CHALLENGE
A global Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) corporation sought to refine its approach to the front-end of innovation - the critical early stages of the product development lifecycle. The client needed to understand how leading organizations across multiple sectors structure their innovation teams, manage governance, and identify high-impact practices that are often overlooked in traditional FMCG models.
THE GLG APPROACH
GLG facilitated a qualitative benchmarking study led by a Project Lead with over 15 years of senior management experience and a track record of 400+ successful research engagements. This expertise ensured that the interviews moved beyond surface-level descriptions to uncover the underlying operational mechanics of successful innovation hubs.
The research leveraged a diverse panel of experts to provide a 360-degree view of modern innovation practices.
- Methodological Benchmarking: Identifying the specific approaches used during the front-end of innovation across CPG, technology, e-commerce, and food & beverage.
- Governance Models: Analyzing whether top-performing companies utilize centralized or decentralized innovation management and how they maintain oversight.
- Team Composition: Mapping the functional teams responsible for innovation and how cross-functional collaboration is structured to drive speed.
- Best-in-Class Gap Analysis: Pinpointing next-generation practices that innovation leaders recommend but have yet to become industry standards.
- Expert Insights: Conducting seven in-depth interviews with GLG Network Members from globally recognized innovation leaders.
OUTCOME
Within three weeks of kick-off, GLG delivered a strategic 10-page report. This deliverable synthesized the findings into an executive summary and actionable recommendations, supported by specific insights that highlighted the how behind cross-industry innovation successes. The client also received full interview guides and recordings to support internal workshops.
