BUS368 Innovation Management and Digital Transformation Assignment: Managing Innovation in Foldable, Trifold, and Stretchable Display Technologies, Singapore

BUS368 Innovation Management and Digital Transformation Tutor-Marked Assignment 

Question 1

The New-in-the-World foldable phone, the Royole FlexiPai, was introduced commercially by a little-known Chinese OEM company – Royole Technologies, in 2018. This was shortly followed by Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold in 2019. In the current foldable phone market, companies such as Samsung, Motorola, Google, OnePlus, OPPO and HONOR dominate the market (Mehrotra, 2024).

According to Weatherbed (2024), Huawei announced in September 2024 the launch of their new trifold phone -the Mate XT. This new design features an inverse dual-hinge design that folds in a “Z” shape. When the Mate XT is fully unfolded, the display increases to 10.2 inches. The phone can be used in a variety of formats. When it is partially unfolded, it will become a 7.9-inch display. The trifold phone can also be fully collapsed to look at a traditional single6.4 inches screen.

On 8 Nov 2024 at the LG Science Park, LG Display announced a stretchable display that is considered as the ultimate display technology. This stretchable display is able to fit into any shape by stretching, folding and twisting. It was a successful outcome of a collaboration between LG Display and 19 other research institutions that was brought together by the South Korean’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. During the unveiling, LG Display suggested
two potential use cases: as an automotive panel operated by touch and as a wearable display included in a firefighter’s uniform that provides real-time information updates (Lerma, 2024).

This assignment requires you to think about and analyse innovation in the real-world. Where appropriate, conduct research on real-world examples in support of your answer. In this submission, the website links must be specified, in-text citations and an end-text reference list are required for your answers.

Adapted from the following sources:

1. Lerma, R. (2024, November 19). LG Just Unveiled the World’s First Stretchable Screen. Robb Report. https://robbreport.com/gear/electronics/lg-worlds-first-stretchable-screen1235997251/.

2. Mehrotra, P. (2024, November 20). The world’s first foldable phone maker is now out of business. Android Authority. https://www.androidauthority.com/royole-technologiesbankrupt-3501513/ .

3. Weatherbed, J. (2024, September 10). Huawei’s new trifold phone costs more than a 16- inch MacBook Pro. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/10/24240700/huaweimate-xt-ultimate-design-tri-fold-price-launch.

(a) Examine how a company would manage innovation projects, such as building a foldable phone. You should identify a suitable framework and then apply it to a foldable phone model from any phone maker (Samsung, Motorola, Google, OnePlus, OPPO, HONOR, etc.) to discuss this question. Research the 2023 market share of this particular phone maker and its relative position using the Growth-Share Matrix. Provide relevant diagrams.

Word limit: 600 words
(40 marks)

(b) Appraise the Uncertainty Management of the selected phone maker (identified in Q1a) if they are to proceed to make a trifold phone. The trifold phone trend, the technological knowledge to build a foldable phone. You should select a foldable phone model from a phone maker to discuss this question.

Word limit: 400 words
(20 marks)

(c) Discuss if this ultimate stretchable display is considered an innovation as of November 2024. Justify your answers using the appropriate framework. Describe three (3) other possible applications of stretchable display (that are not found in the source articles).

Word limit: 600 words
(40 marks)