Innovation and creativity is the core of any business Essay Example

purposes. Designs can now be layered using various techniques such as screen-printing, direct-to-garment, print embellishment, applique, etc. Innovation and creativity are integral aspects of Doves Clothing's organizational culture as part of the research and development sector. They specialize in high-quality screen printing and embroidery on light or dark garments using up to 12 colors for printing and 15 colors for embroidery. Their graphic artists create precise color separations resulting in sharp images with a 3D appearance. The embroidery section is equipped with advanced computerized machines capable of consistently reproducing any desired design or logo within their own in-house studio.
Doves Clothing is known for its passionate staff and high-quality products. The company values its employees and empowers them to excel, resulting in consistent production of top-notch items. Within the company, various learning methods are offered.

The administration plays a crucial role in shaping the acquisition manners based on Honey and Mumford's framework, although employees exhibit a combination of these styles. Let's take a closer look at each style:

The senior director takes on the pragmatist approach by actively seeking new ideas and experimenting with different approaches. They prioritize practical implementation, utilizing techniques, theories, and ideas effectively to achieve their goals.

In contrast, the decision maker embodies the reflector style by engaging in deep thinking and thoroughly analyzing available data. They heavily rely on past information to inform their decision-making process.

The finance section represents the theorists who approach their work methodically and analytically. They ensure strict adherence to guidelines in order to maintain accuracy.

On the other hand, the sales section represents militants who possess an open-minded and enthusiastic attitude along with flexibility.

Their goal is centralizing activity around themselves.

Overall, Doves Clothing follows a flat organizational structure (refer to figure below).According to Henry (2001), Doves Clothing benefits from a structure that enables quick decision-making and fosters employee creativity, resulting in improved idea management within the organization. Despite areas for improvement, the company showcases a high level of innovation. One potential area of innovation is transportation for employees, considering that 70% of them reside in Ipswich without personal transportation. Many workers face challenges such as broken cars or delayed buses, leading to tardiness or absences. Utilizing Osborn's (1963, cited in Henry, 2001) "Brainstorming" technique could offer a viable solution. Osborn argues that prematurely evaluating ideas hampers creative thinking. The senior director can employ the "stepladder" method by having individuals join the group one by one. Initially, two core members initiate the discussion and each new person presents and explains their ideas for the problem as they join. This approach allows for thorough evaluation of all ideas before concluding with a final discussion. Following this testing approach may lead the senior director to consider hiring an outsourcing transportation service for employees—an effective and efficient resolution in terms of cost savings and time management.
A potential next step in the process is to incorporate De Bono's six thinking hats technique, which includes white, red, black, yellow, green, and blue hats that represent various modes of thinking. By utilizing this technique during meetings, conflicts arising from individuals with different thinking styles discussing the same problem can be avoided. Implementing brainstorming and thinking techniques like these can foster creativity and engagement among employees who often become bored at work. Although repetitive tasks can demotivate

employees, they are still crucial for the company's success. According to Mullins (2002), a director must understand how to inspire cooperation and direct employee performance towards achieving organizational goals by comprehending human behavior and finding effective ways to motivate them. To identify reasons for employee demotivation, Wallas's model of personal creativity stages - preparation, incubation, inspiration, and confirmation - can be used by senior directors. In the preparation stage, information gathering and asking employees about their sources of motivation can take place. During incubation, directors should take breaks from problems to relax and engage in other activities.Finally, during the inspiration stage, the senior director can seek motivation by engaging in activities that are both relaxing and interesting to them. Additionally, the director can establish a procedure to motivate employees and assess its effectiveness. This can be achieved by visiting company plants and spending a brief period of time there. Once testing is completed, feedback from employees can be gathered to evaluate their genuine sentiments and determine the success of the motivational procedure.

Brainstorming provides another method for addressing this issue. Although it is highly effective initially, it may not always produce a solution and could potentially harm the company if no deadline is set. Group dynamics also present a challenge as individuals with dominant personalities may overshadow quieter ones if proper rules are not followed. It is important to recognize that creativity can arise from individuals working alone or within a group.

For those who fear criticism when expressing their ideas, Delphi and Electronic Brainstorming techniques are recommended. These methods allow for anonymity and may encourage greater participation from all team members.

One major problem faced by the

company is placing employees in customer roles without considering their appropriate skills. The company exclusively serves existing trade clients while having no interest in acquiring new clients at this time.The sales department at Doves has only one experienced person, which is insufficient for managing 42 trade clients. It is crucial to provide continuous attention to regular customers in order to address complaints and higher price reductions that have increased compared to last year, as indicated by finance information. The Partnership Programme appears ineffective or the person responsible for customer satisfaction lacks sufficient skills and experience. This significant issue poses a challenge for Doves Clothing business. To tackle this problem, we can utilize Kaizen's "Continuous Improvement model" and problem-solving process that follows eight steps to identify areas for service improvement. Kaizen emphasizes continual improvement and it is important to gather and analyze data (if available) while understanding the specific issues being addressed. After implementing Kaizen's Continuous Improvement process, brainstorming using the Delphi technique can generate more and higher quality suggestions without face-to-face contact, thus obtaining honest feedback from customers on their thoughts about the changes. The Delphi technique also helps avoid any potential group interaction biases, making it particularly useful when face-to-face contact is not feasible. Considering the impossibility of organizing a meeting with 42 companies, electronic brainstorming could be even more effective in this scenario.The writer suggests distributing an anonymous questionnaire or survey to competitors in order to learn about their customer care strategies and assess customer satisfaction levels. Electronic Brainstorming is recommended as it can manage large groups and increase the likelihood of receiving valuable feedback. Doves Clothing offers products and services suitable for

the "Cantillon" entrepreneur, who combines resources to create a new organization. To establish a technical support process for Cantillon entrepreneurs, the writer proposes using Kaizen, Brainstorming, and De Bono's six thinking hats techniques. A CRM department is crucial for Doves as they only work with regular clients, enabling them to provide better attention and improve customer relationships. The existing sales department is not necessary since the company's focus is not on acquiring new clients. The problem-solving procedure involves identifying the problem of using people with inadequate skills for specific customer roles, gathering information such as 42 clients requiring attention and only one person in the sales department, analyzing this information which reveals that the existing sales department is ineffective and unhelpful for this type of business.The salesperson lacks industry knowledge and often needs advice from clients for placing orders, which is time-consuming. Building trusting relationships with clients would likely be beneficial. Generating solutions to address this problem could involve using brainstorming techniques. One solution could be hiring a CRM employee, while another solution could be outsourcing the CRM function. The main idea of a Customer Relationship Manager is to provide personalized service to each client so they feel known as an individual rather than just a number. Implementing and testing the chosen solution will determine if the problem has been solved.

Working with an outsourcing CRM who has industry knowledge is cost-effective for Doves Dressing. Doves gains valuable experience from an individual familiar with the industry and clients, reducing the time spent getting to know clients and transferring customer data efficiently in the CRM job.

To continuously improve, acquiring feedback from clients can help enhance Doves merchandise

and services. Using the De Bono Six Hats system, specifically the white hat approach, it is evident that Dove only works with 42 trade clients and does not have a dedicated CRM individual. The current arrangement of having a sales person with incorrect skills in a CRM function has led to numerous price reductions due to unhappy clients.The clients have expressed a desire for a more personalized service, as they sometimes do not receive what they expect. It is uncertain whether the company had previously utilized an individual or outsourced their CRM functions. Over the last three years, there have been multiple salesperson changes. However, there is optimism regarding future expansion opportunities. The company is not actively seeking new clients but would benefit from this type of service. Online software packages are available for rental, reducing initial costs for start-ups. Once established, other companies could potentially utilize the outsourcing service. Doves sales may increase as a result. On the other hand, convincing Dove to use a CRM company instead of a salesperson may be challenging due to potential high initial costs and reluctance to work with an external entity rather than directly with Doves. Additionally, learning how to use new software could require time and effort on their part.
Overall, if both the clients and Doves were to utilize a CRM company, it would lead to increased satisfaction and cost reduction for Doves while eliminating the need for managing an additional person in-house.The outsourcing company has the capability to collaborate with other printing and embellishment companies. However, there is a lack of local CRM companies specializing in this specific industry sector. The company possesses the potential

to extend its services to other businesses and provide sales assistance. Further analysis is required to fully comprehend the management of clients using specific software tools. It is advisable to broaden the scope and investigate if there are any CRM companies that cater specifically to the printing and embellishment industry. Seeking guidance from other CRM companies regarding challenges they have encountered in similar situations would be beneficial. Maintaining a positive and optimistic mindset throughout this process will aid in achieving successful outcomes.