...1) 3M is an exploration firm because rather than doing better in a given domain, it always strives to change domains. It has enjoyed global growth and has a reputation for remaining a “hothouse of innovation”. 3M has a defiantly non-corporate nature and though the company is gigantic, yet it is very innovative and shows enormous growth potential as though it were a small endeavor. It has developed a wide category of innovative products such as waterproof sandpaper, masking tape, Post-it notes etc. Therefore, we can say that 3M depends highly on innovation and it prospers by finding completely novel ways of doing things rather than doing the same things a little better. 2) Product teams at 3M primarily consists of technical individuals and process engineers. The role of process engineers includes: Help ensure that the particular product under development is made efficiently. Provides teams with feedback about the company’s manufacturing capabilities. Implement systems that improve the different stages of the production process. Help in improving quality standards The drawback of having a process engineer is that, process engineers cannot help much if the team is research based. The process engineers are not able to contribute much when the structure of the team is such. On the other hand, the benefits include that the manufacturing process is optimized and the costs pertaining to operations are kept under check. 3) Architecture: The firm follows...
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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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...------------------------------------------------- 3M Environmental ANALYSIS and report Project Report 3M COMPANY Environmental & SWOT Analysis of 3M Strategy | AN AMERICAN MULTINATIONAL CONGLOMERATE TABLE OF CONTENT 1. Introduction/Executive Summary………………….. 2. Industry Environment Analysis&External Audit……………………………………......... 3.1. Demographic Environment………………… 3.2. Economic Environment………………… ………… 3.3. Political and legal environment…………………………………. 3.4. Technical environment………………………………………………….. 3.5. Social environment………………………………………………………….. 3.6. Global environment………………………………………………………………. 3.7. Industry environment…………………………………………………………….. 3.8. Competitive landscape………………………………………………………. 3. Internal Environment Audit &Analysisof 3M company ……………………. 4. SWOT Analysis……………………………………………………….. 5. Risk factors & future interpretation………………. 6. Conclusions&Interpretation........................................................................ 7. References 1. Company Profile Introduction 3M is an American multinational, multi industry, diversified conglomerate company incorporated in 1929as per laws of State of Delaware, in order to continue operations of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing that began in 1902.It is headquartered in St. Paul suburb of Maplewood ,Minnesota in United States. It...
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...met the business challenges and once again delivered strong results. George W. Buckley Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer Despite all this turbulence, full-year sales increased 11 percent to $29.6 billion, with double-digit growth in Industrial and Transportation; Safety, Security and Protection Services; and Health Care. Operating margins were 20.9 percent for the company, and all businesses delivered margins of 20 percent or higher, which is an amazing feat of consistency. Inge G. Thulin named President and Chief Executive Officer, 3M Company, Feb. 24, 2012 Inge G. Thulin, 58, was named president and chief executive officer of 3M Company effective Feb. 24, 2012. A 32-year veteran of 3M, he served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of 3M since May of 2011, after having served as executive vice president, 3M International Operations since 2003. Mr. Thulin joined 3M Sweden in 1979, working in sales and marketing, and subsequently assumed...
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...is a product so conceptually simple, that in the technologically advanced time we live in, we have been almost desensitised to its brilliant innovation. The innovation of the Post It Note went through a number of distinct stages and processes. In this assignment I will attempt to give a clear and cohesive analysis starting from the earliest ideas of the Post It right through to the products available today. 3M The physical invention of the post it spanned over a period of 10 years, however, I believe the earliest derivation of the modern day Post It Note can be traced back to the very establishment of the 3M Company itself. In 1902 the business got off to a rather bad start when a group of investors by mistake bought a mountain containing worthless mineral to start a business to mine corundum to manufacture sand paper). Unsurprisingly the company did not generate profit for 14 years. Seemingly spurred on by their less than successful origins, 3m have since always strived to create a working environment in which innovation can flourish. Brand (1998) on the topic of 3m states that “to guarantee such conditions are in place and sustained over time, requires a long term commitment from top management, the recruitment and retention of the right people and a strong support and recognition programme.” Brand (1998) insists however that innovation cannot be allocated to one or two individuals in an organisation, that “it must permeate the entire fabric of an organisation and every department...
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...Abstract . 3M Corporation History of the 3M Corporation What started off as a small company in the Lake Superior Town of Two Harbors, Minnesota in the year 1902 – 3M has grown into a worldwide corporation with companies in over 60 countries. Things seemed bright in June 1902, when Two Harbors attorney John Dwan drew up articles of incorporation and added his $1,000 to that of other charter board members, meat market owner Hermon Cable, Dr. J. Danley Budd, the city’s leading physician, and Duluth and Iron Range Railroad executives William McGonagle and Henry Bryan (3M Corporation, 2015). The five men set out looking for the next new product. They wanted to mine a certain type of mineral deposit (Corundum) to use as an adhesive for grinding-wheels. Corundum was in demand as the premier abrasive for grinding wheels, sandpaper and other items to polish, shape, sharpen and decorate items produced by America’s increasingly industrialized economy. This new source of corundum was greeted jubilantly; the only other North American source was in Ontario. The problem – one that surfaced after the company had incurred a large start-up debt – was that the corundum was not there on Lake Superior’s Minnesota north shore. What was there was anorthosite, which is useless as an abrasive (Bishop, 2005). So within a couple of years of its founding, 3M had tons of mineral for sale, no customers and was all but bankrupt. When mining turned out to be of little use and a failed attempt with mineral...
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...people also met the business challenges and once again delivered strong results. George W. Buckley Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer Despite all this turbulence, full-year sales increased 11 percent to $29.6 billion, with double-digit growth in Industrial and Transportation; Safety, Security and Protection Services; and Health Care. Operating margins were 20.9 percent for the company, and all businesses delivered margins of 20 percent or higher, which is an amazing feat of consistency. Inge G. Thulin named President and Chief Executive Officer, 3M Company, Feb. 24, 2012 Inge G. Thulin, 58, was named president and chief executive officer of 3M Company effective Feb. 24, 2012. A 32-year veteran of 3M, he served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of 3M since May of 2011, after having served as executive vice president, 3M International Operations since 2003. Mr. Thulin joined 3M Sweden in 1979, working in sales and marketing, and subsequently assumed levels of...
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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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...“3M: A Culture Made For Innovation” Introduction 3M stands for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. It was founded by five businessmen in 1902 at the town of Two Harbors, Minn (3M, 2012). They originally financed the company to mine the mineral cornundum for grinding wheel abrasives but the investment became a failure because it turned out that the mineral was actually low-grade anorthosite (Goetz, 2011). After being done with mining, the founders bought a sand paper company but struggled on how to run it. Eventually, Lucius Ordway moved the company to St. Paul where 3M created some successful new inventions such as masking tape and cellophane tape (Goetz, 2011). 3M is known to have one of the most innovative work cultures. Over the years it has developed values and norms that are geared toward innovation. 3M believes its innovative work culture is a huge factor in its success. 3M Values To promote creativity and innovation, 3M has developed cultural values and norms that allow for employees to feel empowered, to experiment, and to take risks in order to come up with new products. Values are standards or guidelines that people use to figure out which types of behaviors, events, situations and outcomes are desirable or undesirable (George & Jones, 2012). Values can be divided into two categories: terminal and instrumental (George & Jones, 2012). A terminal value is defined as a desired end state or outcome that people seek to achieve (George & Jones...
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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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...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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...3M's POST-IT NOTEPADS "NEVER MIND. I'LL DO IT MYSELF." Near the end of 1978, bleak reports came back to the headquarters of Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing (3M) Corporation in St. Paul from a four-city test market: This Post-itTM notepads idea was a real stinker. This came as no surprise, of course, to many of 3M's most astute observers of new product ideas; this one had smelled funny to them from the beginning. The company had ignored Post-it before it was a notepad, when the product-to-be was just an adhesive that didn't adhere very well. The first related product to reach the market was a sticky bulletin board whose sales were less than exciting. So why was it still around? For five years this odd material kept turning up like a bad penny in the pocket of Spencer Silver, the chemist who had mixed it up in the first place. Even after the adhesive had evolved into a stickum-covered bulletin board, and then into notepad glue, the manufacturing department said they couldn't mass-produce the pads. The 3M marketing crew also said you could only sell these things if you gave them away, because who would pay a dollar for scratch paper? So when the test market reports arrived, it seemed everyone who'd disparaged the Post-it notepad was right after all: 3M was finally going to do the merciful thing and bury the remains. Only one last try by two executives, Geoffrey Nicholson and Joseph Ramey, saved those little yellow self-stick notes from oblivion. Nicholson and Ramey knew 3M's marketing...
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...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 be a "solution looking...
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...3M’s Business Segments 3M Company had a rocky start in 1902 as "Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing," an almost-failed mining company. In 2002 it changed its name to 3M; today the company is a diversified industrial and consumer products company operating six business segments. 3M sells the majority of its products to retailers or other large distributors; some large companies and hospitals have direct accounts with 3M for their more specialized technologies. Best known for brands including Scotch tape, Post-It, and Nexcare, 3M makes over 55,000 products ranging from sandpaper and bandages to wide screen LCD TVs. The thread that unifies the majority of 3M’s products is that they are based on applying coatings to backings (e.g., sandpaper). Divisions with key product offerings are listed below: * Healthcare (18.6% of sales): Medical Supplies; Skin Products; Pharmaceuticals (sold in 2007); Drug Delivery Systems; Dental / Orthodontic; Health Information Systems; Microbiology * Industrial & Transportation (30.8% sales): Abrasive Systems; Industrial Adhesives; Personal Care; 3M Dyneon; CUNO; Specialty Materials; HighJump Software; Aerospace; Packaging; Automotive * Consumer & Office (15% of sales): Stationary; Office; Home Care; Protection; Construction; Home Improvement; Visual Systems * Display & Graphics(13.5% of sales): Optics Systems; Commercial Graphics, Traffic Safety Systems; Touch Systems * Electro & Communications (9.8% of sales):...
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...evolved since the foundation of the company? Why, if at all, does 3M known as a “hothouse” of innovation, need to regain its historic closeness to the customer? The hard start of 3M’s in 1902 with digging for corundum then discovering it is low-grade and worthless, moving to sandpaper business and discovering that the abrasives they import to use refuse to stick to the paper pushed the company early to the research road trying to fix the problems they are facing, one of the young technician figured out the problem and fixed the sandpaper and created the waterproof sandpaper for first time in the world that has a big meaning to 3M’s which leaded the company to be one of the biggest global innovation companies in the world. The company used the innovation since then by old research and development traditional method by identify the problem through visit or questionnaire to the clients and research the solution for the problem under vision of engineering to ensure the project efficiently made, not facing any risk if the product failed and also provide a feedback, The product developers used to visit the factories and workplaces to talk to the workers to get ideas for products it start as in 1920 when one of 3M’s lab visited a car body shop and discovered a problem while removing newspapers glued to the car body and start a research ended by creating a masking tab to the world. After all the success through R&D, 3M allowed the staff to spend 15 % of their time to discover new...
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