Innovation In China’s Company----LI NING

Unlocking innovation in China (Cisco,2009)
Increased innovation, it argues, will be vital for China to move up the technological ladder to produce high-value goods and services. Indeed, homegrown innovation could be vital to solve many of China’s challenges, such as energy productivity and pollution, and to position Chinese companies competitively in the global market.

China’s companies are keen to contribute to the drive towards innovation. Several of China’s companies have emerged as able innovators. For example, BYD, a manufacturer of cars and batteries, started out in 1995 making inexpensive nickel-cadmium batteries, used mainly in toys, before going on to produce pricier batteries for mobile phones and power tools. It now manufactures the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, which went on sale in China in December 2008.

Competition spurs innovation: Li Ning counts
on R&D and supply chain management

                                                                         Li Ning, China’s largest domestic sportswear brand, not only needs to fend off multinational sportswear giants Nike and Adidas, but also needs to stay ahead of its increasingly savvy domestic rivals, including brands such as Anta and 361°. Such mounting competitive pressure has turned into a major driver for innovation, confirms Guo Jianxin, Li Ning’s chief operating officer.

To keep up, Li Ning is supporting big initiatives to improve its R&D and fuel creativity within the company. In 2008 Li Ning invested in a sports research lab at its new Beijing headquarters, creating one of the world’s top centres of biomechanics, the science of body movement. Li Ning is also supporting new ideas through a group of initiatives it has dubbed "cross-over”, which aim to tap the creativity of people outside the company by, for example, challenging architects and construction engineers to try their hand at designing shoes. In 2007 the company opened a new research and design centre in Portland, Oregon, where it employs international researchers and designers. Li Ning rotates its Chinese design staff through the centre to give them more international exposure.

Li Ning’s efforts to generate new ideas is part of a national trend. Once mostly imitators, more brands in China are now striving to define themselves to consumers through their own distinct products and designs.

But much of the innovation at Li Ning is going on in a less showy arena—its supply chain management. In 2006 Li Ning formed its Pilot Project Team, headed by Mr Guo. The team is charged with making the company’s supply chain processes more efficient and to cut costs, which had spiralled upwards owing to China’s rising costs of production and the growing complexity of Li Ning’s organisation. Li Ning also re-engineered its supply chain management to adopt a demand-driven approach, which allows its wholesalers to change their orders quickly depending on how well products sell.

http://www.finfacts.ie/biz10/EIU-Innovation_China-Cisco.pdf


Comment:

 Most companies in China have built up the innovation system such as the human resources and management capacity. The innovation system is very effective for companies to operate; LI NING Company is an example. It made as much as effort to generate the new ideas and its supply chain management is defined to cut costs and adopt the innovative approaches to compete with other companies. Now, many companies have fostered innovation leadership in China. This kind of leadership can motivate employees and strengthen the development in long run of company.

Competitive Innovation In The Airline Industry

SAS innovations
SAS – the world’s most innovative airline

Over the past six decades, SAS has consistently been at the forefront of the industry, introducing innovative new products that its competitors quickly adapt for themselves. SAS has been the first to open new routes and serve new destinations long before other airlines followed suit. Some of SAS’ innovations include: 

• The first trans-arctic flight with a commercial aircraft
• First airline to introduce Tourist Class
• First airline to fly directly over the North Pole
• Launching the world’s first Polar shortcut
• Establishing the world’s first around-the-world service
• First airline to offer various destinations at no extra cost
• First to introduce a Europe-wide instant booking system
• First airline to introduce in-flight entertainment
• First airline to feature an in-flight exercise program
• First airline to employ a female pilot
• First airline to offer separate check-in and lounges
• First western airline to serve a Baltic capital
• First airline to introduce sleeper seats
  
            

SAS Innovations in briefAs the world’s most innovative airline, Scandinavian Airlines has been at the forefront of new technologies, trends and markets.
• SAS was the first airline to introduce Tourist Class.
• SAS introduced the Polar shortcut , which was hailed as “The first new commercial route in a thousand years” by a Swiss newspaper.
• SAS established the first around-the-world service in 1957: Copenhagen-Anchorage-Tokyo-Copenhagen.
• SAS was first to introduce a Europe-wide instant booking system, SASCO, in 1965.

http://www.flysas.com/upload/International/SKI/Media-center/Mediakit/Oct09/SAS%20innovations.pdf

Scandinavian Airlines is one of Europe’s largest airlines and
offers a wide network from all of Scandinavia to the rest of
Europe. As one of Europe’s most innovative airlines, customers

can enjoy time efficient travel, including the fact that SAS is

Europe’s most punctual major airline, as well as comfortable

 seats and personal service.

http://www.flysas.com/upload/International/SKI/Media-center/Mediakit/Oct09/SAS%20short-haul.pdf

      Comment:

Airline industry has undergone dramatic changes which have become one of the most powerful and the world’s industries in past decades. Compared with other airlines, SAS is based on the innovation project. The successful point for SAS refers to the good services and innovative system. It innovates many good ideas to compete other airlines in such complex and competitive market. SAS innovated many “first” at the beginning of the company operation. SAS utilised its marketing strategy to develop in Europe market and compete with the strong rivals with its specific positions. Most notably, SAS is a potential company with innovative technology. Furthermore, an increasing number of customers to support the SAS airline because of the satisfaction, hence, innovation process will enable SAS Company develop confidently and continuous to utilize its positions to maintain the high status in global airlines market.  

Global Economy Leads Innovative Education

(Benjamin D. Cote)

As employers look for new talent in the every year from new graduates it is important to not only have a solid education but one that has features that stand out from the rest of the graduating class. With the economy being more globalized than ever it is important to have a background and a skill set that allows graduates to become immersed in the global economy right from graduation. This does not apply only to business majors but engineering majors as well. It is important for these graduates to have skills in innovation, globalization, and entrepreneurship to be ready to tackle the global market place that today’s economy depends on.

Different types of innovative education that exists today in the field of engineering education. Working with other students at different colleges, in teams, with different companies, and learning to experience different cultures. These innovative ideas have helped evolve engineering education and push it out of the classroom. This combination of real world experience and holistic learning has shown to be very innovative in the category of engineering education. Employers will be attracted to these qualities and will have an edge over students whom only have class room knowledge.

http://m.wpi.edu/Pubs/E-project/Available/E-project-090110-155503/unrestricted/IQPbcote.pdf

Innovation Opportunities in a Global Economy: AmCham EU Event Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k5fi1jwld4

Comment:

There has to be a development of personal and social competences to deal with the global marketplace. The majority of engineering jobs call for a cross cultural acceptance and understanding. It is important for an international education to be able to have students realize the impact of different cultures on the marketplace and the importance of innovation which can create more opportunities for looking a job. Additionally, innovation awareness help people perform better in working environment and will also have continuous on skills improvement. Understanding the innovative ability will be more easily for employees to entry the global economic market.

Creativity Motivates Organisations Development

Leveraging Enterprise

Creativity in products, services, procedures, and processes is now more important than ever. It is needed equally in the established enterprise, the public sector organization, and the new venture. Why is it then that many organizations unwittingly carry out managerial practices that destroy it? With exceptions, most managers do not stifle creativity on purpose.Yet, in the pursuit of productivity, efficiency, and control, they often undermine it. The figure below shows that creative-thinking skills are one part of creativity but that expertise and motivation are also essential. Managers can influence the first two, but doing so is costly and takes time.They can make a more effective difference by boosting the intrinsic motivation of personnel. To manage for creativity and innovation in ways that keep clients, audiences, and partners satisfied, they have five levers:
(i) the amount of challenge they give to personnel to stimulate minds
(ii) the degree of freedom they grant around procedures and processes to minimize hassle
(iii) the way they design work groups to tap ideas from all ranks
(iv) the encouragement and incentives they give, which should include rewards and recognition
(v) the nature of organizational support. Needless to say, managers must themselves be motivated.
(Adams, 2005.p4)

http://www.fpspi.org/Pdf/InnovCreativity.pdf

Innovation begins with creativity. For any organization, operating in an external environment,an interactionist model of creativity and innovation needs to encompass organizational context, organizational knowledge, and inter- and intraorganizational relationships, not forgetting the (increasingly multicultural) creative makeup of the individuals.

Creativity flourishes in organizations that support open ideas: these organizations create environments that inspire personnel and maintain innovative workplaces; those that fail are large organizations that stifle creativity with rules and provide no slack for change. There is a role for management in the creative process: but it is not to manage it; it is to manage for it.Why? Because creativity does not happen exclusively and tacitly in a person’s head but in interaction with a social context wherein it may be codified. Creativity plays a critical role in the innovation process, and innovation that markets value is a creator and sustainer of performance and change.
(Serrat, 2009)
http://www.adb.org/documents/information/knowledge-solutions/harnessing-creativity-and-innovation-in-the-workplace.pdf

Creative Innovation 2010; Professor Peter Shergold AC - part 1                                              
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF6XMTiwilo

 

Comment:

In order to foster a culture of innovation, companies need to motivate their employees with rewards, recognition, and empowerment.

"The innovative culture thrives on the free exchange of ideas.Be communicative and train managers and supervisors to allow the free flow of information among them, their subordinates, and their superiors.”

 Companies need to create a management team to oversee innovation and to communicate expectations to employees. It is also important to create a series of milestones to be used to gauge the progress toward a more innovative culture. There is no doubt that creation is a vital part in innovation process and it can motivate workforce in any organisation.

(2005 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.)

http://www.creativeendeavorsconsulting.com/articles/CECP20Strategy/GES_FosteringInnovativeCulture.pdf

Innovative Leads Media Industry Develop Rapidly

Elemental Technologies receives award for Innovation in Media Arts

                              

 I nnovation is a key ingredient to future economic growth. This is as true in the media industry as it is any other. Over the past few years Oregon has seen several promising media technology companies start up. One such  company is Elemental Technologies, which is  headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 2006 by CEO Sam Blackman, Chief Technology Officer Jesse Rosenzweig, and Chief Architect Brian Lewis, Elemental has raised over $16 million in financing, which has directly resulted in Elemental’s rapid ascension to become one of the world’s leaders in software designed for video content creation. In fact, this year Elemental was named as one of America’s Most Promising Companies by Forbes Magazine, placing 54^th in a list of 100 companies and out of pool of more than 1000 contestants. This year at the annual meeting of the Governor’s Office of Film and Television, Governor John Kitzhaber presented Elemental Technologies’ CEO Sam Blackman with this year’s award for Innovation in Media Arts.

http://oregonconfluence.com/2011/12/14/elemental-technologies-receives-award-for-innovation-in-media-arts/

Media Innovation

Media Innovations is a leading provider of medical solutions and e-learning media across a range of industry and professional sectors. The company provides significant training systems, risk management and diagnostic support tools to the medical profession and health industry.

Multimedia based products are powerful communication tools, which stimulate the senses of hearing, vision, and touch by delivering a rich combination of media components in an interactive software environment.

In conjunction with university research centres and medical health professionals Media Innovations has been able to turn leading research into interactive products for individuals, clinicians and health service departments.

Media Innovations provides multimedia textile and apparel education and training in the form of an online programme designed for organisations and institutions.

http://www.media-innovations.ltd.uk/

Comment:

Media innovation is related to our lives closely. As mentioned before, Sony Company produced the newest technology----3D Glasses which can make us watch TV or movies comfortably and have amazing experience. The benefit of media innovation is not only for individuals, but also for the companies, universities and industries. In China, many high school and universities have already used large-size IPad for teaching. This can make students learn more dramatically and can attract students pay more attention on the lessons. Thus, companies applies media innovation in management which they can dispenses different tasks to different department though the high technology media. As a result, media innovation can have a great contribution on people’s life and work environment. Hence, we need to focus on the innovation function and should apply the innovation system in any aspect to achieve significant goals.