STUDENT NAME

YOBE THOMPSON

ID NUMBER

R1608D1766727

TUTOR NAME

RICHARD NDONYE NGUNGU

MODULE NAME

UU-MAN-3010 INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

TASK: ASSIGNMENT 2

“Discussing the different collaboration strategies and their effectiveness in an

Introduction
Many successful organizations place a premium on collaboration. Collaboration and idea
exchange can spark innovation, boost efficiency, and boost production. Knowing how to
persuade your staff to collaborate is a vital ability for creating a cohesive, team-oriented
environment. Collaboration strategy, according to A. Leathard (2004), is how corporations
approach teamwork within their organization. It refers to how a company inspires or forces
employees to collaborate in order to achieve objectives and complete tasks. Collaboration entails
multiple team members with varying talents, experiences, and intellect working together.
Cracking challenges, from simple to complex, becomes a piece of cake when a varied collection
of people collaborates and is guided by an effective collaboration approach. This is due to the
numerous viewpoints and ideas that team members bring to the table. The solution might come
from team members working together and evaluating it, or from trying to outwit the other
person; either way, it's a win-win situation for the company.
Collaboration in the workplace often refers to a group of people exchanging ideas and abilities to
achieve a common goal. Working together rather than independently boosts productivity and
gives employees a sense of purpose within the company. It is also easier to come up with
solutions to existing problems or accomplish critical tasks on time. Employees with varied ideas,
perspectives, and expertise can work together to develop innovative solutions, allowing
businesses to address problems more quickly and efficiently. This essay is about a discussion of
different collaboration strategies and their effectiveness in an industry of my choice (sugar
manufacturing industry)
To begin with, the strategy of exemplifying the behavior. Tencati, A., and L. Zsolnai (2009)
emphasized that demonstrating people how to collaborate is more beneficial than informing
them. Managers at the Illovo sugar production company, for example, routinely collaborate with
their colleagues to model the behavior they want to see in their team. They collect ideas from
others and put them into action. Making plans for brainstorming meetings with staff groups.
Requesting that a team conduct research and provide feedback on a report or proposal that
management is working on. When the manager's employees witness him or her engaging in these
activities, it may motivate them to do the same.
Secondly, reviewing the company's mission and values is a second collaborative strategy. The
Illovo sugar manufacturing company is continuously spending time with employees discussing
the company's mission statement and principles. The organization links the mission to its goals
so that employees understand why certain activities, such as team projects and peer reviews, are
carried out. Explain that the organization values its employees and that in order for them to
succeed, each individual must be heard and valued.
Setting measurable objectives. Most sugar production companies have well defined goals for
each team so that they are aware of their objectives and how their work is evaluated. Set
measurable and definitive goals to avoid subjectivity. Managers may ask a team to generate three
digital marketing campaigns and two media marketing strategies instead of designing a
marketing plan. Task deadlines or deadlines for each phase of larger projects are included in the
company's. They are considering creating a project brief that includes all of the important
information and that team members may sign at the start of the project.
Maintaining proper group sizes. Depending on the extent of sugar production industry projects,
team sizes are always optimized. A larger crew is necessary for a larger project that could last
many months and involve a wide range of responsibilities. Most firms just need two or three
people to perform a simple task, such as creating a plan to recognize team member birthdays
each month.
Defining team members' roles. For large projects, the sugar industry considers defining each
team member's job to better define the group and prevent competition. Alternatively, they
provide the roles and leave it to the team to assign them. In any situation, each team member has
a better understanding of their obligations, and you know how to hold each member accountable
based on their role in the group. Every day that they work, team goals and roles are presented to
them and instilled in them. The purpose is not simply to complete a certain work for the day, but
also to value what the team expects of its members. Team goals in effective cooperation might
range from being productive to assisting others and solving problems jointly.
The strategy of fostering creativity. Collaboration can result in innovation when people with
different perspectives come together. The sugar industry encourages employees to think
creatively and develop unconventional solutions. This encourages staff to devise more efficient,
effective solutions that propel the company forward. Brainstorming sessions are an excellent way
to encourage creativity in the workplace (Dell'Era, C., & Verganti, R. 2010). Discussing ideas
with others, learning from others, drafting innovative briefs, and challenging others are all
excellent strategies to foster creativity. It also keeps employees more involved and makes them
feel valued at the organization. However, brainstorming sessions can be intimidating for some
people, especially if they are unplanned and unexpected. As a result, it is preferable to provide
staff with advance notice so that they can come prepared with suggestions.
Collaborative strategy for promotion of open communication. Sugar sector employees are
encouraged to interact honestly and directly with senior management and their coworkers. It is
being developed an environment that promotes honesty, constructive feedback, and open
communication. This helps teams avoid misconceptions and deal with problems as they arise,
rather than allowing them to grow into larger problems. Reiterate the importance of respecting
other people's perspectives and remaining professional even when you disagree.
Strategy of recognizing and rewarding successful collaboration. Employees who work well with
others and complete duties as a team are praised in this profession. Employee engagement and motivation
can be boosted by rewarding the types of behavior that the firm appreciates. Workers in the industry are
congratulated in the following ways: a department-wide or company-wide email, a sign or banner in the
office, and a gift card.
The collaborative strategy of fostering diversity and inclusion. Diverse perspectives contribute to the
generation of new ideas and innovative ways. The sugar industry is diverse and inclusive. Company
policies for fair treatment in the workplace are examined at the Illovo sugar manufacturing company to
ensure that all employees adhere to the organization's standards when engaging with others.

Assigning projects that need critical thinking is another collaborative strategy. When this
industry faces a problem that necessitates critical thought and analysis, numerous team members
are requested to collaborate to produce solutions. According to Wilson, T. (2012) “approaching the
problem from several angles can aid in the discovery of crucial background knowledge, the
introduction of new components, and the development of diverse solutions”.
Finally, the collaborative strategy of organizing the process. It is vital to specify clearly what
team cooperation comprises when implementing it. Employees will understand and engage more
successfully if your expectations and the subtleties of the process are clarified. Senior managers
in this field, for example, set aside time each week for groups to meet or offer training on group
projects to ensure that everyone is comfortable with the dynamics.
Conclusion
Businesses across the world are grappling with how to optimize their personnel. Teamwork is
more vital than ever as some firms downsize in reaction to economic uncertainties. Organizations
are also attempting to create and retain healthy business cultures while ensuring that
collaboration is a major component of their workforce. Team members must collaborate in order
to complete any task successfully. Teamwork and collaboration are essential in any workplace.
Nonetheless, many organizations and employees fail to properly interact. After all, there are
numerous factors that influence collaboration. Mainly collaboration is influenced by
communication and strategy. Collaboration requires the ability to resolve conflicts and solve
difficulties. The types of collaboration strategy tools you use can also influence how well your
teams work together. Go alone if you want to go fast. Go together if you want to go far. Too
many businesses still approach collaboration as an afterthought, with people selecting when and
frequently only as a last resort — to involve others in a project. However, the pandemic has
demonstrated how ineffective this technique is. Collaboration cannot be left to chance any
longer. It's more than just putting people in a room or Zoom and hoping for the best. The
forefathers of design thinking, Agile approaches, and workgroup facilitation have much to teach
us about how to make collaboration a vital component of the next frontier of work.

References
Dell'Era, C., & Verganti, R. (2010). Collaborative strategies in design-intensive industries: knowledge
diversity and innovation. Long range planning, 43(1), 123-141
Leathard, A. (2004). Models for interprofessional collaboration. In Interprofessional Collaboration (pp.
107-132). Routledge.

Tencati, A., & Zsolnai, L. (2009). The collaborative enterprise. Journal of business ethics, 85,
367-376.
Wilson, T. (2012). A review of business–university collaboration.