Reference no: EM131541620

Store shelves all over the world are packed with foods, skin-care products, household cleaners, and other consumer products made by Unilever. In fact, more than two billion consumers in 190 countries use a Unilever product every day. Over the years, the company has been awarded 20,000 patents to protect product innovations resulting from research conducted at its centers in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Scientists, chemists, nutritionists, and other specialists work closely with market researchers, quality assurance experts, and safety professionals to create. and refine new products and meet the everyday needs of consumers in the countries where Unilever does business.

Unilever has set goals for minimizing the environmental impact of its products at all stages, from sourcing raw materials to the production process to packaging and beyond. For example, as one of the world's largest buyers of tea leaves, Unilever recognizes that if it can encourage customers to compost used teabags, they will keep thousands of tons of waste out of landfills and make the planet greener for future generations.

1. How do the concepts of focus, magnitude of change, and number of production processes, describe the way Unilever produces products.
2. Why would a large multinational company like Unilever with established products that consumers purchase on a regular basis continue to invest money in research and development?