D081 QBM3 Task 1 – Innovative and Strategic Thinking Complete Solution (WGU 2024)

D081 QBM3 Version 5QBM3-Innovative and strategic thinking Complete Task 1 2025 Western Governors UniversityCourse/Assessment Code: D081 Version 5/QBM3 Student A1 The company in this scenario has a combination of clan and adhocracy cultures. They value employee input and founders and employees are viewed as equal partners. They also value innovation and desire to be the first company to establish a market share with its folding boat design. This type of organization will have both advantages and disadvantages in this scenario. Being innovative will allow the company to create a truly unique product while valuing input from employees, which could lead to a high level of employee satisfaction and a sense of ownership. The disadvantages could come in the form of struggling to design and manufacture enough inventory to meet the one-year goal of being profitable, establishing market share, and expanding into other regions of Asia. A2 The company uses a decentralized organizational structure, which is considered to be a Team- Based Network structure. This type of organizational structure is informal and remains flexible, which can lead to quicker decision-making, but can also suffer from a lack of clear lines of communication, who projects are assigned to, and when things are due. I believe this structure will serve as an advantage in this scenario. The company’s one-year plan will require quick decision-making and a high level of innovation to design a foldable boat that meets NFDB requirements. A3 a. organizational culture With an innovative organizational culture, the company values employee input on design and seeks creative ideas from the entire organization. This would influence strategic decision- making by allowing collaboration among all employees and outside innovators. This could have a positive effect in the “evaluate and compare” step of decision-making, leading the company to quickly choose the best boat design for the target market. b. organizational structure A decentralized organizational structure allows for shared and fluid decision-making within the company and access to founders at any time. This could benefit the company during the entire decision-making process. Allowing multiple, and diverse, opinions during decision-making can lead to very innovative designs that could be quickly implemented into manufacturing.c. mission and vision statements In the company’s mission and vision statements, they state that be the most innovative and sustainable company in the industry, and that it will use customer-driven designs. Using customer input will be a benefit in the “generate solutions” step of decision-making, which will allow for a boat design that benefits the fishers. Committing to innovation and sustainability will aid in deciding what materials to use to manufacture the folding boats. d. ethical statement The company’s ethical statement describes making decisions that are sustainable for both the customers and the environment. This helped guide the decision to identify materials that are already present in India and can be recycled once the boats have reached the end of life. This ethical statement also guided them to employ Indian workers, creating a bit of economic stability for the region in which the manufacturing will be established. B1 One market characteristic of India is that fishing is one of the primary industries in its coastal regions. There are over 14 million people who are part of the fishing industry, creating a high- volume customer base. According to the Department of Fisheries, the fishing industry is 1% of India’s GDP and just over 6.5% of fish export globally. There is a high demand for fishing- related industries in the region. A second market characteristic of India is the fact that laws and regulations require non- mechanized boats. This requirement plays in favor of the folding boat design. There is also a desire to partner with those who help the natural ecosystem through the use of non-mechanized boats. Traditional fishers would see a direct benefit of having a foldable, non-mechanized boat, that they could easily transport. B2 Redesign 1: Given that there is an enormous customer base in India, and these customers range in age from 13-70, a redesign idea is to have both a rugged and lightweight option for the folding boats. The lightweight option would be better suited for fishers who may have less overall strength to transport the boat by hand, or who fish in the calmest of water. The rugged design could be targeted at the more physically able fishers or those who are in less calm waters. Redesign 2: A second redesign idea that relates to a non-mechanized folding boat design, would be to have an oar or paddle design that easily converts the folding boat into a wheeled dolly or wagon for easier transport of both the boat and fish. This would benefit fishers with limited strength to carry the boat, fishing gear, and fish, or fishers who bring in large amounts of fish. It would also help to quickly transport the boat longer distances from shore.B2a Redesign Idea 1: The option of two versions of the folding boat, one that is lightweight and one that is rugged, could reach a broader market. The demographics of the fishers in India vary widely. Water conditions will also vary based on location and weather. By having more than one option for purchase, the company could sell more boats by offering options that are tailored to different physical abilities and water conditions. Redesign Idea 2: The new dolly/wagon design creates a 2 in 1 product that is environmentally friendly. Fishers who use this product to not only fish but also transport caught fish, do not need to purchase an additional product to transport said fish and fishing gear. This design would also allow the boat to be used in the dolly/wagon form for activities outside of fishing, such as shopping or transporting other items, which is in line with the focus on the environment in the region. B3 Stage 1: The company will empathize with the customer. In this stage, the company will seek to understand the potential needs and wants of the end-user. The company would research whether a dualpurpose fishing boat/transportation device would benefit the fishers by interviewing potential customers and determining what they think and feel about the design. Stage 2: The company will now analyze its findings and define where the fishers’ problem exists. This will allow the company to create a problem statement that is human-centered. A possible problem statement for this scenario could be: Fishers in the coastal regions of India need an environmentally friendly dual-purpose fishing boat that transports fish and gear both on the water and on land. Stage 3: The next stage of the process is to generate ideas or ideate. All possible design ideas will be considered. This is a team activity that should bring varying ideas and perspectives. Ideas should come from all levels of employees and the Indian fishers who were hired to help design the boat. Once all ideas are considered, a shortened list of solutions will be evaluated. Stage 4: A prototype is a sample version of a product. Several prototypes could be made and compared. These will be quick designs that can be tested and evaluated. In this scenario, I would want to see both dolly and wagon-style prototypes. Stage 5:The test stage is when prototypes are tried and evaluated. The testing phase should identify any potential problems with the design and allow more than one prototype to be compared. Small design changes can be implemented and tested again. Stage 6: Once a successful prototype is identified, the implementation stage begins. The solution to the problem statement, which is the final design, is brought to scale, and production, distribution, and sales begin. Customer feedback will determine if any future changes in design are needed. B3a Organizational culture The company’s innovative culture would impact the following stages: ideate, prototype, and test. The company provides incentives for creative ideas which should generate diverse design ideas as well as diverse prototypes through brainstorming sessions. The company also uses testing laboratories where the customer can use and evaluate the product and provide feedback on the design. Organizational structure The define and test stages would be impacted by the company’s decentralized organizational structure. All employees could evaluate the research from the first stage and have input on the problem statement. As such, all employees should be committed to the solution. During the testing phase, all employees will have the option to collaborate with company founders and provide input on what the final product should be. Company ethics The company’s ethics, which include decisions that are sustainable for the environment and customers will impact ideation, prototype design, and implementation. During ideation, the company will need to consider plastics that are already being used in India to reduce waste products. They will also need to consider sustainability in the prototype phase, and design prototypes that have the potential for long life and heavy use. In the implementation stage, the company will hire local Indian workers and only use direct materials that are eco-friendly and recyclable in the area. C. Culture Impact: The company’s Clan culture should have a positive impact on the Market Entry Strategy. With the significant investment requirements, including a manufacturing facility and hiring Indian workers, a Clan culture should allow these new employees to feel welcomed and allow forproduct design that immediately fits the needs of the fishers. This would also help make the oneyear goal more feasible with a propensity for quicker decision-making. Ethical Statement Impact: The company’s ethics of making decisions that are sustainable for both customers and the environment will have a positive influence on its market entry. The current business climate in India favors partnerships that preserve the ecosystem. Their ethics also align with the NFDB which will more easily facilitate a strategic endorsement from the board, under which they will use plastics used in Inda for the products, creating further environmental sustainability. D. References Western Governors University, (n.d.). Innovative and Strategic Thinking. [Course Material]. Western Governors University, (n.d.). US Fishing Boat Manufacturer Scenario (Version 5/QBM3). Cameron, K. (n.d.). An Introduction to the Competing Values Framework.