Innovation as a Tool of Brand Sustainability: Mobile Phone Industry - Dissertation Example

Mobile phones nowadays have become an inevitable part of civilization and have touched almost all facets of human life. In the 1980s this device used to be considered a symbol of richness, but, nowadays it has become a common gadget for the masses (McLeod, 2009; Goggin, 2006). Avid consumerism has driven mobile phones into common households within a very short time span in 2000 (Gabriel and Lang, 2006). Communication with friends and family has become easier with the penetration of cell phones in common day-to-day life (Yeow, Yuen, and Connolly, 2008, Fox, 2013). But the benefits of this device have not been merely restricted to communicating with near ones (Ling, 2004). It has entered the business forum and has opened easier and cheaper channels of conducting business. Besides mobile phones also play a significant part in the entertainment industry starting from enabling the users to listen to audio and video recordings to play games and surf the internet on a mobile device.
Cell phones have brought a revolution in the system of the society in which people belong and act. In the last decade, incredible innovations in the cell phone industry have been catalyzed by “consumer demand for smaller, lighter and cheaper mobile phones” (Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, 2012) that can support a huge range of applications installed in a single device.
In this competitive environment brands race with one another to grab the advantage rendered by innovation. Innovation is a strong force that can pull brands ahead of industry competitors. Brands that can beat their competitors through innovation expect to gain more sales and get a greater share of the market. It is because of this knowledge that companies like Apple, Nokia, and Samsung are currently on a spree of tail-biting performance through massive innovations. The advantage of innovative ideas is more critical to the decisions of brand leaders. It differentiates them from other players, safeguarding their category leadership, and allows them to stay ahead of the competition (Aaker, 2007). Brands have to pay a heavy penalty in terms of market share if they fall behind in this race for innovation.
Designers and developers of mobile phones brands must consider the challenges mentioned below while taking innovative steps to strengthen their brand value and hold on to market space. Product designers, engineers, and material scientists might focus on the use of safer chemicals and recyclable components in the manufacturing process of cell phones. Along with this companies are also making sincere efforts to co-optimize profit objectives with social responsibilities. The question bothering researchers and mobile companies alike is, “what would it be made of and how would it be produced, used, reused, recycled, and disposed of?” (Lowell Centre for Sustainable Production, 2012). Growth opportunities of firms are associated with the creation of value and the making of innovative propositions about the customer group to which it caters (Liabotis, 2007).
Social media networking through mobile phones is shifting the means of interaction among people, their access to information, and also their perceptions regarding their favorite brands. This acts as a positive externality for the industry and mobile companies are on their way to utilize this advantage to better their position in the market.