Ford Motor Company Innovation

Ford Motor Company is an example of a global company that is taking steps toward becoming innovative in its products and services. The process of becoming innovative can be difficult; however, steps can be taken for a smooth transition. Four basic parts included in the innovative process that drives Ford Motor Company to restructure its innovation process include teaming, ideation, creation/design, and closing the loop (University of Phoenix, 2008). Each stage provides unique benefits and gives Ford a variety of methods used to enhance the creative thinking process, stimulate or change mental model sets, and use the four creative intelligence styles. Lastly, each consists of different techniques for Ford Motor Company to develop new ideas and move forward with the idea while at the same time brainstorm additional innovative ideas. The last step is to apply the appropriate tools and techniques in order to have continual innovation and improvements in the company.

Innovation at Ford - Establishing Creative Teams

Teaming is the first stage and involves making decisions as to which type of team Ford Motor Company will use to precede the innovation process. Some of the types of teams can include cross-functional or multi-functional teams and can differ dependent upon the personalities and perspectives of team members. Establishing these types of teams is encouraged in an innovative organization because different ideas and discussions can be stimulated. Another benefit of teaming is an opportunity to strategize and process the flow and development of new ideas. Teaming is considered an important technique for developing and sustaining creativity and innovation in an organization (University of Phoenix, 2008).

Innovation at Ford – Searching for New Opportunities

The next stage is the ideation stage that involves the systematic search for targeted opportunities in the hope of finding new innovative ideas or features (Simpson, 2004). One technique in the ideation stage is brainstorming which is commonly practiced on new ideas. Moreover, brainstorming is the starting point for innovative ideas and design before either proceeds to the next stage. Another technique is the Six Hats approach where six different colored hats represent a particular view or perspective. The Six Hats include white for information and facts, yellow for benefits and value, green for creativity and ideas, red for feelings and intuition, blue for process control, and black for caution and concern. Another ideation stage tactic is zoom in-zoom out and involves the strong usage of data; actual numbers and facts are heavily relied upon to develop an innovative idea. One more technique in the ideation stage is dialogue that involves members or people in the organization discussing various ideas and thoughts amongst one another (Kamel, 2009).

Ford Design and Creativity

Design and creativity is the third phase in the innovative process; each one plays an active role once the previous steps are completed and approved by the organization. Also, the idea is able to come alive and begin production during this stage. Collaboration is necessary in order to follow through with the innovative idea and requires several departments to work together to make the product effective. Testing the product is critical because it reveals the effectiveness of a product and its strengths and weaknesses. Unlearning is an ironic strategy in the design and creativity process and requires a team to forget the process or put the idea out of mind (Kamel, 2009).

Innovation at Ford – Testing New Ideas

Closing the loop is the last phase in the innovative process and involves completion of the project and failure preparation. Ford Motor Company must take corrective measures to ensure the public will accept its innovative ideas and make it successful. If the innovative idea experiences initial failure, Ford Motor Company will continue to experiment and redevelop the idea until it achieves success. The goal is to develop ideas to enhance the product and correct malfunctions in order for the product to be successful. Moreover, it must prepare for failure management because some ideas experience failure due to unpreparedness of the public or lack of marketability to draw attention. If a product fails, management must establish a stronger presence in order to ensure motivation and team moral does not decline. A positive work environment is helpful for members to maintain determination and a drive to develop a successful product.

Ford Motor Company Innovation – New Vehicle Design

The innovation process involves the strategic design of new vehicles to reach the target markets that will expand the customer base and benefit the organization. Implementing the first step of teaming will involve selecting individuals from Ford Motor Company to form a strategic innovation team. Each individual will be assigned a role and have a thorough understanding of the responsibilities. Objectives and goals of the team will be discussed and established before preparation for the process begins. The team will discuss innovative ideas to improve its products and services and develop enhanced vehicle designs. One method Ford Motor Company will implement is obtaining customer surveys and feedback in order to meet customer needs and desires.

Ford Motor Company - Exploring Innovative Ideas

Once the team meets and explores different ideas and options, the next step is to move forward in the design and creation phase. Ford Motor Company must continue creativity throughout the designing process in order to meet customer needs and desires. Throughout the years, Ford has used its ergonomics team to develop new product designs that are user friendly, safe, and comfortable for the consumer. The goal is for the consumer to be able to get into the vehicle and operate the features without having to refer to a manual (Ford, 2009). A continual focus will ensure each vehicle is in line with the customer’s needs. Closing the loop will be essential to Ford Motor Company because it will be the feedback loop between the customer and the marketing message.

The Ford Motor Company Automobile Market

Ford Motor Company must understand its target market and strategize various methods to create a message that entices a consumer to purchase the product or service. Different methods of advertising including radio, internet, and newspaper ads will expose a customer to the products and services of Ford Motor Company. Before an advertisement is broadcasted or printed, it must first be analyzed by the company to determine its effectiveness. The company will evaluate the reaction and response of consumers and make modifications if necessary. The final process for Ford to apply will be the ideation process. Any implementation of a product by Ford must meet the needs and desires of its customers. As a result, the vehicles will be efficient on gas, comfortable, safe, reliable, affordable, and have features that are easy to operate; it will also ensure the success of the product and service.

Steering Ford

Ford Motor Company has sought out and obtained capable leadership to steer its corporation. Stability is provided by the company taking an active interest in its overall success. The new CEO, Allen Mulally, has redirected the company in a profitable direction and the senior leadership has developed strategic plans for the company. Each of the plans includes and focuses on innovation, sustainability and transformation. Benchmarks and time gates have been implemented by the company in order to continue its long history as a key player in the automobile industry and achieve its vision.

Ford's Global Marketing Division

Establishing a new department called Global Marketing will allow the company to focus more on its initiative to become one globally. Ford Motor Company plans to leverage its vast scale and expertise across all vehicle brands. The goal of becoming one is to implement lessons learned across the globe in order to reduce the waste of resources and manpower. The global launch of the Ford Focus small car in 2010 will be the first product to benefit from this global coordination. The driving force for the Technologies Migration plan is the achievement of the goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% by 2020. Moreover, it sets clear objectives and time gates to meet those objectives. The company has near term goals for example, the advance transmissions whose implementation is currently on going. The midterm goal is for expanded implementation by 2012 and further transmission improvements by 2020. Sustainability Report, published yearly by the Ford Motor Company, serves as a document that clearly describes and updates the company’s vision and plans to achieve its plans (Ford, 2008).

Innovation Propels Advanced Features in New Ford Models

In conclusion, the four basic phases of innovation and how they have influenced operational advancements at Ford Motor Company were identified. Without the implementation of innovation in its business strategies, products and services, it would not be as successful. This analysis also provided the reader with an overview of how Ford Motor Company applies the four phases of innovation to the organizations daily operations in order to develop new and unique product offerings. Thirdly, this paper provided an overview of the innovation tools and techniques used by Ford, and its methods of measuring the results of innovation. These findings provide an in depth understanding of how Ford Motor Company is applying the innovative process to improve its operations to gain market share over the competition.


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