Unilever Report: Innovation Theories for Sustainable Packaging

This report explores the application of innovation theories to develop a strategy for Unilever to adopt recycled and reused packaging. It emphasizes the importance of innovation for competitive advantage, particularly through green marketing. The report discusses the benefits of recycled and reused packaging, including cost reduction, enhanced brand image, resource conservation, and pollution reduction. It also highlights the need for technological and design thinking innovation, proposing that Unilever integrate these theories to create environmentally friendly packaging solutions. The report concludes that implementing these strategies can drive growth, improve profitability, promote social responsibility, and ensure a sustainable future. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and past papers for students.

Proposal
1

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
Apply theories of innovation and idea generation to products processes or services to develop
an innovative idea...................................................................................................................3
Benefits of recycle and reused packaging:.............................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
2

INTRODUCTION
This report is based on Innovation, it means doing something new or coming up with a
unique idea that could benefit the organization. In this idea are turning into action which helps
the organization to compete in through their competitor in more attractive way. Innovation
always adds value to the organization as well as to customer (Kumar,2018). In recent time every
organization want to do something very different for their survival because customer taste and
preferences change in very frequently.
In this report Unilever company is choosing for the adopting of innovation idea. Unilever is a
multinational organization that manufacture consumer goods. Unilever is diversified in different
segments like food, cosmetics, supplements, well-being, pet foods and many more other
products(Minunno, 2020). Within in this report the innovation is done in there process where
they will adopt innovation in the packaging of their products in such a way that they can be
reused and recycle.
TASK
Apply theories of innovation and idea generation to products processes or services to develop an
innovative idea.
Unilever is consumer product manufacturing company. It's headquarter is situated in
London, England. It is founded in 1929. As the organization was founded in more than 90 years
ago it is important for it adopt something new ideas which helps them to innovate in more unique
way which helps them to build brand image. To gain competitive advantage it is important for
the company to think something out of the world (Lee and Trimi, 2018). Unilever should give
more focus on packaging their products from such material that can be reused and recycle. This
will help them in avoiding the risk of scarcity of resources. By innovating in such a manner
business can earn a competitive advantage in terms of green marketing. With the implementation
of new idea company must look at the challenges, opportunity and threat that will occur while
doing an action. Unilever must also train and also tell the importance of this idea to their
employee because this will foster the environment and also they would like to participate in such
activity. With the innovation activity it is very important for the venture to take the feedbacks or
the employee about their opinion. Unilever should acquire those talented people which are good
in developing and creating the new ideas. These team has the responsibility of generating
3

thoughts and then identify the challenges that they will face during adoption of recycle and
reused packaging(Reinhardt and Gurtner, 2018). During this innovation Unilever faces the threat
of technology, pricing and customer review on that. For acquiring the prospering packaging
activity, company may come up with different ways of implementing ideas. For getting the
reviews or ides of the worker Unilever can use feedback box, arrange a participation session
through which thoughts can be interchange about recycle and reused packaging. The research
and development team can also take initiative to collect the reviews regarding this through
different ways. Unilever can also use external source to collect the data regarding the perception
and thoughts of consumer and buyers regarding this. They can take help of social media
platforms, questionnaire filling etc. Unilever should go for absorption of latest technology and
should tie up with the vendors like manufacturing of paper factory or bamboo manufacturing.
They can also partnership with the factories which reuse and recycle the plastics bags and
bottles. Organization must highlight those problem which they are occurring during not adopting
the activity and then tell them about the advantage they and buyers will get through it. Unilever
try to address the benefit they will get as they will move towards an environment which is clean
and pollution free in the UK(Ranade and Bhandari, 2014). Implementation of ideas are not easy
for company, Unilever should understand that the result of taking a new action will take time.
They should on periodical basis should analysis their implementation activity of reused and
recycle packaging. In the recent era the pollution whether it be air or water has increased due to
scarcity of resources. It is important for the company to know the advantage of green marketing
in there process. Due to this pollution it is affecting people health and wealth. By brining of this
innovation activity we can save the future resources for the upcoming generation. With the
acquisition of this process they need to overcome from the technological and social issue that
occur over time.
Theories of innovation:
Technological innovation:
This theory of technological innovation should be adopted by Unilever in the new idea of
reuse and recycles packaging. It is one of the theory which the company should be applied in
new task as this innovation is based on technology and the knowledge where how they can use
technology to minimize the wastage. This will help in development of totally new venture of the
organization. This is used for enhancing the innovation process, also giving new concept in the
4

market and attracting customer to purchase more. Adopting of this application in recycle and
reuse packaging it will help to minimize wastage, creating green marketing. This activity is also
environment friendly. The technological innovation also cut the cost of production in unliever as
the bottles are reused and the procurement of plastic is more expensive then raw material
obtained through paper and bamboo.
Design thinking innovation theory:
One of the most typical task for the organization is thinking of new design in the process
of the product. It is a methodology used by the team of research and development designer where
they find the more creative way of producing, packaging and delivering of good to the customer.
This approach is also action oriented not only problem solving method. This innovation thoery is
also be used by Unilever where they can focus on the designing of packaging bottle and packets
keeping in mind the reuse and recycle criteria(Mathur and Mathur, 2000). The designer should
spent more time in absortion of those raw material and then hoe with the help of this they can
design a product which will be environment friendly. In this theory the main focus is on the
process where the production process is kept in mind. Unilever should spent some money in this
theory as this help them in gaining advantage in terms of following the CSR activity of the
organization. In order to higher the profit of the business, it is necessary to develop the process
activity which give more attention to the environment through the concept of recycle and reused
action.
Benefits of recycle and reused packaging:
With the adoption of recycle and reused process of packaging Unilever can gain benefits
like cost reduction, strong brand image(Ross and Evans, 2003). They can also saves the
renewable resources and also helps in controlling the pollution.
Benefits of recycling and reusing :
Conserving natural resources: The resource vary scary if Unilever continuously uses plastic
for the packaging a time comes when they will become extant, so instead of this they can use
paper, woods, bamboo so that this can be recycle and reused and organization can conserve the
natural source of the country.
Protecting the ecosystem: With the help of recycling they can decrease the need to grow,
harvest, or acquire more raw material as the green marketing increases which helps Unilever a
lot.
5

Saves cost: with the idea of packaging Unilever can cut their cost of production as recycling and
reusing will save their energy and electricity. It will also help in decreasing the cost of procuring
extra raw material.
Reduce pollution: Unilever also works for the CSR activity by the idea of recycling and reusing
the plastic bottle by filing it back will indirectly works for the society and reduce the pollution
which is created by dumping it on the soil. By this organization can also reduce the level of
pollution emitted by the machine in packaging the product.
Increase brand image: Cultivation in green marketing helps the Unilever to create a strong
brand image of the company. A positive image will be create in the mind of customer,
stakeholder and for the employee.
Unilever this idea can be implemented by following the steps like get certification for recycle
and reusing of product from the concerned authority of UK. The next is that they can do market
research about what are the option available for them to start packaging in unique way. Then
after that make a plan about the budget require and the profit they will get if they implement this.
After all this promote these environmental friendly activity in the market.
CONCLUSION
From the above information it is being concluded that there are various benefits which
can be helpful for the companies while acquiring the idea of recycle and reuse packaging. This
process will helps in increasing the growth and profitability of business and also promote social
activity. Through implementing this idea company can safe the environment and prevent them
from scarcity of resources. It also helps in maintaining CSR activity and deliver the product in
smooth and healthy manner.
6

REFERENCES
Gebauer, H. and et. al. 2008. Innovation of product‐related services. Managing Service Quality:
An International Journal.
Goldsmith, R.E. and Kerr, J.R., 1991. Entrepreneurship and adaption-innovation
theory. Technovation. 11(6). pp.373-382.
Kumar, S. and et. al, 2018. An integrated approach to analyse requisites of product innovation
management. International Journal of Business Innovation and Research. 16(1). pp.36-
62.
Lee, S. M. and Trimi, S., 2018. Innovation for creating a smart future. Journal of Innovation &
Knowledge. 3(1). pp.1-8.
Mathur, L.K. and Mathur, I., 2000. An analysis of the wealth effects of green marketing
strategies. Journal of Business Research. 50(2). pp.193-200.
Minunno, R. and et. al. 2020. Exploring environmental benefits of reuse and recycle practices: A
circular economy case study of a modular building. Resources, Conservation and
Recycling. 160, p.104855.
Ranade, V.V. and Bhandari, V.M., 2014. Industrial wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse.
Butterworth-Heinemann.
Reinhardt, R. and Gurtner, S., 2018. The overlooked role of embeddedness in disruptive
innovation theory. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 132. pp.268-283.
Ross, S. and Evans, D., 2003. The environmental effect of reusing and recycling a plastic-based
packaging system. Journal of Cleaner Production. 11(5). pp.561-571.
Sanson‐Fisher, R.W., 2004. Diffusion of innovation theory for clinical change. Medical journal
of Australia. 180. pp.S55-S56.
7