BMW has been in business for decades, and to still be one of the top leading car brands in the world requires more than standard “text book” designing. The secret to BMW’s success was their ability to create a perfect brand image of cutting edge technology and innovation. That said, it is no surprise how “Kelley Blue Book” awarded BMW three awards on Best Performance, Best Exterior Design, and Coolest Brand.

BMW knows that “knowledge sits in the brains of tens of thousands of workers” and to fully utilize that knowledge is paramount and key to remain competitive, especially in the auto-industry that under-goes rapid change over time.

To have ingenuity spread, and ideas created, BMW took another approach in terms of organizing their structure. BMW superseded conventional hierarchies, and create networks that formulate “Cross-functional teams” which allows them to become more efficient and effective at problem solving.

BMW took this idea further and created an organizational system that effectively shifts from a management structure to such networks that encourages entrepreneurial creativity allow conceptional thoughts to literally speed through the company more productive than any standard structure. Such systems like this will inevitably create an organizational culture of innovation.

Citations

“BMW Selected as a Multiple 2009 Brand Image Award Winner.” Cartype. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. <http://www.cartype.com/pages/3790/bmw_selected_as_a_multiple_2009_brand_image_award_winner>.

Gail Edmondson, Gail. “The Secret of BMW’s Success.” Businessweek. 16 Oct. 2006. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. <http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_42/b4005078.htm>.