China international marine containers group: Cultivating world-class champions - a systems approach

CIMC is a group of "Hidden Champions," famed for its series of champion products from containers, vehicles to offshore segments and so on. The company's effective and efficient development is driven by its innovation dynamics and Leanovation system, which is a typical case of an innovation management system in line with ISO 56002. CIMC's innovation dynamics are coupled with the context and conditions of the evolution of the innovation management system, which could be divided into two main stages. The first stage is driven by external stimulation and market-central strategy. The second stage is driven by internal and resource-based strategy. Furthermore, we proposed a Leanovation framework that presents the remaining components and key factors for the system's implementation. It consists of a commanding World-Class Champion Strategy, front and back ends of CIMC operational structure, coordinated by the coaching leadership that ensures the coherence and alignment between soft and hard factors. With the context element of globalisation, combined with more practical market strategies, so-called "glocalisation" is emphasised considering the trend of deglobalisation, and the more "VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity)" world after the pandemic.