Question

Boatbound

Serial entrepreneur Aaron Hall took note of the “sharing economy” that emerged during the last recession and launched Boatbound, a peer-to-peer boat rental company that brings together boat owners who are willing to rent their boats when they are not in use and people who want a fun boating experience without the cost of owning a boat. Hall realized that 12.2 million boats are registered in the United States, yet the average owner uses his or her boat just 26 days per year. Boatbound screens all potential renters, verifies the condition and the safety of each boat, carries ample insurance on each boat, and covers general liability. Boat owners select their renters from Boatbound’s pool of applicants and set daily rental fees, and Boatbound collects 35 percent of the fee. Boatbound has rented every kind of boat, from kayaks to yachts with captains. Fees range from $200 to $8,500 per day. “As a boat owner and someone in the marine industry, I’ve been waiting for something like this my whole life,” says Aabad Melwani, owner of a marina. “I just didn’t know it.”

Henrybuilt

Scott Hudson, CEO of Henrybuilt, had created a profitable niche designing and building upscale kitchens that ranged from $30,000 to $100,000. In 2006, Hudson opened a New York City showroom, which doubled in size in just 18 months. By 2008, the company had more than 200 jobs in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. When the recession hit, however, new projects came to a standstill, and customers began cancelling orders. In response, Hudson launched a subsidiary, Viola Park Corporation, that provides customers lower-cost remodeling options that use its software rather than an architect to create “custom” variations on Henrybuilt designs. The result is a process that produces a kitchen much faster and at half the cost of a Henrybuilt kitchen. Henrybuilt sales have recovered, but Viola Park accounts for 20 percent of sales and is growing twice as fast as Henrybuilt. Unequal Technologies Robert Vito started Unequal Technologies in 2008 to supply protective clothing and gear, including bullet-proof vests, to military contractors. The protective gear is made from a lightweight yet strong composite material that he developed and patented. Two years later, the equipment manager of the Philadelphia Eagles called to ask whether Unequal Technologies could create a special garment for one of its star players who had suffered a sternum injury. Vito modified the bullet-proof vest for the player and soon had other players in the National Football League asking for protective gear. Unequal technologies went on to develop Concussion Reduction Technology (CRT), peel-and-stick pads for football helmets that are made from before it reaches the skull. Independent tests show that CRT reduces the risk of head injuries from impact by 53 percent. The company now supplies equipment to 27 of the NFL’s 32 teams and has its sights set on an even larger market: amateur sports. Vito says Unequal’s technology gives the company a competitive edge that has allowed it to increase sales from $1 million to $20 million in just one year.

(Source: Scarborough and Cornwall, 2016)

1. Select one of these small businesses (Boatbound or Henrybuilt) and explain how the said business used six (6) of the 10 types of innovation to bolster its success.   

15. Marks)

Answer 1

BoatBound Company uses the Business model Innovation because Company created a Innovative way to make money or profit from a new business model. Company make great use of peer to peer sharing economy which no other company could think of. In this innovation, BoatBound without too much investment earned 35% of commission from People who rent their boats to end customers.

Business model innovation is a way to improve how a Company can make better source for revenue and this is What BoatBound did.Company identified the boat owners do not use their boat so they can rent them and make some money , Company earns commission and Customers get to ride boats.

Boad Bound could use Brand Innovation to increase its sales and profitability. When people start to recognize brand and its services then more customers will come to purchase its boatrenting services.

This company can make great use of social media now by using instagram, FB review where customers can post videos of their experience of boat riding. This will influence others too.

This company can also use promotional offers and discounts for customers. Company can use Celebrity appeal where famus celebrity would rent boat and ride it for one day on TV.

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