Creative Thinking Assignment Sample

• Subject Name : Management

Introduction

An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it. — Bill Bernbach, co-founder of Doyle Dane Bernbach.

Creativity is part and parcel of innovation. Without the creativity, there is no invention. Although creativity is the potential to create new and innovative ideas, innovation is the realization of that imagination (Varma, 2018). This is the implementation of a new concept, solution, method or product. Creativity is the leading force driving creativity and the implementation of laws and defined or uncodified norms of looking at issues from another viewpoint and independence of restriction. Creativity and creativity have always been known as a sure path to success within a well managed business. Enhancing creativity and discovering entirely new and unfamiliar terrain contributes to an improvement in organisation's profitability (Olszak et al., 2018).

The secret to cost-effective business strategies is empowering workers to think outside the box and allowing them time and money to explore new areas for creative ideas. In this essay we will determine the importance creativity and innovation in business to cope up with the competition in the market. We will discuss how the tools of design thinking is used by Nestle, which is a Swiss multinational corporation for food and drink manufacturing headquartered in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland. We will also determine the potential sources for the new creativity, the creativity blocks that could be barrier to the organization. Eventually we will discuss the stimulating techniques and forms of innovation that have been used to facilitate creativity the organization (Wiengarten et al., 2016).

Creativity and innovative strategies can emerge from virtually everywhere-from the friends, clients, target audiences, workers (Liu et al., 2018). They will offer fresh perspectives and ideas so show them that you are listening to their input and are responsive to them. This is why it is critical that the organization endorse and promote an free exchange of ideas. Possible sources of competitive advantage can be established by performing Nestle's Value Chain Analysis during the planning process. The company is coupled with different events that somehow share relatedness. Nestle can not exchange any outside market activity. The approach to the Value Chain implies that a firm should view such operations as sources of economic rent.

Such practices may also serve as obstacles to new entrants, or trigger competitive cost disadvantages. Through the value chain lens, Nestle may recognize complex internal and external linkages between activities. External links are interrelationships between activities within the same organizational structures and external interactions between the same or different organizations' business units. Researching these interrelationships will allow a company to take advantage of teamwork and mutual optimisation. Value Chain Analysis will be used to automate the flow of money, goods and knowledge. The improved flow of information will help the firm find and leverage new opportunities and rising external threats.

The ongoing assessment of the value chain will result in the timely filling of important gaps which can affect the profitability of a business. The successful implementation of Nestle's Supply Chain Analysis will increase the flow of materials and goods due to an improved demand and sales forecast. Inventory control will also improve as Nestle can reduce delays in the supply chain by monitoring activities. Modern consumers will put great emphasis on timely response and easy access to relevant information related to the goods. The unforeseen disruption in the information flow will affect the relationship between customer and supplier. Nestle Value Chain Analysis and its application will underline and eliminate the knowledge flow bottlenecks.

Potential blocks of innovation for Nestle's innovation initiatives entails that the business might lose its goal and strategic vision by separating functions into various activities (Martinez, 2017). Due to various increased complexity, splitting the operations into primary and support tasks may not be separate. The division mechanism could be time consuming, and it can also be difficult to locate the necessary details. Successful implementation of the value chain requires not only familiarity but thorough knowledge. If Nestle does not organize its Business Information System correctly, it will find it difficult to get the necessary information. Nestle will pick and source high quality raw material by using Value Chain Analysis and on the basis of this, build consumer loyalty.

Value Chain Analysis will also be utiized to establish label identification. Nestle can also achieve competitive differentiation by speeding the delivery to end consumers of the goods offered. Nestle's key supply chain operations will involve itself directly in manufacturing and distributing the drug to targeted consumers (Yoo et al., 2017). Primary value chain activity analysis will enhance Nestle's efficiency including Inbound Logistics, Production, Outbound Logistics, Advertising, and Sales and Resources. Robust infrastructure, human resource development, research and development, procurement are the secondary activities. Nestle's Competitive Value Chain Analysis Advantages is necessary for Nestle to base its competitive edge on operations in which it has exposure to the scarce resources.

It may include — intellectual property, money, expertise or network of distribution. The study of the value chain will help Nestle recognize those activities and improve those areas to gain a clear competitive advantage over competitors. Global Value Chain (GVC) analysis will play a major role in resolving key issues relating to growth and competitiveness. It will enable company to understand when, where, and who generates and distributes economic, social, and environmental value. Different stakeholders may use the findings of an analysis of the value chain to formulate industrial policies and strategic strategies, both at company and country level.

Another creative approach is Prototyping. A prototype is an early version, design or launch of a product that is developed to test a design or procedure. A prototype is typically utilized to test a new design to boost analysts and users of the framework accuracy. Prototypes are an important part of the design process and a technique used in all fields of design. Nestlé will develop the prototyping process to meet market demands. Prototyping uses Stereolithography Rapid Prototyping methods to create innovative products. In order to make its processes quicker, improve rapid prototyping and build accelerators (Kirchoff et al., 2016). Nestlé will adapt its approach to innovation to give it a competitive edge and keep up with rapidly evolving customer tastes.

The business will finance further fast-track innovation ventures contributing to product launches that will dramatically shorten the total length of the research and innovation programs being centrally led (Kiełbus & Karpisz,2020). The business is moving in a "appropriate and customized way" to communicate with customers. All customer interactions with Nestlé have been customized in the coming years. Nestlé will also be changing processes by digitizing the supply chains and exporting further. The aim is to create a competitive advantage by means of data, robotics, optimization and predictive analysis. For example, by the end of 2019, 100 Nestlé factories were fitted with collaborative machines that communicate in close vicinity with people in a shared room, or function safely. Nestlé will keep on working for a waste-free future.

Nestlé will also introduce more sustainable branding across its portfolio of products. This will involve the launch of paper packaging products, increased use of recycled materials in their water labels and the implementation of new bulk delivery systems. Nothing would get the firm closer than prototyping to the final product's functionality. While wireframes map out the model and vector illustrations show the design's feel and texture, it's the prototype that brings the "interface" behind "customer experience" to life (Gabriel et al., 2016). The perfect call-to-action can look fantastic on the screen, but the business would not know if it's working with end users till the prototype is clickable. Not only will prototypes support give working model, it will reveal any design vulnerabilities behind the vector graphics and mockups more importantly.

This will further boost market competitiveness for the products. The only possible potential block of innovation to work in high fidelity is that the high fidelity version is more time- and money-costly. It takes a higher level of ability to build a high fidelity prototype. Prototyping successful strategies will identify suitable approaches with a comparable grade of projected benefit evaluating alternative methods, choosing from each of acceptable alternative strategies something which will most likely and most efficiently achieve the intended main objective (Chang et al., 2016).

Nestle's ways of innovation used to promote creativity include model of value formation. The model of long-term value creation is focused on a sustainable pursuit of commodity-efficient top- and bottom-line production, and also enhanced capital effectiveness. Nestle generated this value by boosting innovation through creativity, competitiveness and offering its customers relevant products and services. They are focused to achieving a sustainable mid-digit organic growth point, enhancing efficiency and productivity with the goal of rising our fundamental trading net profit ratio to between 18.5 per cent and 19.5 per cent by 2020 (from 17.0 per cent in 2016) and delegating their resources and equity with consistency and specific goals, such as through collaborations and divestments (Baporikar, 2016).

Another innovation at Nestlé is Integrated Product Growth. This concept was proposed by Nestlé to improve the competitiveness and lead to a healthier future. In practice, a life span, dual-criteria, and comprehensive approach involving internal and external stakeholders translates into product growth (Dell’Era et al., 2017). The responsibilities were established taking into consideration feedback from stakeholders and resource issues for the customers, shareholders and the company. In partnership with Sustainability, an independent consultancy specializing in corporate sustainability, the materiality assessment is carried out every two years using a structured process involving detailed consultations with stakeholders, creditors and primary policy makers.

Issues that matter in the areas of ecology, financial and governance are identified and analyzed to evaluate their market effect in terms of threats and opportunities together with stakeholder defined level of interest (Alemu, 2019). The commitments also coincided with the Sustainable Development Goals in terms of scale and timetable.

Conclusion

The essay concludes that value chain analysi is a planning method used to evaluate the practices of the internal firms. Its objective is to consider which practices are the company's most important (i.e., the foundation of cost or competitiveness advantage) and which activities could be enhanced to provide competitive edge. Possible sources of competitive advantage can be established by adopting Nestle's Value Chain Analysis during the planning process. Potential blocks of innovation for Nestle's ingenuity initiatives entails the business losing its vision and overall strategy by separating operations into separate activities.

Nestlé will boost prototyping to meet market demands. In order to make its processes quicker, improve rapid prototyping and build accelerators, Nestlé will adapt its approach to innovation to give it a competitive edge and keep up with rapidly evolving customer tastes. Nestle's ways of innovation incorporated to promote creativity include model of value creation and Integrated Product Growth at Nestlé.

References

Alemu, G. M. (2019). Strategic use of branding for competitiveness: the rationale for branding and marketing agricultural products of African countries. Journal of Fair Trade, 1(2), 6-13.

Baporikar, N. (2016). Strategies for Enhancing the Competitiveness of MNEs. In Multinational Enterprise Management Strategies in Developing Countries (pp. 50-71). IGI Global.

Chang, W., Ellinger, A. E., Kim, K. K., & Franke, G. R. (2016). Supply chain integration and firm financial performance: A meta-analysis of positional advantage mediation and moderating factors. European Management Journal, 34(3), 282-295.

Dell’Era, C., Altuna, N., Magistretti, S., & Verganti, R. (2017). Discovering quiescent meanings in technologies: exploring the design management practices that support the development of Technology Epiphanies. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 29(2), 149-166.

Gabriel, A., Monticolo, D., Camargo, M., & Bourgault, M. (2016). Creativity support systems: A systematic mapping study. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 21, 109-122.

Kirchoff, J. F., Tate, W. L., & Mollenkopf, D. A. (2016). The impact of strategic organizational orientations on green supply chain management and firm performance. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 46(3), 269-292.

Kiełbus, A., & Karpisz, D. (2020). Creating of Transnational Cooperation Network as a Factor of Competitiveness. System Safety: Human-Technical Facility-Environment, 2(1), 285-291.

Liu, W., & Atuahene-Gima, K. (2018). Enhancing product innovation performance in a dysfunctional competitive environment: The roles of competitive strategies and market-based assets. Industrial Marketing Management, 73, 7-20.

Martinez, M.G., (2017). Inspiring crowdsourcing communities to create novel solutions: Competition design and the mediating role of trust. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 117, pp.296-304.

Olszak, C. M., Bartuś, T., & Lorek, P. (2018). A comprehensive framework of information system design to provide organizational creativity support. Information & Management, 55(1), 94-108.

Varma, T. M. (2018). Nestle India in a Soup: Mapping Emotions to the Use of Coping Strategies. Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness, 12(1), 48-63.

Wiengarten, F., Humphreys, P., Gimenez, C., & McIvor, R. (2016). Risk, risk management practices, and the success of supply chain integration. International Journal of Production Economics, 171, 361-370.

Yoo, S. H., & Seo, Y. W. (2017). Effect of supply chain structure and power dynamics on R&D and market performances. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 18(3), 487-504.

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