StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Strategic Leadership - - Case Study Example

Cite this document
Summary
Why did the ARC (architecture, routines, and culture) of 3M under McKnight support innovation? ARC Key Feature Architecture Loosely coupled units as characterized by 3M’s institutionalization of the “grow and divide” philosophy (Bartlett & Mohammed 6)…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER95.6% of users find it useful
Strategic Leadership - Case Study
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Strategic Leadership -"

Download file to see previous pages

Routines Creation of the Central Research Laboratory enabled 3M to learn outside its defined domain by looking on opportunities generated by both external demand and internal capacity (Bartlett & Mohammed 3). Substantial organizational slack manifested through the policy encouraging researchers to spend up to 15% of their time pursuing projects of interest to them (Bartlett & Mohammed 4). Identifying and developing innovations arising from projects even when no large market potential was evident (Bartlett & Mohammed 4) Continued organic growth and spurning off of new groups, divisions and products strengthened 3M through increased product variation.

Culture Creativity was encouraged via institutionalized individual entrepreneurship (Bartlett & Mohammed 2) Informal recognition given to maverick employees through semi-legend stories that were circulated in the company to encourage individual persistence and commitment to innovation (Bartlett & Mohammed 5). Tolerance for what McKnight referred to as “well-intentioned failure” and risk taking was encouraged as shown by management supporting those who were involved in failed projects quickly move on to something new (Bartlett & Mohammed 5).

3M has been able to retain its market leadership through technological innovation, market responsiveness and institutionalized entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship by its very nature is characterized by high risk and possibility of failure. Therefore it is necessary to have a management that encourages employees to innovate through incentives, and giving them time to actually pursue these innovative projects. Innovation requires research, which is resource intensive, therefore the company needed to ensure that these resources are available by making huge investments in R&D such as in the development of the Central Research Laboratory.

However, we must note that this is a business where the ultimate goal is to maximize on shareholder return. Thus giving each of these innovative divisions a clear set of corporate financial performance targets ensures that they self-monitor themselves, by investing only in those products that show promise of a return. If say, 3M lacked this form of financial targets for each of its divisions we would probably see some divisions becoming less accountable than others. Is 3M an “innovation factory,” or does it work by a different model?

And are those at 3M “T-shaped”? 3M is an innovation factory because we can identify within it the four intertwined work practices that characterize such a factory namely: capturing good ideas (3M spans multiple markets with multiple business units), keeping ideas alive (3M has a database containing over 25 years of information on hundreds of projects), imagining new uses for old ideas (3M encourages cross-functional interaction among all its divisions) and putting promising concepts to the test (3M encourages development of innovations from projects even when no large market potential is evident) (Hargadon & Sutton 324).

The staff at 3M is T-shaped. This is so because we can identify several of the approaches highlighted by Hansen and von Oetinger as necessary for an organization to have so that its staff can effectivel be T-shaped. Firstly, we see that 3M constructed a facility at Austin, Texas whose specific purpose was to facilitate cross-functional interaction and encourage teamwork (Bartlett & Mohammed 12) which is line with the formalization of cross-unit

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Strategic Leadership - Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/geography/1408443-strategic-leadership-case-study
(Strategic Leadership - Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words - 1)
https://studentshare.org/geography/1408443-strategic-leadership-case-study.
“Strategic Leadership - Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words - 1”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/geography/1408443-strategic-leadership-case-study.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Strategic Leadership - Case Study

Case Study - Strategic Leadership

Intel's strategy in dynamic random access memory (DRAMS) was to capitalise on product design whereby it will be seen as the first to market newest products in the market.... Its products were unique in that they were very complex in the technology that was used in their manufacturing.... hellip; The organisation triumphed on introducing devices and process technology that was ahead of competition and would attract premium prices....
5 Pages (1250 words) Case Study

Case Study - Strategic Leadership

Maytag always thrived on quality and remained customer-focused for its strategic predispositions.... In Maytag's case, it is the Numero Uno leader in laundry segment of the home appliance market and its strategic competencies of superiority, customer-oriented philosophy, in-house production capabilities and cost economies are but obvious.... In this light, Maytag has the alternative of either going for a licensing venture or a strategic alliance or acquisition....
5 Pages (1250 words) Case Study

Assessment of Strategic Elements of JetBlue

JetBlue's strategic intent  David Nelleman founded JetBlue with the view to bring humanity to air travel.... In order to enhance its customer and shareholder value, the airline established rapid and strategic growth initiatives.... JetBlue Airlines inaugurated its initial ceremonial flight in 2000....
4 Pages (1000 words) Case Study

Business Strategy - case study of Apple Inc, and Dell Computers

Listening to customers, by intensifying their customer services approaches, putting service sites and manufacturing plants in strategic places.... This is about two giant computer companies who both started as small players.... How they grew into a billion industries will be worth studying in the context of strategies on business, marketing and management discussed in different tasks assignments. Task 1....
5 Pages (1250 words) Case Study

Strategic Leadership in Criminal Justice

The essay "Strategic Leadership in Criminal Justice" seeks to analyze one of a typical leadership dilemma in the criminal justice setting.... nbsp;leadership is a complex phenomenon that comes with lots of challenges if one really wants to succeed as a leader.... hellip; In fact, leadership is not just about heading a group of people but incorporates the complex responsibility of fostering change and bringing out “a purposive process which is inherently value-based” (Austin, 2007)....
6 Pages (1500 words) Case Study

Robin Hood's Methods for Strategic Development

Expected Learning Objectives:Develop a fundamental understanding of Strategic Leadership from a leader's perspective.... nderstand the broad array of variables that affect Robin Hood's decisions and actions and understand the uncertainties that varied factors introduce to the Strategic Leadership challenge.... valuate Robin Hood's success to date through considering how he has executed his strategy (implementation levers and Strategic Leadership) and the outcomes he has achieved....
3 Pages (750 words) Case Study

Interventions and Modes Applied for Correcting the Lame Organizational Leadership Systems

The author states that poor leadership skills portrayed in poor organizational communication lead to increased conflict.... This paper aims at addressing vital interventions they can be applied towards achieving their intended applications towards correcting the lame organizational leadership systems.... n VRD, the implication of the Ladder of Inference can be explained base on the available data or evidence that shows that the organization lack strong leadership and employees are not ready to quit the status quo or to accept organizational changes....
6 Pages (1500 words) Case Study

Talent and Succession Planning

The success of any business organisation is depended upon the kind of leadership that guides normal operations, besides the resources and strategies being developed.... Effective leadership in this case is that which understands the value of all the people and other resources, then… Currently, many business organisation are in search of ways in which organizational leadership can enhance long-term success and performance in the face of rising competition among Talent and succession planning has become an important area of focus as far as organizational leadership is concerned....
4 Pages (1000 words) Case Study
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us