Individual Assignment (80%) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Individual Assignment (80%) - Essay Example Shell UK has been reviewing its supply chain and looking into ways in which it can improve its production through innovation and technology (Shell UK Plc., 2012). This paper identifies opportunities and inhibitors of creativity in the company and their impact on organisational performance of Shell. Additionally it identifies one innovation that would have made the most impact on Shell and individual contribution towards the company’s creative ability by applying the relevant theories. Shell UK has the key responsibility to meet energy demand and provide affordable and clean energy. The company is in the second spot in the UK market and the fifth largest globally. It is the leading tax payer in the economy and the number one company in market capitalisation. The company was established in 1897 and has opened offices in various parts of the country. Though the company’s business has reduced slightly in the recent past, it is still one of the leading companies in the UK. S hell UK boasts of having a workforce composed of 6400 skilled workers and a sufficient number of contractors (Shell UK Plc., 2012). The UK market is unique since it has like- minded climate policies and international ideologies of leadership shared by Shell UK. Lastly, the UK population is a rich source of brilliant recruits that specialise in the Projects and Technology and Upstream where they bring their invaluable knowledge in leadership and management capacities. Background of the Company Shell is an energy company that operates the oil and gas sectors in the United Kingdom. The company concentrates on fuel service systems that manufacture a variety of chemicals and fuels for industrial use and domestic use. Additionally, the company takes part in research projects which include technologies that are involved in engineering, lubricants, additives and the environment. The company’s main core objectives focus on helping the company meet the international demand for energy a t low prices, provide competitive shareholder gains and to be a future energy provider. The company’s activities can be broken down into three categories, Upstream, Downstream and Projects and Technology (Shell UK Plc., 2012). The company organization is in line with the definition of an organization since it is a social entity that has clearly laid out objectives, boundaries and a well developed structure (Butler, 1991). However, the organizational structure is characterized by bureaucracy and has limitations bound by the entity’s rules and regulations. The strategic and tactical levels in the organization can be viewed to the major agents of change. Shell UK Nature of Change In the modern world, the future of the organization has become increasingly unpredictable (Furnham, 2000). Additionally, the oil and gas industry which Shell operates in have been experiencing the imminent threat of scarcity of resources and increased competition (Crooks, 2010). This section give s a discussion of its external environment since it is believed to have a profound influence on the company’s activity (Brooks, 2004). The strong influence on the external environment can be traced by analyzing the socio- cultural and technological factors (Senior & Swailes, 2010). Some of the socio- cultural factors affecting the company are caused by the company’s exploration activities in harsh enironments. In the recent past, Shell UK suffered from a huge capital spending followed by a considerable reduction in