The purpose of this paper is to examine a tech-driven innovation and its benefits using the example of PowerDoc and compare it with a human-centered type.
In general, the innovation at PowerDoc may be regarded as technology-driven. The company’s management decided to centralize its word-processing system on stand-alone computers through the creation of a common word-processing pool with the use of modern networking facilities (PowerDoc, no date). The organization aimed to reduce its operational costs and improve secretaries’ productivity based on a client base’s extension (PowerDoc, no date). Indeed, using a word-processing pool, PowerDoc has managed to increase its output. In the present day, more and more companies choose a tech-driven innovation in order to stay competitive (Leaver and Milligan, 2019; Goncalves et al., 2010). First of all, this type of innovation allows the optimization of business processes for efficient management control and the implementation of organizational change for appropriate transformation (Clegg, Harris and Hopfl, 2011). In addition, a tech-driven innovation facilitates employees’ performance by excluding unnecessary tasks and improving their performance. In turn, a company receives an opportunity to concentrate on corporate vision, missions, goals, and strategies for attraction and retaining customers as inner processes will be automatically processed (Dodgson, Gann and Satter, 2008; Goffin and Mitchell, 2017). In addition, a technology-driven innovation allows to introduce of unique services and products or improves existing ones.
For tech-driven innovation and efficient change management, several critical factors are required. First of all, the necessity of innovation along with its opportunities, strengths, and weaknesses, should be analyzed for the implementation of the most appropriate variants (Frishammar et al., 2018). In addition, the commitment of the members of a team that leads changes to a company’s transformation and employees’ understanding of its necessity is essential for the reduction of refuse and the smoothness of the process (Galbraith, 2018; Warrell, 2017). Finally, leadership plays a crucial role in change management as leaders articulate the company’s vision and motivate subordinates.
There could be several reasons why the implementation of the technology-led innovation at PowerDoc was unsuccessful. First of all, there was no team that could lead changes. In addition, a thorough analysis of innovation’s necessity and potential technological variants that could address the company’s need more efficiently was not organized. Moreover, the company did not consider the outcome of changes for customers and did not involve them in the process of organizational change. PowerDoc’s approach contrasts with human-centered innovation, according to which an organization innovates together with the people it serves. One of the most successful examples of a human-centered innovation is Starbucks’ strategy to ask its customers their opinions and the implementation of changes on their basis (Periyasamy, 2022; Starbucks celebrates five-year anniversary of My Starbucks Idea, 2013). In this case, customers allowed Starbuck to identify real issues related to its performance and helped find appropriate solutions – that is what makes a human-centered innovation successful (Hayes, 2018). Thus, in the case of PowerDoc, the company may cooperate with its customers as well and involve them in the process of transformation by implementing new technologies and asking for their feedback.
Reference List
Clegg, S. R., Harris, M. and Hopfl, H. (2011) Managing modernity: beyond bureaucracy? Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Dodgson, M., Gann, D. and Satter, A. (2008) The management of technological innovation: strategy and practice. Oxford: OUP Oxford.
Frishammar, J. et al. (2018) ‘Opportunities and challenges in the new innovation landscape: implications for innovation auditing and innovation management’, European Management Journal, 37(2), pp. 151-164.
Goffin, K. and Mitchell, R. (2017) Innovation management: effective strategy and implementation. New York, NY: Red Global Press.
Goncalves, A. et al. (2010) ‘How to use information technology effectively to achieve business objectives,’ Chapter 1.2, pp. 1-16.
Hayes, R. (2018) The theory and practice of change management. Basingstone: Palmgrave Macmillan.
Leaver, S. and Milligan, V. (2019) Tech-driven innovation: the inevitable and revolutionary future of IT. Web.
PowerDoc: a case study examination of information technology, strategic choice and the management of change (no date) pp. 1-4.
Galbraith, M. (2018) Don’t just tell employees organizational changes are coming — explain why. Web.
Periyasamy, R. (2022) 4 successful enterprise change management examples. Web.
Starbucks celebrates five-year anniversary of My Starbucks Idea (2013) Web.
Warrell, M. (2017) How the best leaders get people on board with change. Web.