Solved Case 3m
-------------------------------------------------
Case Study: 3M
Q: Can other Companies just copy 3M’s structures and culture and become successful innovators also?
3M's organizational structure is built around cultures that encourage innovation. From this angle, the company was able to develop 6 business strategies to promote entrepreneurship and increase customer satisfaction.
For decades, 3M has been known as an entrepreneurial organization that pursues growth through innovation. Innovation was encouraged originally in an informal way by the founders, but was later formalized over a century into 3M’s organizational culture. The organizational culture is one which encourages innovation.
Copying ideas and practices of other organization is a mechanism widely used by firms across the globe to improve their performance. Hence there is a chance that organizations can become successful innovators if they directly copy 3M's business model and culture.
However, in my opinion, organizations can adapt rather adopt the ideas and cultures according to their own situations. Organizations may face different internal and external environments, business strategies, growth approaches, founder’s vision etc. Following table shows the comparative analysis of the organizations that can or cannot successfully copy 3M’s model and culture to become successful innovators; Successful implementation | Not successful implementation | * The founders thinking about continuous innovation * Strategies placed in for innovation * Skilled, creative and Dynamic staff * Resources and systems are placed for Research and new innovation * Managers are aggressive, imitative and encourage risk taking * Change is accepted * Rewards on achievements * Responsiveness towards customer satisfaction | * The founders looking for sustainable profits only * Common business strategies * More bureaucratic and stable staff * Limited Resources available
Case Study: 3M
Q: Can other Companies just copy 3M’s structures and culture and become successful innovators also?
3M's organizational structure is built around cultures that encourage innovation. From this angle, the company was able to develop 6 business strategies to promote entrepreneurship and increase customer satisfaction.
For decades, 3M has been known as an entrepreneurial organization that pursues growth through innovation. Innovation was encouraged originally in an informal way by the founders, but was later formalized over a century into 3M’s organizational culture. The organizational culture is one which encourages innovation.
Copying ideas and practices of other organization is a mechanism widely used by firms across the globe to improve their performance. Hence there is a chance that organizations can become successful innovators if they directly copy 3M's business model and culture.
However, in my opinion, organizations can adapt rather adopt the ideas and cultures according to their own situations. Organizations may face different internal and external environments, business strategies, growth approaches, founder’s vision etc. Following table shows the comparative analysis of the organizations that can or cannot successfully copy 3M’s model and culture to become successful innovators; Successful implementation | Not successful implementation | * The founders thinking about continuous innovation * Strategies placed in for innovation * Skilled, creative and Dynamic staff * Resources and systems are placed for Research and new innovation * Managers are aggressive, imitative and encourage risk taking * Change is accepted * Rewards on achievements * Responsiveness towards customer satisfaction | * The founders looking for sustainable profits only * Common business strategies * More bureaucratic and stable staff * Limited Resources available