For my course "Managing Innovation" I have to analyse and present a company for innovation. My professor will ask me about this with "Socratic Questions".

Below I have uploaded the case study. Could a professor specialised in innovation answer the sample "Socratic Questions"?

Sample Questions:

Diagnosis:

1. Summarise the reasons why this business has experienced growth or decline in the recent past?
2. What evidence do you have that supports your explanation?
3. How did you think the author selected evidence when making this diagnosis and how did he check the relevance of the evidence?

Recommendations

1. Which is in your eyes the most important recommendation and why is it the most important to future success?
2. What are the risks of accepting these recommendations for the business and why do these risks exist?
3. What alternative recommendations would consider?

General questions

1. Why did the author selected this theory?
2. What other alternative theories would you consider?

Case Study:

Company Description

The Scottish and Southern Energy plc (SSE) is multinational energy with its headquarters in Perth, Scotland. The company operates in the UK and Ireland. Additionally, it is listed on the London Stock Exchange. Typically, it offers power generation and distribution, natural gas production, transportation, and telecommunications.

Innovation Problems

Although innovation will improve the performance of SSE, it will come at a cost. The key innovation problems in SSE are associated with Network Innovation Competition and Network Innovation Allowance. Network Innovation Competition will lead to the diversion of funds from core business activities to fund the Network Innovation Competition installation, implementation, and maintenance. Alternatively, the Network Innovation Allowance will increase withdrawals from the business to accumulate adequate funds to fund the Network Innovation Allowance. For the past 3 years, SSE has underperforming on Sustainability metrics. The stakeholders have piled pressure on SSE to improve their performance in sustainability. Additionally, ethical dilemma issues have increased in setting priorities during planning.

Literature Review 1

According to Campbell et al. (2019), innovations in technology have contributed to the energy industry. The authors acknowledge that the energy industry players have gained a competitive advantage by investing in effective technologies. They also outline that these technologies have led to increasing costs.

Recommendations 1

There are several strategies that SSE can utilize to counter innovation problems. First, SSE should leverage on improving its internal operations to increase efficiency and effectiveness. This can be achieved by implementing a continuous improvement process using quality improvement techniques such as Total Quality Management(TQM), Six Sigma, Kaizen Plan, and 5S. Additionally, the SSE should scale up its technology improvement needs for the next five years. This will enable the company to prioritize its innovations and allocate funds appropriately.

Literature Review 2

Everett Rogers, in 1962 introduced the innovation diffusion theory (IDT), which since then have been highly referenced. The theory provides a foundation for understanding the innovation and adoption process and influencing an individual's choices about the innovation process. There are four main components in Rogers' diffusion theory: the innovation, communication channels used to broadcast information about the innovation, the social system existing around the adopters/non-adopters of the innovation, and the time it takes for individuals to move through the adoption process. The interaction of these components helps one understand why an individual chooses to adapt and innovate.

Recommendations 2

In the case of SSE, perhaps a limitation in the number of experts required to evaluate the challenges and opportunities with innovation might lead to them choosing services from another in a separate but related field.

Innovation in management principles and processes can create long-lasting advantages and produce dramatic shifts in a competitive position. Over the past 100 years, management innovation has allowed companies to cross new performance thresholds more than any other kind of innovation.

Additional information: https://www.sse.com/investors/