Innovation
Background
Microsoft Corporation, mostly known as Microsoft is a multinational company that is based in America. It deals with technology devices and services. The company is headquartered in Redmond in Washington. Microsoft develops, licenses, manufactures, sells and supports computer electronics, computer hardware and software, services and personal computers. The company is best known for some of its famous products which include MS windows line of Operating systems, internet browser such as internet explorer, Edge web surface and MS office Suite. Some of its hardware flagship products include Xbox dame consoles. Microsoft is the biggest company around the globe in software making. In addition to this, Microsoft is the global most valuable companies. The mission of Microsoft Corporation is to help both business and people throughout the globe to realize their entire potential (Microsoft.com). True to its mission and agenda and mission, the company has helped many people realize their full potential in various ways. For example, through its foundation Microsoft has given thousands of scholarships to students to enable them to go through their academics without many problems. In addition to this, the company has helps many victims of the AIDs pandemic in various ways to ensure that they continue living their normal lives without suffering from stigma due to neglect by the society. The company values revolves in making very high quality and affordable products that can help the individual as well as corporations users get high level of satisfaction. The company also believes in the partnership that allows them to come up with better methods than their competitors.
Microsoft strives to ensure user experience in its market through innovative services, peripherals, software and hardware. The company strategy is based on its ability to innovate unique and eye catching application software, hardware, services as well as operating systems that offer customers with diverse solutions and products which are user-friendly and easy to use, have seamless integration and have high level of innovativeness (Beyazitoglu 77). The company has continued to invest a lot in research and development in addition to advertisement and marketing in order to promote the sale of its technologies, products and services.
The strategy for Microsoft also includes continuous expansion and diversification of its products and services. The company has continued to expand its product line by addition of other services and products which never existed before. Some of the products which the company has added recently in its line of products are phones and various android software applications. The company acquired Nokia, among the renowned manufactures of phones and this has helped it diverse its product line by including phones and phone-related accessories.
Processes
Microsoft has continued to offer new services as well as products in form of hardware and software to its customers. In addition the company creates niches in both hardware and software market. The company also seeks advices and advices the innovators who help to ensure that the company is always competitive when compared to its competitors (Microsoft.com). In addition to this, the company has continued to apply the use of very innovative business models, which help to ensure that the company remains innovative. Finally, the company reliance on its corporate culture has helped it to a great deal since it helps in driving innovation of new services as well as products.
Organization
Microsoft is highly determined to ensure the design and development of very innovative products and services which bring a great experience to the technology market. One of the leading agendas of the company is to design and manufacture user-friendly products that are not only easy to use but also affordable (Ireland, Robert and Michael 23-25). The company has well-developed reward system, which has for the last years been encouraging great innovation within the company. The company also has a sound defined development program as well as training which support both career growth and innovation within the company.
Linkages
The company controls its diverse culture, partners, innovative process as well as network in order to take advantage of the many new opportunities that will help it grow its business in the technology market. In addition to this, Microsoft works very close with various research institutes to help develop innovative skills among its staff.
Learning
The company uses effectively planned program in both training and the development of its employees. The various trainings are of great importance since they help the staff to expand in both competences and skills and help in attracting of superior talents within the organization. The training also help in transforming employees to help them achieve great positive results and to help drive innovation within the company (Sinofsky, Steven and Marco 17). Microsoft uses its online platform to offer manuals as well as other materials to its users.
Conclusion and Recommendation
Microsoft is among the leading technology company in the globe. Though it has employed efficient strategies to reach this position, there is need to do more to maintain its competitive edge. To begin with, the company should heavily invest in research- it should include new innovative persons within its staff. In addition to this, the company should continually challenge its staff to come up with new, unique and diverse ideas that would steer the company’s innovativeness.
Work cited
Beyazitoglu, Fuat. Business Marketing - the Case of Microsoft. München: GRIN Verlag GmbH, 2010. Internet resource.
Ireland, R D, Robert E. Hoskisson, and Michael A. Hitt. Understanding Business Strategy: Concepts Plus. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.
Microsoft.com,. "A Vision And Strategy For The Future". N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Feb. 2016.
Microsoft.com,. "Microsoft Accessibility Mission, Strategy, And Progress". N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Feb. 2016.
Sinofsky, Steven, and Marco Iansiti. One Strategy: Organization, Planning, and Decision Making. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, 2010. Internet resource.
Innovation audit
Total score
Innovation audit
