Growing through innovation
A supplier of handling and warehousing equipment realised that new growth would require tapping into potential outside the continuous improvement of existing products. He commissioned a team to explore business opportunities. It quickly became apparent that the chosen approach was quite promising from an organisational point of view, but that the available resources were not being used in a targeted manner and that many attempts would peter out again after a short time. He therefore looked for ways to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the team by setting certain content-related guidelines.
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Mission: Identification and delineation of possible growth areas
Our innovation experts were to provide methodical support to the internal team. The assignment was to strategically analyse the company and its competitive environment and to derive potentials for new business opportunities. These should have a radical character compared to the current business.
Solution approach: Define strategic focus areas
The solution was developed jointly by internal and external specialists in two steps, based on our own tried and tested methodology for identifying strategic focus areas.
- Step 1: The initial situation was analysed and documented in an innovation architecture, which graphically depicted the current situation and growth options at different levels. Based on the existing market services, customer tasks, customer needs and recognisable market and megatrends were analysed. On the other hand, the range of functions offered as well as existing competencies and mastered technologies were analysed and emerging technologies were identified and evaluated.
- Step 2: The strategic fields in which the search for new offers should be focussed were defined. First, possible fields were delineated and described around the innovation drivers identified in the innovation architecture. Within these fields, growth opportunities should then be sought and verified in a focussed manner. Finally, the focus areas were prioritised on the basis of an initial evaluation of attractiveness and urgency.
Who is hpo innovation?
hpo innovation ag is one of the Swiss pioneers in innovation consulting. The company originally emerged from an ETH spin-off with the aim of permanently strengthening the innovative power of organisations and increasing the value contribution of innovations. The focus of the service offering is on the identification of strategic focus areas for innovation and the development of innovation roadmaps.
Customers are medium-sized industrial and service companies as well as public sector organisations.
hpo innovation– driving value