Exam 6: Innovation and Change

TRX Ltd. used to budget a large amount of expenditure for meetings where managers from across the province would meet at head office. With the inception of phone conferencing the budget for meetings was cut substantially as managers were required to come to head office less frequently. With the inception of video conferencing,managers now never conduct meetings by phone and rarely meet at head office. What is this an example of?

The auto industry has been perfecting the internal combustion engine (ICE)for some 120 years. Billions of dollars of work is ongoing at all of the auto companies on alternatives to ICEs. A cooperative program between the Big Three and government to replace ICEs with electric engines has been operating since 1993. What is the internal combustion engine (ICE)an example of?

Organizational decline is an irreversible occurrence when companies don't anticipate,recognize,neutralize,or adapt to the internal or external pressures that threaten their survival.

The development of CDs was a source of which of the following to companies in the recording industry,just as audiotapes and 8-track tapes had once been?

Briefly describe the typical pattern of technology cycles that occurs during technological innovation.

Which of the following is an organizational impediment to creativity in a work environment?

Narrative 6-4 Emily Morgan is a 30-year veteran at Levi Strauss & Company. She joined the company as a secretary in the advertising department and slowly began rising through the ranks. The more she saw how the company worked,the more dissatisfied she became. In 1982,when talk of reinventing the company spread through headquarters and senior management began looking for volunteers,Morgan became a part of the change initiative. She led the team that designed the Develop Sources process,a system for working with suppliers. In 1995,Morgan became vice president for fulfillment,Asia. Her job was to convince Levi's Asian suppliers to adopt more efficient production and distribution techniques. The Asian suppliers were afraid of change. Once Morgan and her staff showed suppliers how use of the Develop Sources program would benefit them,Morgan's job to transform Levi's Asian operations became easier. -Refer to Narrative 6-4. What was the result of the unfreezing,change intervention,and refreezing processes used by Morgan and her team?

An innovation stream begins with a technological discontinuity,in which a scientific advance or a unique combination of existing technologies creates a significant breakthrough in performance or function.

Which phase of a technology cycle is characterized by technological substitution and design competition?

George was appointed president of a health devices company. Within a year the board of directors was very happy with George's appointment. The company's structure was transformed to a team structure. New suppliers were found. The culture became one of hard work and meeting goals. What did George bring to the company to please the board?

Unverferth Manufacturing makes agricultural equipment. It used finite element analysis (FEA)software to speed up the design cycle for its 12-row subsoiler. Which aspect of the compression approach to innovation would the use of this software assist?

When Joe Natale joined Rogers Communications,the company was faltering due to customer dissatisfaction and inefficient operations. Natale's vision was to restore Rogers to a leadership role within the industry. It was a radical proposition. What role did Natale fill in this case?

Which of the following characterizes discontinuous change in an innovation stream?

Which of the following is likely to occur in organizations that don't recognize the need for change?

Malcolm believes people produce best when they are exposed to some form of pressure. He changed the goals of his design team from being easily attainable to being of much higher standard and needing completion within shorter time frames. What component of a creative work environment did Malcolm introduce to the design team?

A technology cycle occurs whenever there are major advances or changes in which particular aspects of a field or discipline?

What are the goals of the compression approach to innovation?

What is the first step in the compression approach to innovation?

Which term refers to the individual who is formally in charge of guiding a change effort?

Which of the following approaches is aimed at changing large systems,small groups,or individuals?