Winning Tactics of Innovation: Power of Structuring & Processes

My previous blog post discussed some of the most successful and prevalent 'networking models' that businesses use to build innovative products. Here, we'll discuss the remaining two forces that comprise the 'configuration' pillar - structure and process.

Now let's talk about 'structure', which seems innocuous and is a flyweight within this category, but it's a highly scalable tool. It's also what we do at CSM.

1. Organizational Design:

It refers to the process of making a form follow function and aligning infrastructure with core qualities and business processes. Apple, Pixar & Nike are examples of how enterprises can accomplish this.

2. Incentive Systems:

This is a practice of offering rewards (financial or non-financial) to motivate a particular course of action.

3. IT Integration:

The model of integrating technology resources and applications.

4. Competency Centre:

The clustering of resources, practices and expertise into support centres that increase efficiency and effectiveness across the broader organization.

5. Outsourcing:

Assigning responsibility for developing or maintaining a system to a vendor.

6. Corporate University:

Providing job-specific or company-specific training for employees.

7. Decentralized Management:

Distribution of decision-making governance closer to the customer or other key business interfaces.

8. Knowledge Management:

Democratization and sharing of relevant information internally to reduce redundancy and improve job performance.

9. Asset Standardization:

Reduced operating costs and improved connectivity and modularity by standardizing assets. We refer to this as our own RRR – rescale, reuse & resell.

Last but not the least is how processes can determine innovation at an organizational or product level.

1. Process Standardization:

Usage of common products, processes, procedures,And policies to reduce complexity, costs, and errors.

2. Localization:

Adapting an offering, process, or experience to target culture or region. Our work with Odisha Tourism & DARS leverages this model.

3. Process Efficiency:

Creating or producing more while using fewer resources - measured in materials, energy consumption or time.

4. Flexible Manufacturing:

Using a production system that can rapidly react to changes and still operate efficiently.

5. Process Automation:

Applying tools and infrastructure to manage routine activities to free up employees. RPA is one such tool

6. Crowdsourcing:

Outsourcing repetitive or challenging work to a large group of semi-organized individuals like freelancers or micro-agencies.

7. On-Demand Production:

Producing items only after an order has been received to avoid carrying costs of inventory. Bespoke solution developments at CSM work this way.

8. Lean Production:

Reducing waste and cost in your manufacturing process and other operations. This is done by creating re-usable tools like rule, role and form engines.

9. Logistics Systems:

Managing the flow of goods, information and other resources between the point of origin and the point of use. An example is the Digital Logistics Management Solution, a part of CSM's IntegratORE.

10. Strategic Design:

Employing a purposeful approach that manifests itself consistently across offerings, brands, and experiences. Examples are the three forward slashes in the CSM logo or Amazon arc-like under-arrow.

11. Intellectual Property:

Protecting an idea with commercial value, such as a recipe or industrial process, with legal tools like patents.

12. User-Generated:

Putting your users to work in creating and curating content that powers your offerings. UGC model for crowdsourcing content generation is a part of our DXP implementation for Odisha Tourism.

13. Predictive Analytics:

Modelling past performance data and predicting future outcomes to design and price offerings accordingly. This is core to not just CSM but many of our customers in domains like mining and agriculture.

I hope you have had a great reading experience. In our next blog, we will discuss the second pillar of offerings and how product performance and product systems are essential to innovation. Happy reading!

AUTHOR:

Bibhuti Bhusan Routray

Head, Marketing