Question

Business administration class Submit one original post (20 points, 300 words) to one of the following Topics.Your post should connect to the course concepts, formulate your arguments, and bolster your answers, analysis, and recommendation using evidence and examples from the assigned materials. Please use the case material provided by the instructor.

rubric is Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of content and applicability to professional practice-5 possible points (25%)

Critical thinking-5 possible points (25%)

Support arguments with evidence-5 possible points (25%)

Clarity of Writing-5 possible points (25%)

Topic 2: Moneyball

We are going to address the organizational factors that hinder innovation before designing an innovative organization.

Review Chapter 12 before you complete this assignment. Watch the movie "Moneyball." Answer some of the following questions in detail.

Question 1: When competing with other well-funded baseball teams, how did Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics, overcome the weakness of the team?

Question 2: What type of innovation is this new approach (e.g., sabermetrics)? Product versus process innovation? Radical versus incremental innovation? Disruptive or sustaining innovation?

Question 3: Why do established firms often fail to innovate? What are the challenges for established firms to innovate? How are these challenges different from those facing small start-ups?

Question 4: What are the innovation dilemmas regarding what innovative project to invest in, who should lead an innovative project (top/senior managers versus mid-level managers), and external versus internal staffing? What are the pros and cons of each approach?

Question 5: What approach to corporate entrepreneurship did Billy Beane use? Focused (Assign a dedicated unit to undertake innovative projects within the organization) or dispersed (Every employee is encouraged to undertake innovative projects) approach? What are the pros and cons of each approach? What role does Billy Beane play in the process of innovation?

Question 6: Why did the adoption of this new approach fail to lead to a competitive advantage in the first place? What are the keys for established firms to innovation? How do established firms foster innovation?

Question 7: Is this new approach a source of sustainable competitive advantage? Is it valuable, rare, non-substitutable, and costly to imitate (e.g., path dependency, casual ambiguity, social complexity)?

Question 8: What lessons have you learned from this film?

Answer 1

The film 'Moneyball' showcases how Billy Beane's adoption of sabermetrics—a form of disruptive and process innovation—transformed team assembly in baseball, offering insights into innovation's role in competitiveness and the pursuit of sustainable advantage.

Step-by-step explanation:

The film Moneyball illustrates a compelling story of innovation in a competitive environment. When Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics, faced the challenge of competing against well-funded baseball teams with his limited budget, he adopted a radical form of innovation called sabermetrics. This approach is an example of both disruptive innovation and process innovation, as it changed the way players were evaluated and teams were assembled based on detailed statistical analyses rather than traditional scouting methods.

Established firms often fail to innovate due to organizational inertia, culture resistant to change, and a focus on short-term goals over long-term transformation. The challenges they face differ significantly from those of small start-ups, which are typically more agile and less hindered by legacy processes and bureaucracies.

In addressing innovation dilemmas, Billy Beane demonstrated the focused approach to corporate entrepreneurship by building a dedicated analytics team. He played a crucial role in the process of innovation, acting as a transformational leader and ensuring the adoption of sabermetrics within the organization.

The initial adoption of sabermetrics did not lead to a competitive advantage because other teams quickly imitated the strategy. Sustainable competitive advantage requires attributes that are valuable, rare, non-substitutable, and costly to imitate. While sabermetrics initially had these qualities, over time, it became more common across baseball.

From Moneyball, we learn that innovation is essential for competitiveness, but maintaining a sustainable competitive advantage requires ongoing evolution and adaptation.