A、Possible bankruptcy. B、Unforeseen difficulties. C、Conflicts within the company. D、Imitation by one’s competitors. D

W: So, Mike, you managed the innovation project at CucinTech.
M: I did, indeed.
W: Well, then. First, congratulations! It seems to have been very successful.
M: Thanks. Yes. I really helped things turn around at CucinTech.
W: Was the revival in their fortunes entirely due to strategic innovation?
M: Yes, yes. I think it was. CucinTech was a company who were very much following the pack, doing what everyone else was doing, and getting rapidly left behind. I could see there was a lot of talent there, and some great potential, particularly in their product development. I just had to harness that somehow.
W: Was innovation at the core of the project?
M: Absolutely. If it doesn’t sound like too much of a cliché, our world is constantly changing and it’s changing quickly. We need to be innovating constantly to keep up with this. Stand still, and you’re lost.
W: No stopping to sniff the roses?
M: Well, I’ll do that in my personal life. Sure. But as a business strategy, I’m afraid there is no stopping.
W: What exactly is strategic innovation then?
M: Strategic innovation is the process of managing innovation, of making sure it takes place at all levels of the company and that is related to the company’s overall strategy.
W: I see.
M: So, instead of innovation for innovation’s sake and new products being created simply because the technology is there, the company culture must switch from these point-in-time innovations to a continuous pipeline of innovations from everywhere and everyone.
W: How did you align strategies throughout the company?
M: I soon became aware that campaigning is useless. People take no notice. Simply, it came about through good practice trickling down. This built consent. People could see it was the best way to work.
W: Does innovation on this scale really give a competitive advantage?
M: I’m certain of it, absolutely, especially if it’s difficult for a competitor to copy. The risk is of course that innovation may frequently lead to imitation.
W: But not if it’s strategic?
M: Precisely.
W: Thanks for talking to us.
M: Sure.
Question 1. What seems to have been very successful according to the woman speaker?
Question 2. What did the company lack before the man’s scheme was implemented?
Question 3. What does the man say he should do in his business?
Question 4. What does the man say is the risk of innovation?