Executive summary listing the recommendations for futureproofing the company’s processes
You work as a middle manager for one of the top U.S. producers of luxury and mass-market automobiles and trucks. It has been a very busy couple of months for you. You have already submitted your plan for enabling innovation in the organization, including your recommendations for the type of innovation (incremental or discontinuous), a strategic plan, and improvements in organizational structures for an internet of things (IoT) innovation project. Additionally, you are leading a cross-functional team in charge of implementing the IoT innovation project. Now it is time for your final recommendations for making the organizational changes permanent. In this assignment, you will share your plans for futureproofing the company’s processes, structures, and culture of innovation in an executive summary, which will be used by your team to take your recommendations forward.
Prompt
Draft an executive summary listing the recommendations for futureproofing the company’s processes, structures, and culture of innovation.
Address the following criteria in the executive summary:
Discuss recommendations for organizational changes to support continuous innovation (you can use your suggestions from the project).
How would you make innovation a part of the company’s values and culture permanently?
What specific organizational structures and processes would you recommend?
Share your reflections on potential roadblocks to making the company more innovative.
Where would you expect to find organizational resistance?
How would you overcome this resistance?
Sample Answer
Executive Summary: Futureproofing Innovation at [Automotive Company Name]
Introduction:
This executive summary outlines recommendations for embedding continuous innovation within [Automotive Company Name], building upon our recent IoT innovation project. The goal is to create a sustainable culture and infrastructure that supports ongoing advancements, ensuring our leadership in the evolving automotive landscape.
Recommendations for Organizational Changes to Support Continuous Innovation:
Building on the success of the IoT project, we propose the following changes:
- Dedicated Innovation Hub: Establish a cross-functional innovation hub, separate from daily operations, to foster experimentation and rapid prototyping. This hub will act as a centralized point for idea generation, development, and testing of new technologies, including future IoT applications.