Nokia Smart Smartphone - Essay Example

? DESIGN THINKING By Location Introduction Scholars have had a heated debate on the exact definition of design thinking because others scholars supported the fact that design thinking was what the designers did while other scholars found no concrete reason to differentiate design from design thinking. Nevertheless, the heated debaters agreed on a unison term that defined design thinking as a form of innovative strategy. Nevertheless, design thinking definition differs widely depending on the discipline or field, but design thinking in business is defined as a discipline that utilizes the designers’susceptibilityand techniques to match customers’ needs through technologically practical and possible business strategy (Howlett 2013, p. 124). In a shorter term design thinking is the act of adopting a creative perspective and utilizing the creativity to enhance or improve the quality of an organization’s product. Design thinking has multiple benefits to organizations because it greatly promotes innovative measures and progress. This is the case because design thinking helps an organization to think in radical ways that enhance the despondence towards unexpected challenges of thinking and doing differently (Best 2006, p. 97). More so, design thinking lays a platform for knowledge transfer within an organization. This means that, with current changes in trends and tastes of products and services, organizations are forced to look for innovative measures that add value to its products and at the same time cut costs. This improvement is driven by innovation and design; hence, the designgreatlyimpacts an organization’s innovative strategy (Best 2006, p. 97). An example of a company that relies on design thinking is the renowned Apple Inc, whose every product innovation and production is based on design thinking. This idea has led the company to set a pace in the high technology industry because its unique design thinking creates a great difference between its products and other products from different companies. The aim of this paper is to outline the meaning of design thinking and its benefits to organizations. More so, the paper will look at Nokia Company and its design thinking effects on global sales and market share. Nokia Company Nokia is a mobile phone company whose headquarters are based in Finland. The company started in 1865 through innovative skills of an engineer named Fredrik Idestam. The company started from humble beginnings but tremendously grew over the years beating up political and market waves to become the largest mobile phone maker in the world. However, Nokia’s market share has been declining over the years especially in the 21 century due to the emergence of touch screen phones and outstanding Smartphones from rival companies. This is a fact because statistics claim that in 2012, Nokia operated in 150 countries globally, with annual revenues of 30 billion pounds, and with a global market share of 18.0%, and 3.2 % market share in smart phones. More so, Fortune Global 500 claims that the company’s position stood at 274th in 2013 in terms of revenue measurement, an indication that Nokia’s market share is declining by the day. Nevertheless, Nokia is trying hard to improve its products and sales in order to retain its past market share. Among the strategies that the company has put forth is that it has teamed up with Microsoft Corporation in a way to add up strategy on mobile phone innovation and design. This combination has led to the development of Nokia’s windows phones like the Nokia Lumia 920. The innovation of the product was a great development for the company but the brand did not successfully hit the market due to copying by other rival companies. Analysts claim that the reason why Nokia lags behind in terms of innovation is because it lacks adequate design thinking and that it is dependent to its partner Microsoft for innovative designs, which yields to lack of unique models (Hinrichs 2013, p. 11). This is a fact because Nokia has produced vast Lumia Smartphones that are yet to convince the target market because the products lack the needed uniqueness. In spite of all these hiccups, Nokia possesses a unique brand loyalty and its current merge with Microsoft could cultivate for better opportunities in terms of innovation of standard products and invention of new markets. Apart from merging with Microsoft Corporation, Nokia’s other innovative strategy is collaborating with world class universities with an aim of supporting its new product development through shared ideas. In this case, the company and the world class universities like the Stanford University implemented Nokia Beta Labs that allow Nokia customers to contribute their ideas concerning designs and other innovative measures that lays a platform for future opportunities because the Beta Labs could yield to discovery of outstanding product design. Prior to producing new products the company also looks forward to upgrading the existing models by adding up more captivating features that befits the customer’s preference. For instance, the company looks forward to re-modifying its vast Lumia Smartphones by adding water proof and air gesture features (Boxall 2013, p. 1). These features will keep the company ahead of the competitive arena especially when considered that numerous Samsung Smartphones already possesses such features. The new innovative concept of Nokia Smart Smartphone The changing trends and tastes in the technology industry have seen the innovation and production of preferred phone devices that serve all customers purposes. These devices commonly known as smart phones come with a wide range of features that depend on the manufacturing company and model. In our case, the Nokia Smart Smartphone is among the renowned brands that come with all the needed customer preference features. To begin with, the device has a hologram that allows the customer to watch TV channels as well as videos (Mick 2010, p. 1). This step will greatly impact the company’s branding especially when the prices are friendly because customers prefer devices that are convenient and meet their needs. Generally, there is a huge market for holographic television and video streaming because there are neither channels nor remote controls needed to operate the systems; hence, customers watch what they want at their own convenience (Mick 2010, p. 1). Given that the Nokia Company adds this feature to its Smartphones, the company will improve its diminishing image through brand differentiation that ends up in enhancing customer loyalty. Prior top branding, these Smart phones, through advertising and other channels of marketing will influence the total revenues of the company in terms of sales because most customers will opt for the Smartphones that offer all features compared to when they attend and pay a price in theatres. On another note, air gestures are a component that the Nokia smart Smartphone has and it allows the user to direct or operate the phone without touching the screen. In our device, the air gesture feature is placed on the top of the screen in a form of a human hand that helps trace the user’s movements. This feature adds compliment to the modern busy customer who runs multiple tasks and at the same time needs to operate the phone (Boxall 2013, p. 1). This is the case because, most customers love fast services, which is the reason why most customers will opt for this Smartphone not only because it is convenient but also because it can be operated while multitasking. In most cases, a customer can drive and at the same time operate the Smartphone with the help of air gestures, and at other times a business personnel can address a meeting while operating this device. Such flexibility features ensure that the product influences a wide range of people in different fields and in turn increase the company’s profit margins. The Nokia smart Smartphone also possesses a unique device of the water resistance feature. This is a unique acquirement attained through the use of high technology. The water resistance feature ensures that the product do not spoil in spite of the water content that comes into contact with it (Phone Town 2013, p. 1). This means that the device will have a high market demand especially when considered that most people perform diverse tasks that at times expose them to different conditions. This unique feature will ensure that people who venture into outdoor activities like sports men and women, beach lovers, farmers and a wide range of customers will carry on their activities without damage worries. Amazingly, individuals can also operate their phones while taking showers. In spite of enhancing a carefree attitude to its customers, the Smartphone will greatly benefit the company because the feature is unique meaning that it will foster a different platform in terms of branding. This means that the Nokia Company will acquire brand differentiation; an aspect will help the company set the pace in the market competitiveness. High level of intelligence in the Nokia smart Smartphone is another complimentary that the device possesses. This feature helps the Smartphone user to use his voice in sending massages placing calls, scheduling meetings and other activities. The high technology used in fixing this device makes the Smartphone understand what the user says and means. The presence of such a feature not only adds fun towards Smartphone usage but also ease the user’s work of operating the phone. This is an appropriate feature for busy customers who find themselves engulfed in multiple tasks. Such a feature is rare and is extremely unique and its presence in the Nokia Smart Smartphone sets up a unique image to the company because it creates brand differentiation. Brand differentiation helps a company venture into diverse markets due to the demand of the new product with such unique features. This means that diversified markets lead to increased sales that turn up to back up the company’s overall sales. In addition, the device also has a transparent and flexible screen that could be viewed at any angle without light interference and reflections. This feature also applies to diverse customers who deal with diverse tasks in their daily activities especially the outdoor activities. This means that the screen of the Smartphone will not be affected by reflections but rather will have an accurate colour, image contrast, picture quality and above all flexible readability. The screen is a major determiner on customer behaviour while purchasing phones will mean that flexible and readable screen will attract a vast range of customers because customers love the uniqueness of the products. In this regard, unique screen will create a different concept that enhances brand differentiation. More so, the feature will attract massive customers who end up thickening the company’s profit margins. Conclusion It is evident that Nokia Company is an old phone company that deserves all the experience required in the competitive industry. However, our analysis depictsotherwise because newer companies in the industry like Apple and Samsung are on toes innovating and designing phones that posses the customer preferences and tastes; hence, hitting the target market. This means that the phone market changes with time because time aligns with tastes and trends. Reaching the target market seems to be Nokia’s biggest nightmare because it is not in a position to catch up with the changing trends (DePillis 2013, p. 1). Nevertheless, the company is not relenting, but rather it is fighting hard to retain its past market share that kept it ahead for a prolonged period of time. In this case, the company is looking forward to merge with other technological companies like Google in an effort to come up with different product design. Nokia’s success relies on time, which will eventually tell whether the merge yielded fruits or not. Nevertheless, the company should look beyond collaboration by focusing towards market diversification and creativity in product designing as part of its competitive advantage. In this concept, market diversification means that the company could invade untouched markets by producing and providing products that befits customers in such markets ((DePillis 2013, p. 1). On the other note, product designing and creativity means that the company needs to intensively research on appropriate products that aligns with the changing trends because it latest smart phone design Nokia Lumia 525, has outstanding features but still do not possess the required uniqueness compared to other Smartphones. This means that the company’s design team should research and borrow a piece from other leading companies like Apple’s design team whose product designing is unique and different from the rest and above all exactly befits customers’ needs. This seems to be the recommendable way for Nokia who holds a strong brand and outstanding customer loyalty because analysts claim that the company could experience more declines in revenue and market share if necessary innovations do not take place (DePillis 2013, p. 1). Therefore, the ball lies on Nokia’s executive team to implement necessary measures that will rejuvenate the company from its current downfall because the company has all the needed resources and capabilities to prosper and become a leader in the industry. Bibliography Best, K 2006, Design management: managing design strategy, process and implementation. Lausanne, AVA Pub. Boxall, A 2013, Rumored Nokia Goldfinger smartphone could come with 3D gesture controlled interface.Digital Trends. Available from: http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Lumia-1520-Yellow-Close.jpg [3 December 2013] DePillis, L 2013, Why Nokia Lost, and Samsung Won.Washington Post. Available from :http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/04/why-nokia-lost-and-samsung-won/ [ 2December 2013] Hinrichs, R 2013, Risk Management for Nokia. GRIN Verlag. Howlett, R. J 2013, Innovation through knowledge transfer 2012. Berlin, Springer. Mick, J 2010, Intel, Nokia join forces for smartphone hologram video calling. Daily Tech. Available from: http://www.dailytech.com/Intel+Nokia+Join+Forces+for+Smartphone+Hologram+Video+Calling/article19431.htm [2 December 2013] Phone Town 2013, Best water proof phones in 2013. Phone Town. Available from: http://www.thephonetown.com/best-waterproof-mobile-phones-2013/ [ 2 December 2013) Read More