Method Products: Sustainability Innovation as Entrepreneurial Strategy

Abstract

A young company distinguishes itself in an industry dominated by manufacturing giants, then must determine what products to pursue next. Suitable for MBA and undergraduate learners, this case demonstrates how new innovations present new challenges. Determined to develop a green laundry detergent, Method capitalized on its creative corporate culture. With a collaborative work environment established, innovation had become a habit on which to build further success. Excerpt UVA-ENT-0159 Rev. Sept. 27, 2010 Method Products: Sustainability Innovation as Entrepreneurial Strategy Introduction Method Products, Inc., had hit a sweet spot for its buyers by 2010. Since its founding in 2000, the privately held Method had had a clear mission: Make good-smelling, high-performing household cleaners that were healthy throughout their material life spans and packaged in attractive, eye-catching, and eco-designed containers. Said Adam Lowry, cofounder and chief “greenskeeper”: . . .