Leading Teleflex Canada: A Culture of Innovation
Teleflex Canada, a division of Teleflex Inc., manufactures a range of products, including marine hydraulic steering systems, trim components for marine propulsion, heating equipment for the truck and bus industries, a range of proprietary fluid controls, and field cookstoves for the U.S. Army. Within Teleflex Canada, there was a consensus that continual innovation in product design, manufacturing, and marketing was critical to the success of the organization. In 2005, Teleflex Canada executives were faced with various questions: Would size inhibit the ability to innovate? Would increased corporate centralization at Teleflex Inc. impact Teleflex Canada’s ability to respond to new market opportunities? At the Teleflex Inc. corporate level, different questions were being asked: Could the culture of innovation in Teleflex Canada be transferred to other parts of the company? What was the appropriate level of corporate support and control necessary to foster innovation and high performance at Teleflex Canada and at other Teleflex business units?
The case can be used to accomplish various teaching objectives. It can be used in a strategic management class to develop the concept of innovation and its role in firm success. It can be used in a course on organizational design to show how a division of MNC links its innovation activities to the larger firm. It can be used with executives to examine the key determinants for innovation.