Case Studies 3M1: Rethinking Innovation Background Large (70K employees‚ $15bn sales)‚ global operations (200 countries)‚ multi-product (50K range)‚ multi-market business. Innovation ‘Claim to Fame’ This company has been around for just over 100 years and during that period has established a clear reputation as a major innovator. Their technical competence has been built up by a long-term commitment to R&D on which they currently spend around $1bn p.a.; this has yielded them a regular position
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1. How the 3 M innovation process evolved from the time the company was found? Answer: The innovation process at 3M has typically been a focus area for the upper management. The company had taken a getoutoftheway attitude towards the product developers who in turn have worked accordingly towards innovation. Along with technicians each team had a process engineer to ensure that the product was efficiently made. The entire team did not face any risk if the product failed.
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1. How has 3M’s innovation process evolved since the company was founded? Why‚ if at all‚ does 3M known as a "hothouse" of innovation‚ need to regain its historic closeness to the customer? First‚ they discover their first product by accident. Technician bypass purchasing agents in order to better understand product needs. Walked into factories and workplaces and talk directly to workers. Then‚ one developer discovered some success ignoring company order. Causing the attitude. It is better
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............................................................... 3 2 - Culture of Innovation ......................................................................................................................................... 6 3 - Pillars of 3M Innovation Process ....................................................................................................................... 8 4 - Breakthrough Innovation and Lead User approach .......................................................
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3M Business Analysis III Steve Phelps MGT/521 April 23‚ 2012 3M Business Analysis III To answer the question of how current economic trends are affecting 3M and what strategies 3M is using to adapt to the those economic trends‚ it is necessary to understand what the current state of the United States economy is‚ then define what economic trends exist. The Economy The best ways to understand what encompasses the economy in the United States is to first
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3M’s rhythm of change: 3M started as a mining and manufacturing company but soon developed into and moving toward technological innovations and products an example of steady rejuvenation. This kind of change was continuous throughout the life cycle of the company. The change started when a young book keeper named William L.McKnight took the place of 3M’s sales manager and observed the quality problems with company’s products. He started with a systematic change which eventually took effort after
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SWOT analysis III. Organizational focus: 1. Organizational structure 2. Type of structure in relation with the type of business IV. Brief Financial analysis and trends (3 years): 1. Liquidity 2. Equity 3. Debt ratios 4. Profitability ratios 3M Company was founded in 1902 by five businessmen‚ a lawyer‚ a doctor‚ two railroad executives and a butcher. The first headquarter was in the Lake Superior town of Two Harbors. Its completed name is Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Minn. The company
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Case Analysis- 3M Corporation Case Analysis- 3M: Profile of an Innovating Company Introduction Relevant Facts The next invention was the wetordry waterproof sandpaper‚ which came about when an ink manufacturing named Francis Okie asked for samples of every mineral supply in the house. Mr. Okie was persuaded to join 3M as the company first product developer. The wetordry found immediate acceptance in automobile plants and repair shops. The next critical event occurred in 1925 when
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3M Optical Systems: Case Brief As Andy Wong‚ how would you handle the authorization for expenditure for the re-launch of the privacy screen? As Andy Wong‚ I would take the proposal to one of my senior-level mentors for support. The OS unit has already tried and failed three times with the microlouvered filter and high level support would benefit both Wong and Guehler in this case. If Guehler sees that other areas of 3M are in support of the authorization for expenditure‚ then he will not have
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Art Fry was in search of a bookmark for his church hymnal that would neither fall out nor damage the hymnal. Fry noticed that a colleague at 3M®‚ Dr. Spencer Silver‚ had developed an adhesive that was strong enough to stick to surfaces‚ but left no residue after removal and could be repositioned. Fry took some of Dr. Silver’s adhesive and applied it along the edge of a piece of paper. The
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