in the productivity of the products which reduces their profit level. The reason is to
make innovative products in the company is to attract more customers. Apple Inc. is an digital
music player whose music system weights is just 6.5 ounces and that is small in size. This
company provides small MP3 players and sold iPods in 1.4 million to their customers (Teece,
2010). It helps to divides number of songs . In the month of July and August, the iPod claimed
the fastest growing MP3 player market leader both in terms of units and revenue share It is the
highest volume product of Apple's company.
There are some benefits of innovation to A1 communications and its employees:
For organisation
 It increases profit margins
 It improves customers satisfaction and fulfil their demands
 They established good image between the customers which is helpful to the company
For employees
 They gain new skills and knowledge which helps in career development
 It boosts employees complex thinking process and problem solving skills
 Improvement in effectiveness and efficiency of the staff
These are some benefits of innovation that is provided by the management and company.
A1 communications Ltd wants to ensure that every function of the organisation and employees
are connected with their core values to became innovative and creative to gain goals and
competitive advantages.
P2 A1 communications Ltd vision, leadership, culture and teamwork can shape the innovation
Innovation needs to be cohesive into the current business process for improvement in
results. An organisation needs to use it as a tool that helps in achieving all target goals such as
short term as well as long term goal (Edquist, 2010). Managers and team leaders will be guide
their employees which helps to solve their innovative related queries and problems. There is a
large need of combining expertise and skills of employees and push them to do work in effective
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and efficient manner. This is managed by the company’s manager himself as he can only identify
workers capabilities. The company need to establish a vision, mission with a proper leadership
and team work. There are some forces who helps to play an important role of innovation within
the company:
 Vision: Vision is a long-term objective which provides an idea on which company
has been established. It sets a target that helps in understanding the position, where
A1 communications Ltd wants to see itself in the future time. The vision of the
enterprise is very simple yet appealing. “Achieving a high position in a telecom
industry by providing cost efficient and make innovative solution for the
organisation”. The company main aim to improve connectivity within United
Kingdom.
 Mission: The companies mission states about all long term or short-term goals which
it needs or wants to achieve target goals.
 Leadership: Leadership is a way by which management and managers guides their
employees in using innovative and creative approach for solving different problems
(Dahlander and Gann, 2010). It is a skill which increase productivity and efficiency of
people as they are motivated to do the work.
 Culture: If working environment within enterprise is not at par then employees can
not be able to perform their full task as they will be demotivated and their thinking
process will get impacted. Healthy environment inside company leads to the better
results.
 Teamwork: This is a way which is used for increasing the overall organisational
efficiency and effectiveness. It helps in increasing coordination between department
and employees. It also enhances new ideas sharing which leads to innovation and
creativity. Apple Inc. are under Steve Jobs who formed different teams so as to fulfil
the task, they need to satisfy wants of customers and they are not able to achieve
target goals, they were also motivated to pursue as they believed in their ideas and
thoughts.
A1 communications Ltd has to make proper policy and structure according to which all
employees will be guided and they have to integrate the innovation process into structure of an
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enterprise and its business process. The company also a requirement of provides environment
which increases to solving problems with innovative manner.
TASK 2
P3 4Ps of innovation and the use of the innovation funnel for shaping ideas or thoughts in
employees
The main objective of innovation of enterprise is to use innovation while highlights
different issues or problems. This is fulfilled by innovation funnel that describe about the
complete process that has to be followed as to increase creativity within the enterprise. Some
researchers have conducted research and then analyse their work, it can be said that innovation
funnel is a process which is used to transform theory and imagination into realistic event
(Gassmann, Enkel and Chesbrough, 2010). It describes a direction that has to be followed by
people to innovate new products as per the requirements:
4P's of innovation
 Products: It is very important thing for the innovation process. Product is a core offering
of an organisation that is made after gathering information regarding different market
variables and abilities of the enterprise. A1 comms Ltd is known for providing full
packages and products that is highly competitive and even gives tough competition to the
other companies. This is what differentiates company from the organisation from its
competitors. If the company use innovation like Apple Inc. , they will be able to prvide
advantage of competition over the others.
 Process: Invention and innovation is not easy and simple methods, it takes lot of times
and consumes a lot of resources. This reduces the cost of production and increases in
efficiency and effectiveness of an organisation. Apple Inc. followed a very large process
of innovation which is help to boost by team working and the result was I-pod which
were small in size and better than any other Walkman in market. An employees need
proper guidance from managers for performing their best task as per their abilities.
 Positioning: The company has to keep on learning from big giants who have established
themselves in the market with the help of innovation and strategy. A1 communications
have to learn how to set position of their product in the mind of consumer and also fulfil
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their wants and needs. Telecom sector have large scope of high growth rate but it has one
of the most dynamic market.
 Paradigm: An organisation needs to consider all important aspects and related factors
which used in formulating innovation process (Huizingh, 2011). A proper analysis is
important to make plans for integrating innovation into the business process of
organisation. It is an activity which complies all the information regarding various
factors.
A1 communications sells tangible products and intangible services as to ensure that all
consumers needs are catered. The company's managers have to guide their employees and push
for innovation not just in research and development in whole organisation. This helps
organisation in lowering cost and increase efficiency to take up high growth.
P4 Explaining the process of developing frugal innovation in A1 communication Ltd
The innovation process has to be designed in a different manner that helps in assist
company in achieving high level of efficiency and effectiveness. Frugal innovation defines to a
process which helps managers in lowering cost of production and complexities. Generally, all
unnecessary features and cost are evaluated and current gaps are addressed. Innovation process is
based on capabilities and evaluate potential of organisation which serves different type of
customers. Budgeting also needs to be done by A1 communications Ltd so that actual needs can
be targeted of the potential customers, they can be turned into actual consumers (Crossan and
Apaydin, 2010). If the enterprise can not conducted the needs or wants then it will be able to
increase in efficiency and effectiveness. There are few things which company and managers need
to know:
 The company's managers have to identify people who have an ability and power to prove
themselves in past to carry potential of leading others. An individual will lead enterprise
and its employees to attain a results which are required to be achieved.
 A complete knowledge of innovation process helps to guide all employees regarding to
the stated plans and demands.
As per the mentioned case study, Apple Inc. and Virgin group used their products in a
very limited manner which increase their capabilities to achieve targets and goals in an effective
and efficient way. An enterprise introduced Frugal innovation as to evaluate different functions
which are adding to the cost of company. This also assisted in lowering time consumption for
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various types of activities (Crossan and Apaydin, 2010). Apple Inc. was able to understand
customer demand and needs in an accurate manner which reduce the middlemen who were
consuming finances and resources while market information was not achieve in a proper way.
As mentioned above there are certain benefits of developing frugal innovation and it is
simple process:
 Identification of opportunities by managing enterprise which helps to find out the best
ways which will assist in making more profits.
 Finding out problems which exist within the organisation and helps in strategy which
will assist in lower gap.
 Re-planning will be done and also major changes will be included in the planning. This
will provides helps to company in meeting all desired gaols and targets.
 Analysis of capabilities has to be done by company's managers who examines the level
of knowledge or skills which posses by employees.
 Follow up and evaluating will be done by analyse the difference that might be exist even
after re-planning.
 Adding necessary resources to the activities which do not have sufficient resources.
 Implementation of the new technology and update plan will be done once it is clear and
all confusion is eliminated from the mind of an employees.
This process will assist A1 communication Ltd. To minimise all different types of
unnecessary elements that is increasing the cost of functions and process. This will helps to
increase organisations profitability and its productivity.
TASK 3
P5 Importance of commercial funnel and the application of New Product Development
The commercial funnel refers to the various researchers in a different way. The total form
of commercial funnel definition is easy and simple, the commercial funnel defines the process
that helps in leading the transformation in potential or desired customers into actual end user of
company's goods or services (Lee and Park, 2010). The new product development is considered
to be follow a process that helps managers in developing a new brand product which attract more
customers and satisfy their needs or wants. Thus, this process of designing and production of
product has to be done in a strategic way so that it helps in gaining advantages of competitions.
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A1 communications has planned a new enterprise into different sectors which changes
and reduce their risk. The Apple Inc. has changed the music industry. At present, the company is
only provides services to the organisation but currently they plan to provide qualitative services
to the household and colleges (Lee, Park and Yoon, 2010). The enterprise will need to identify
loopholes that helps in making changes in their products. They has to update products which
helps to follow process. There are eight stages of New product development process:
Illustration : New product development process
 Idea generation
 Idea screening
 Concept development and testing
 Marketing strategy and development
 Business analysis
 Product development
 Test marketing
 Commercialisation
A1 communications Ltd has decided to enter into new market after analysing its potential
customers. The company's will provide products and services at a very affordable cost to their
new customer base. The enterprise will also use 4P's of marketing to manage or control all the
resources in a effective manner.
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P6 Innovation building case for A1 communications including way of access fund
The company's mangers need to build case as it helps in establishing objectives and
purpose of activity, such as invest time, money of organisation into a task which will give high
level growth in return and put instead resources into unnecessary functions. It is a basic concept
which is used to develop new product for the organisation (Melville, 2010). There are some steps
which have to be followed by A1 communications:
 Gathering inputs- The company's managers has to gather information for supporting other
functions of organisation in a proper way so that it can be analysed.
 Stating the outcome- This is a large stage where organisation has to developed and stated
in front of top management and make decision.
 Understanding objectives- The enterprise need to set objectives and goals which helps in
ensuring project for wrong investment.
 Analysis- The collected information needs to be analysed and put into a understandable
format by the organisation.
A case study of Apple Inc. and Virgin group, used this case building to evaluate various
types of investors (Melville, 2010). The A1 communications can used this case study. There are
two types of investors which will help the company in providing investment:
 Business angels- The investors are well known personalities in investment market. If they
evaluate business attractive then they provides investment.
 Enterprise capital firms- These firms takes shares in return of the investment and they
provide huge investment but also require same money amount of shares or ownership till
the time repayment.
TASK 4
P7 Different tools for developing, retaining and protecting intellectual property
An intellectual property rights provides exclusive right to its business owners to use idea,
plans and intangible assets (Hjalager, 2010). No one can use it with out getting permission from
its proprietor. It includes many different ideas that an individual creates and also includes various
types of intangible properties such as:
 Copyrights
 Patent
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 Trademark
 Design rights
 Trade secrets
The company deals in telecommunication sectors in which it is essential to maintain these
property rights in a secured manner so that it need to take advantages by using it. There are some
fake people who are ready to take unnecessary benefits by using the rights without getting any
permission from the company's owner (Adner and Kapoor, 2010). These assets provides
different types of benefits to the company such as it helps in achieving competitive advantages
from their rivals and different it from other competitors.
In United Kingdom, there are some various types of legal laws which has main aim to
provide protection of these properties from fake people. A1 communications Ltd. should hire
who have proper skills or knowledge to maintain these intangible assets in accurate manner.
There are different types of IP rights which are as follows:
 Patent- When an individual invents a new products in the market then he has right to get
patent which will be operated by Patent Act.
 Copyrights- This property is operated by copyrights act which provides exclusive right to
the company's owners of its actual work. If anyone wants to use it then he has get a
permission from its proprietor by paying royalty to him.
CONCLUSION
As per the above mentioned report can be conclude the definition of innovation and also
understands its importance in the organisation. The A1 communications Ltd evaluate
organisational vision, mission, culture and leadership and also explain their teamwork. In this
report we describes the 4Ps of innovation and evaluate how to use the innovation funnel to
examine their shape or ideas. Managers have to guides their employees by which they can
achieve all target goal or objectives in an effective and efficient manner. Innovation are
differentiate to the other company products and increase the capabilities to create a separate
image in the mind of its customers which makes them loyal or honest. The company also explain
commercial funnel and new product development importance in the market. Also analyse the
innovative business in the organisation and evaluate different tools or techniques of the company
which can use to develop, retain and protect sills or knowledge and intellectual property which
understands the whole process of innovation.
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