Abstract

This case focuses on the innovation initiatives carried out at Wipro Technologies’ (Wipro) and explains how it let innovation be the driving force for its product development process. Since the launch of innovation initiatives in 2000, the company offered a comprehensive portfolio of products based on innovative solutions. It also ingrained a culture of innovation at the company to encourage employees to come out with innovative ideas and help the company achieve growth and attain a competitive advantage. The case also discusses Wipro’s applied innovation framework that helped the company identify new opportunities for business and resolve business challenges through its innovative solutions. Because of its constant focus on developing innovative solutions and efforts to nurture a corporate culture which fostered innovation, Wipro was able to achieve its target of earning 10 percent revenues from its innovation initiatives by 2008. Analysts felt that Wipro’s constant focus on innovation coupled with its deep-set culture of innovation gave Wipro an edge over its competitors. Moreover, it helped the company establish itself as one of the leading players in the Indian IT industry.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Analyze Wipro’s innovation framework
• Study the processes and systems that the company had put in place to foster innovation
• Understand how Wipro’s applied innovation framework that helped the company identify new opportunities for business and resolve business challenges through its innovative solutions
• Understand how an IT company uses innovation as a tool for differentiation
• Understand how the implementation of an innovative working environment benefits the company and the employees.

Keywords

Innovation, Innovation center, Innovation Clock, Innovation Council, Innovation Champions, Centers of Excellence, Wipro, Applied Innovation Framework, Quantum Innovation, Business innovation, Technological innovation, Process innovation, Delivery innovation, New Product Development, Competitive advantage, Product life cycle, Six Sigma, Lean manufacturing, Corporate culture, Knowledge Management, Collaboration, Content Commerce, Home Networking, Six Sigma, Global Delivery Model, Software Factory Model, Information Technology, Infosys Technologies, Tata Consultancy Service