Total Innovation Management

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Total Innovation Management - is the consistency of traditionally established innovation management and synergy of the company elements like organization, technology and inner culture, structure, people etc

According to Professor Qingrui Xu research: the reinvention and management of an innovation value network that dynamically integrates the conception, strategy, technology (including IT base), structure and business process, culture, and people at all levels of an organization".

The aim of TIM is not only based on the boost of company’s innovation competency and use appropriate methods to create special value for potential shareholders and have an ability to conquer with market competitors. In other words, it is ongoing game where main figures have to continuously introduce something not yet discovered, ordinary and unique to be on the top.

This concept provides wider and better-attuned view of the coherence significance between all units at all levels.

Historical overview/Foundation

Schumpeter (1934) was the first who mentioned the concept called ‘‘innovation’’ He indicated innovation as a combination of several components of production created by the entrepreneur and was convinced that it was one of the influential driving forces of economic development and growth It included production innovation, process innovation, market innovation, use of new raw materials and getting materials in new ways, and organizational innovation Thankfully to his research the focus of innovative research at the macro level of enterprise shifted to micro level in order to eliminate the vulnerabilities within firms.

The five main innovation phases were identified:

  • First-phase: research on individual innovation (1940s-1950s)

Systematic research of enterprises at micro level. It was based on idea that an entrepreneur is the power and the main component of innovation (Myer & Marquis, 1969; Rothwell, 1992).

  • Second-phase: research on organizational promotion (1960s-1970s)

Focused on methods of innovation promotion in organizations through effective management. Mainly investigated R&D department performance (Utterback, 1975).

  • Third-phase: research on outsider involvement (1970s)

Impact of users on innovation and process.The question was how to hire users effectively as key sources of innovation (Eric von ippel, 1988).

  • Fourth-phase: research on portfolio and systematic innovation 1980s-1990s) n the 1980s the organizations had to achieve more ambitious goals towards innovation in order to adapt to changing surrounding. Some researchers moved their focus from individual components to the interactive relationships of these elements coming up with portfolio innovation theory (Xu, Chen, & Guo, 1997)
  • Fifth-phase: research on TIM (21st century).he focus is on the TIM, which is defined as innovation conducted by anyone at any time in all processes, among different functions and around the world. The idea is to make everyone an innovator by increasing the level of creativity (Shapiro, 2001; Wheatley, 2001;Tucker, 2002). It aims at developing the model to guide TIM in enterprises. This concept was developed by Institute of Management Science & Strategy of Zhejiang University and a group of scholars from Stanford University (SDG).

TIM Framework

There are three main layers:

  • 1. Innovation in all functional areas like organization, culture, process etc.
  • 2. Covering of the whole space-time dimension in all departments by everybody, at anytime to innovate,
  • 3. The innovation synergy between innovative elements.

TIM Elements

Organizational strategy should be kept in dynamic balance.

the key source to accumulate core competence and to gain the competitive advantage.

  • Management:

It refers to the change and improvement of managerial mechanism, tools, et al.

Organizational structure has to be adjusted to the demand of innovation.

  • Culture:

Change in mind set is the fundamental requirements to carry out all innovation.

the innovation of regulations, rules about enterprise’s performance, staff rewards or on the contrary punishments, salary procedure,training and promotion etc.

  • Market:

the innovation of marketing channel or the operational ways in order to create new market, new channel using for instance Blue Ocean Strategy.

Internal sources for TIM

  • Own R&D
  • Technical divisions like design, technology
  • Production divisions (production, provision of services)
  • Logistics

External sources for TIM

Characteristics of successful TIM companies

  • Creativity of employees
  • Good team work
  • Project based approach and its management
  • Cooperation with external experts
  • Risk-taking
  • Employees’ motivation (they are wiling to improve company’s product and its operation)
  • Continuous education of employees
  • Financing of innovation activities

Examples of Total Innovation Management

  • Total Innovation Management (TIM) is a management methodology for driving innovation and creativity in an organization. It is designed to help organizations create a culture of innovation and to ensure that innovative ideas are implemented in a timely and cost-efficient manner. TIM is based on the idea that organizations should be continuously innovating and developing new products, processes, and services.
  • A great example of TIM in action is the story of how 3M used TIM to increase its innovation efforts. 3M adopted TIM and used it to establish a process of gathering ideas from employees and then developing them into product and process innovations. By using TIM, 3M was able to create a culture of innovation and to quickly develop and launch new products and services.
  • Another example of TIM is the story of how Google used it to develop its new search engine, Google. Google adopted TIM and used it to create an environment that encouraged creativity and innovation. They also used TIM to develop and launch the Google search engine, which was one of the most successful products in the company's history.
  • A final example of TIM is the story of how Apple used it to create the iPod. Apple adopted TIM and used it to create a culture of innovation and to develop the iPod, which revolutionized the music industry. By using TIM, Apple was able to quickly develop and launch the iPod, which was a major success.

Advantages of Total Innovation Management

Total Innovation Management (TIM) is the practice of managing, planning, and implementing innovative strategies and activities. Here are some of the advantages of TIM:

  • TIM enables organizations to identify and capitalize on opportunities for innovation. It helps organizations to identify potential areas of improvement, assess the risks associated with each opportunity, and create an action plan to ensure successful implementation.
  • TIM helps organizations to better understand their customer needs and develop customer-centric solutions. It also helps organizations to stay ahead of the competition by keeping up with the latest trends and technologies.
  • TIM provides organizations with the tools and resources needed to track and measure their progress. This helps organizations to determine their return on investment and adjust their strategy accordingly.
  • TIM encourages collaboration between departments and teams. This enhances the quality of the innovation process, as well as the end results.
  • TIM helps organizations to become more agile and responsive to changing market conditions. This allows them to innovate faster and stay ahead of the competition.

Limitations of Total Innovation Management

Total Innovation Management (TIM) is a method for managing innovation that aims to increase the total amount of innovation within an organization. However, the TIM system is not without its limitations. Some of the limitations of Total Innovation Management include:

  • Poor implementation: A well-structured TIM system requires a significant investment of resources and time to get up and running. If not implemented properly, the system may be ineffective in achieving its goals.
  • Insufficient incentives: In order to motivate employees to contribute to the TIM system, they must be provided with sufficient incentives. Without proper incentives, employees may be unwilling to engage with the system, leading to diminished returns.
  • Difficulty measuring success: Measuring the success of a TIM system can be difficult. As such, it can be difficult to determine whether the system is effective in achieving its goals.
  • Limited scope: TIM systems tend to focus on short-term innovation, which can limit their effectiveness in driving long-term innovation.
  • Difficulty adapting to change: As the business environment changes, TIM systems may need to adjust to remain effective. However, doing so can be difficult and time-consuming.

Other approaches related to Total Innovation Management

Introduction: In addition to Total Innovation Management, there are several other approaches which provide a framework for organisations to innovate.

  • Design Thinking is an approach which uses a human-centered approach to provide solutions to complex problems. It is a creative process which involves understanding the problem, exploring possibilities, prototyping solutions, and testing them in the real world.
  • Lean Innovation is an approach which seeks to reduce waste, increase efficiency and improve customer value. It involves a rapid cycle of ideation, experimentation, iteration, and validation.
  • Agile Innovation is an approach which uses rapid iteration, customer feedback, and continuous improvement to develop innovative products and services. It is based on the Agile software development methodology, and emphasizes customer collaboration and frequent feedback.
  • Open Innovation is an approach which involves engaging stakeholders within and outside the organization to facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing. It is based on the idea of sharing ideas and resources to generate new solutions to problems.
  • Blue Ocean Strategy is an approach which seeks to create new markets by focusing on value innovation. It involves creating a new market by identifying untapped customer needs and developing products or services to meet them.

In summary, there are several approaches which provide a framework for organisations to innovate, including Design Thinking, Lean Innovation, Agile Innovation, Open Innovation, and Blue Ocean Strategy. Each approach emphasizes different aspects of the innovation process, such as customer collaboration, experimentation, and value innovation.


Total Innovation Management — recommended articles
Innovation and change — Innovation management — Organizational innovation — Business model innovation — Innovation models — Chief innovation officer — Innovation cycle — Innovation process — Strategic management

References

Author: Daria Bartova

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