...Innovation, ideas and solutions for a modern world 1 Introduction – A Century of Innovation 3M is a global diversified materials science company and a powerful, diverse and integrated enterprise. Although 3M identifies its core competency simply as “applying coatings to backings”, the company’s operations extend far beyond this. 3M, famous for its consumer brands such as Scotch® Tape and Post-it ® Notes, also creates thousands of industrial products used by manufacturers and service providers to create their own products. From its beginnings in 1902 as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, 3M has grown to achieve sales revenue of $US25.3 billion and an operating income of $US3.5 billion in 2008. The company has over 79,000 employees with approximately 13 percent employed directly as technical staff. As a truly global presence, 3M services almost 200 national markets, and operates subsidiary companies, such as 3M Australia, in more than 60 countries. Almost 64 percent of 3M’s entire sales revenue originates from international operations. With a vision “to be the most innovative enterprise and preferred supplier in the markets we serve”, 3M prides itself on its history of innovation – reinforced through its brand promise, “practical and ingenious solutions that help customers succeed”. Key values underpinning 3M’s continual success include its commitment to: • Satisfy our customers with superior quality and value • Provide investors with an attractive...
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...profile ( 2011 ). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.politicalaccountability.net/index.php?ht=a/GetDocumentAction/i/5154 Common blog, what does 3m, unitedhealth group and comcast have to do with trayvon martin?. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.commonblog.com/2012/03/29/what-does-3m-unitedhealth-group-and-comcast-have-to-do-with-trayvon-martin/ Center for Responsive Politics, (2012). 3m co expenditures. Retrieved from website: http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/expenditures.php?cycle=2012&cmte=C00084475 Center for Responsive Politics, (2012). 3m co. lobbying. Retrieved from website: http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=D000021800&year=2012 Public Citizen, (2011). 12 months after the effects of citizens united on elections and the integrity of the legislative process. Washington, D.C.: Public Citizen. Retrieved from http://www.citizen.org/documents/Citizens-United-20110113.pdf 3m community giving. (2013). Retrieved from http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Community-Giving/US-Home/ Economic recession and competitive advantage. (2009, December 30). Retrieved from http://ayushveda.com/blogs/business/economic-recession-and-competitive-advantage-the-3m-case/ Black, T. (2013, April 26). 3m cuts 2013 profit forecast on slowing demand. Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-25/3m-profit-trails-analyst-estimates-as-europe-slumps.html The National Bureau of Economic Research, Public Information Office. (n.d.). Us business...
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...What actions, policies, strategy are used by the selected organization to motivate innovations among its employees? 3M Company, previously known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company is an US MNC. They focus on two core themes – Deep technological competence and Strong product development capabilitie. * Setting stretch targets – such as demarcation of profit generated from X product in Y year sets benchmark for others. * Allocating resources as “Slack” – Ample of space, time and opportunity to grow. * Encouragement of “bootlegging” employees working on innovative projects. * Access to resources in a non-formal manner. * Different levels of Venture capitalist and provision to stag resource for innovators. * Intra-Entrepreneurship – Letting people take their idea forward within the organization and without having them leave. Are innovations are introduced by individuals or teams? 3M has department demarcation at various levels. For instance, they not only address the one who has done a great innovation but also the ones who have put in a lot of effort for the product; therefore having an award for effort rather than achievement. At 3M, the strategy is to reward the one who is actually involved in the process hence enabling everyone to come forward. If it is group effort, it will be introduced by the group leader having all the members recognized and if it’s in an individual effort; he/ she will also reckon the people who have...
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...Problems This case describes how 3M Corp. introduces and learns a new and innovative methodology titled Lead User research to understand future customer and market needs. A team from 3M's Medical-Surgical Markets Division applies the Lead User Methodology to the field of surgical infection control and discovers that there exist new product concepts together with a new business strategy. The problem here is 3M should decide whether this new strategy will be a tool for 3M 's strategy towards corporate expansion and innovation. In the mid 90s, 3M realized the symptoms in its innovation approach that only incremental development is involved in its current product range instead of breakthrough ones. This approach limited the company’s competitiveness and financial performance and growing the business required to prepare the environment capable of delivering “breakthrough innovations“. Therefore, 3M’s management set a new goal: 30% of sales should be driven by new products. The new strategy focuses on understanding the real market needs to create possible developments and enhancements for a particular product which can eventually lead to a breakthrough in product offering that ultimately results in a competitive advantage. In this case, the suggested approach, Lead User Method, enables 3M to satisfy an important need (not spreading infections during surgery) by developing a specific new product or service. If there is not a new approach, the innovations that 3M makes will only...
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...3M has been known for decades as an entrepreneurial company that peruses growth through innovation. It generates a quarter of its annual revenues from products less than 5 years old. Long before “reinvention” became a buzzword of American business, 3M already had made change a central part of its corporate culture [1]. Many say the company’s success over the years is linked to its ability to change as 3M, its products and the world marketplace evolves. Once 3M top management has long felt that the 3M innovation process was being focus on incremental improvements to existing product lines. They urgently wanted to improve matters, and wanted especially to improve 3M's ability to respond to the "unarticulated needs" of customers by providing breakthroughs and services. Among many methods of innovation that the 3M used to improve their capability of making breakthroughs, The Lead User process offered a promising solution to that problem. Von Hipple (1999) marks that the Lead User market research method is built around the idea that the richest understanding of new product and service needs is held by just a few "Lead Users." They can be identified and drawn into a process of joint development of new product or service concepts with manufacturer personnel. In this research after a general description of innovation definition, the 3M Company is introduced as the research case study. In the fourth part the culture and methods of innovation that made or used by the 3M is discussed. And...
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...APPROACH 3M being a multinational reputed for its innovativeness adopts a premium pricing strategy usually targeting higher tier customers as it is believed 80% of the wealth is possessed by 20% of the population and vice versa. However, in terms of volume based sales it is evident that the lower tiers of the income pyramid opt for low cost substitutes due to the price barrier. On a more practical note it is the executive that is more likely to require vehicle detailing on a comparatively regular basis. 3M CLIENTELE 3M CLIENTELE 3M Car detailing is yet to reach its maturity in the product life cycle and in this growth phase instead of a premium pricing strategy a penetration pricing strategy or a more affordable product portfolio would be instrumental in generating sales at this crucial point in the product life cycle. From the above analysis of 3M Car Care’s growth it can be derived that the product is not performing up to its full potential and can risk a premature decline. In order to alter this trend for the better there has to be a change in the current marketing mix put into effect. ISSUES ARISING AS A RESULT OF A HIGH PRICE * Restricted demand from individual customers and channel partners Demand is restricted across the entire range of car detailing products as prices vary from 5* to 10* the price of a local competitor brand due to this channel partners offer the customers a choice of a 3M car wash or...
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...3M Marketing Audit Jeremiah Lindgren University of Mary 3M Marketing Audit 3M was founded in 1902 in Two Harbors, Minnesota by five businessmen, with diverse occupations, who wanted to mine a mineral deposit for grinding-wheel abrasives (3M, 2012). The founders did what many others did in that time and that was incorporate first and investigate later so soon after their start the company moved to Duluth, Minnesota to focus on sandpaper products because the mineral deposit was of little value (3M, 2012). 3M struggled for many years, then they got the quality production and supply chain down they attracted new investors. The company moved to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1910 and in 1916 they paid their first dividends of 6 cents a share (3M, 2012). In 2004, their sales topped $20 billion for the first time and currently they are in 25 different countries worldwide. When most people think of 3M they think of Post-It notes and Scotch tape but 3M actually has many other businesses besides office supplies (3M, 2012). They currently have a very high technology platform which gives them the ability to have a graphics business that people rely on every day along with an electronic and communication business that contribute reliable sources of electrical power to markets around the world (3M, 2012). They supply innovative and reliable products that are used by health care professionals. These products make them a global leader in medical and oral care products, and drug deliver and...
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...Q1. How has 3M’s innovation process evolved since the company was founded? Why, if at all, does 3M, known as the “hothouse” of innovation, need to regain historic closeness to the customer? Ans1. 3M Corporation has small laboratory or research and development section with some technicians and doing experiments on sandpaper and developed some core technology at that time for 3M like masking tapes. After such core technologies development 3M achieved global reputation and become “hothouse” of innovation. However the process grows slowly and allows 3M to recognize user needs because 3M researchers contact different employees in factories. In 1990’s 3M have 30 key technologies and get much market growth and for more development and product 3M employing more engineers and scientists. 3M corporation goes high in innovation but they are not able to found what customer need is because of least interaction and closeness with customers and users. This is because 3M need some marketing research and identifies customer needs rather focusing on products and technical stuff. Q2. How does the Lead User research process differ from and complement other traditional market research methods? Ans2. Lead user research is the process in which products may be innovate and developed products on the basis of the information and data collect by customers or user and with respect to the need of users. By the help of lead user research organizations are able to identify the client...
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...Group Case Study 1 Report HAS 6149 Group 3 Florida International University Background Information Yunnan Baiyao Group Co., Ltd. (YB) is a state-owned enterprise in China. Through more than a hundred-year history, Yunnan Baiyao had become a household brand in China for its unique traditional herbal medicines that were effective in the treatment of open wounds, fractures, contusions and strains. However, along with the rapid changes of the pharmaceutical industry in China and the maturity of YB’s products, they are reaching a bottleneck. In order to help YB to extend its life cycle and stabilize its profit, YB had to look for new growth areas. The options of product diversification and market diversification have risen. In this case study, our mission is to decide which option above is better for the development of YB based on our analysis. SWOT Analysis Strengths Long history and respected reputation in China and other Asian countries. Year 2012 is the 100 anniversary of YB, as a brand with 100 years history, YB is well-known in China, as well as in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. For a long time till now, this respected brand always with the image of trustful, healthy, and organic. In 1996, Yunnan Baiyao Company integrated other three producers into a sole owner of Baiyao-Yunnan Baiyao Group Co. (YB). By this means, YB can strengthen its brand reputation and standardize the products’ quality. A diversified and vertically integrated player...
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...[pic] CASE ASSIGNMENT As the end of his first year comes to a close, George Buckley (CEO) is evaluating his strategic approach and its ability to drive desired results for 3M during the upcoming year. He has asked you to prepare a report assessing strategic performance during 2006 and to make recommendations for enhancing strategic competitiveness in 2007. You will have a 10 minute meeting with Buckley to highlight your findings, so you should prepare 3-5 Power Point slides to provide an overview of your written report and to summarize the results of your analysis and supporting exhibits. Your report and overview should address the following key strategic issues: 1. Establish criteria for judging strategic performance by comparing past successes and strategies. Use a Balanced Scorecard framework to make sure that both financial and strategic controls are used to assess performance. 2. Define the company's core competency. 3. Determine if the company has a sustainable competitive advantage. If you determine that a sustainable advantage exists, support your claim. If you find it lacking, recommend actions that would secure a sustainable competitive advantage. 4. Identify any external environmental forces that have strategic implications in the future. 5. Evaluate the success of 3M's strategy in 2006 based on the criteria identified for judging strategic performance. 6. Evaluate 3M's Acquisition strategy. 7. Recommend an integrated and coordinated...
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...08 Fall 08 Fall ABSTRACT This paper is written with a purpose to give a strategic advice to 3M’s current CFO D.W. Meline how to manage 3M’s future exposure of the foreign exchange rate risk. In doing so, the overall profile of the company is discussed; the current foreign exchange risk management instruments are described; and conclusions are drawn, followed by recommendations. ABSTRACT This paper is written with a purpose to give a strategic advice to 3M’s current CFO D.W. Meline how to manage 3M’s future exposure of the foreign exchange rate risk. In doing so, the overall profile of the company is discussed; the current foreign exchange risk management instruments are described; and conclusions are drawn, followed by recommendations. International Risk Management: An Analysis of 3M’s Foreign Risk Management International Risk Management: An Analysis of 3M’s Foreign Risk Management Contents Executive Summary 3 Introduction 4 1. Description Historical Exchange Rates 6 2. Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk 10 2.1. Current Strategy to Manage Exchange Rate Risk 10 2.1.1. Cash Flow Hedging 10 2.1.2. Net investment hedging 13 2.2. Currency Translation Effects...
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...Case study An analysis of 3M, the innovation company Introduction Any review of the literature on new product development and innovation management will uncover numerous references to 3M. The organisation is synonymous with innovation and has been described as ‘a smooth running innovation machine’ (Mitchell, 1989). Year after year 3M is celebrated in the Fortune 500 rankings as the ‘most respected company’ and the ‘most innovative company’. Management gurus from Peter Drucker to Tom Peters continually refer to the company as a shining example of an innovative company. This case study takes a look at the company behind some of the most famous brands in the marketplace, including Post-it® Notes. It examines the company’s heritage and shows how it has arrived at this enviable position. Furthermore, the case study attempts to clarify what it is that makes 3M stand out from other organisations. Background Originally known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, with its headquarters in St Paul, Minnesota, 3M was established in 1902 to mine abrasive minerals for the production of a single product, sandpaper. From these inauspicious beginnings, the company has grown organically, concentrating on the internal development of new products in a variety of different industries. The latest review of the company’s position reveals that it manufactures over 60,000 products, has operations in 61 countries, employs 75,000 people and has achieved an average year-on-year growth...
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...CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1. Background of Case Study Selection Differentiated strategy is the strategy pursued by the company to produce products that are different or unique compared to competitors' products. Researchers are interested in doing research on the company because researcher wanted to learn more about controls for differentiated strategies, both theoretical and practical. Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Corporation (3M) is one of the companies that have successfully implemented differentiated product strategy that gives priority to innovation as a competitive advantage offered. This company believes that innovation to be the cornerstone of 3M’s future success. Current management has continued to embrace and expand these policies and philosophies. That is why researchers interested in evaluating policies and 3 M that philosophy is based on the innovation in the implementation of the strategy of differentiation 2. Motivation Motivation researchers conducted a study of control for differentiated strategies in Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Corporation (3M) because the researchers wanted to know more about the factors that influenced the design of the system and also the policies and philosophy rooted in the innovations made by 3M Corporation. By studying and examining the existing policy and philosophy that is rooted in innovation from the company, researchers can get a clearer picture of how to do a proper evaluation and what steps...
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...For the exclusive use of Q. WEI2015. 9-699-012 REV: JULY 23, 2002 STEFAN THOMKE Innovation at 3M Corporation (A) On the evening of October 23, 1997, Rita Shor, senior product specialist at 3M, looked across the conference room at her team from the Medical-Surgical Markets Division. She wondered when to draw to close the intense ongoing debate on the nature of the team’s recommendations to the Health Care Unit’s senior management. A hand-picked group of talented individuals, the team had embarked on a new method for understanding customer needs called “Lead User Research.” But this initiative to introduce leading-edge market research methods into 3M’s legendary innovation process had now grown into a revolutionary series of recommendations that threatened to rip apart the division. While senior management wanted the “Lead User” team to execute a manageable project involving surgical draping material to protect surgery patients from infections, the team now wanted to rewrite the entire business unit’s strategy statement to also include more pro-active products or services that would permit the upstream containment of infectious agents such as germs. This went against the incrementalist approach that for so long had pervaded 3M. After all, as Mary Sonnack, division scientist and an internal 3M consultant on the new Lead User methodology, noted “3M gets so much revenue from incremental products . . . like a blue Post-it note instead of just a yellow one.” ...
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...Profitability & Effectiveness (ttm) ROA 10.12% ROE 22.75% Profit Margin 12.41% Oper Margin 18.8% Gross Margin 46.6% ANALYST NAME Leslie Moore Lcmp77@mail.missouri.edu Company Background 3M is a diversified global technology and manufacturing company offering a broad range of products. It was founded in 1902 along the north shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota by Henry Bryan, Herman Cable, John Dwan, William McGonagle and Dr. J. Danley Budd. The original plan for the company was to mine the mineral corundum which would then be sold to manufacturers of grinding wheels. The company first began its product portfolio with sandpaper and has grown it to over 55,000 products today. Some of the most recognizable brands include Filtrete, Nexcare, Scotch, Post-It and Scotch-Brite. It is currently headquartered in Maplewood Minnesota, a suburb of St. Paul, and has over 76,000 employees worldwide. 3M Corporation was originally known as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company and is an America Multinational Conglomerate Corporation. It is one of 30 companies listed in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is also a component of the Standard and Poor’s 500 index. 3M is a very diversified globally and continues to look for opportunities to grow its international businesses. Some of the major acquisitions over the past year have occurred in markets outside the US. International sales currently account for...
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