http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.phpRSS feeds for 60http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/3-Books-Full-of-Cool-Innovation-Tools.php#Comments03 Books Full of Cool Innovation Toolshttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/3-Books-Full-of-Cool-Innovation-Tools.php<p>Every organization needs a basket of tools and methods to help find innovative ideas and solutions. Give access to the right tools to the right people based on the nature of their jobs and the types of challenges that needs to be solved. Surround them with proper innovation management processes, and the tools will help generate a culture of innovation and new profits. We are happy to share three of our favorite books on innovation tools.</p> <p><img src="http://www.desai.com/images/3 books of cool innovation tools-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="3 books of cool innovation tools resized 600" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="97">&nbsp; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Big-Book-Creativity-Games-Jumpstarting/dp/0071361766/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378390695&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0071361766" title="The Big Book of Creativity Games" target="_blank"> <img id="img-1392199876472" src="http://www.desai.com/images/The Big Book of Creativity Games-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="The Big Book of Creativity Games resized 600" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></a></td> <td valign="top" width="516"> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Big-Book-Creativity-Games-Jumpstarting/dp/0071361766/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378390695&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0071361766" title="The Big Book of Creativity Games" target="_blank">The Big Book of Creativity Games: Quick, Fun Activities for Jumpstarting Innovation by Robert Epstein</a></p> <p>In the modern economy, where most workers are knowledge workers, creativity and innovation are the most easily sustainable competitive advantages. In&nbsp;<em>The Big Book of Creativity Games</em>, Harvard trained psychologist Robert Epstein provides dozens of games and activities designed to stimulate creativity and generate innovation in the workplace.</p> <p>Dr. Epstein describes the scientific principles of creativity that underlie the games, and how these principles can be applied to tasks like problem solving, new product development, and marketing. Timely and innovative,&nbsp;<em>The Big Book of Creativity Games</em>&nbsp;is the ideal book for managers to turn to whenever they need:</p> <table style="width: 95%;" border="0" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="5"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <ul> <li>Games that are easy to lead and fun to play</li> <li>Exercises that go far beyond standard brainstorming techniques</li> <li>Innovation jump-starters for team meetings and work groups</li> </ul> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="97">&nbsp;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=http://www.desai.com/1932159665" title="Fast Creativity &amp; Innovation" target="_blank"><img id="img-1392199914693" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Fast Creativity &amp; Innovation-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="Fast Creativity &amp; Innovation resized 600" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></a></td> <td valign="top" width="516"> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=http://www.desai.com/1932159665" title="Fast Creativity &amp; Innovation" target="_blank">Fast Creativity &amp; Innovation: Rapidly Improving Processes, Product Development and Solving by Charles W.&nbsp;Bytheway</a>&nbsp;</p> <p>Function Analysis Systems Technique (FAST) is a powerful mapping technique that can graphically represent goals, objectives, strategies, plans, projects, processes, and procedures in function terms to identify related dependencies by organizing them into a cause-and-effect relationship. It is used as a tool to enhance productive thinking, innovation, creativity, and complex problem-solving by allowing problems to be represented quickly and clearly. "Fast Creativity &amp; Innovation" explores all the original concepts behind the FAST method with examples from all sorts of disciplines and industries, as well as looking at some of the newer derivatives of the method - such as fishbone diagrams and process mapping - and how they can be re-introduced to the original concept to tap into undiscovered opportunities for success.&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="97">&nbsp; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=http://www.desai.com/0470451033" title="The Rudolph Factor" target="_blank"><img id="img-1392199939799" src="http://www.desai.com/images/The Rudolph Factor-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="The Rudolph Factor resized 600" class="alignCenter" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></a></td> <td valign="top" width="516"> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=http://www.desai.com/0470451033" title="The Rudolph Factor" target="_blank">The Rudolph Factor: Finding the Bright Lights that Drive Innovation in Your Business by Cyndi&nbsp;Laurin&nbsp;&amp; Craig Morningstar</a>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Praise for The Rudolph Factor</b></p> <p>"Whether you're just starting a business or are a seasoned veteran,&nbsp;<em>The Rudolph Factor</em>&nbsp;provides the guiding light for continuously stimulating innovation. People are the key, and this is just the recipe for waking up the creative power within!"</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><b>The Takeaway</b></p> <p>Innovation is an ever-evolving discipline.&nbsp;&nbsp;Many practitioners and academics have invented and popularized many tools to help you accelerate your innovation efforts.</p> <p><b>Over to you.&nbsp;&nbsp;Please comment below.</b></p> <ol> <li>What other books would you add to the recommended reading list?</li> <li>What is your favorite innovation tool?</li> <li>In what area of innovation would you like to see new tools created?</li> </ol> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/3-Books-Full-of-Cool-Innovation-Tools.php&bvt=rss">Rob BermanThu, 13 Feb 2014 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:105106http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/6-Components-to-Building-Innovation-Momentum.php#Comments06 Components to Building Innovation Momentumhttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/6-Components-to-Building-Innovation-Momentum.php<P>Our research and experience has led us to identify six components of building momentum and change to help you accelerate your innovation journey and lift off.&nbsp;</P> <P><IMG title="6 Components to Building Innovation Momentum" class=alignCenter style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" border=0 alt="" src="http://www.desai.com/images/8287914349_8061e46878_m-resized-600.jpg"></P> <OL> <LI><B>Develop your innovation story.</B>&nbsp;Develop a compelling case for innovation, what innovation is, and why the company is pursuing the innovation journey now. Include how it will benefit everyone.</LI> <LI><B>Evoke change leadership.</B>&nbsp;No one likes change. During the uncertainties of a change process, people don't hang onto concepts, they hang onto people. Create a sense of urgency and build awareness and excitement about innovation for your key sponsors and change agents.&nbsp;</LI> <LI><B>Identify innovation leaders and best talent.</B>&nbsp;Identify the natural intrapreneurs, innovation champions, and innovation igniters along with your key innovation leaders, advisors, and mentors. This talent pool will help you build the required innovation capability.&nbsp;</LI> <LI><B>Communicate, communicate, and communicate.</B>&nbsp;Go for fast and small wins and tell everyone about it. Collect momentum data showing progress, and implement and integrate a solid public relations strategy using any and all resources at your disposal.&nbsp;</LI> <LI><B>Build awareness--educate everyone.</B>&nbsp;In many ways an innovation change initiative begins and ends with education. It is the primary method of advancing and improving organizational knowledge and acceleration for desired changes in the hearts and minds of everyone involved.&nbsp;</LI> <LI><B>Protect the momentum.</B>&nbsp;Vigilantly protect innovation principles. Many will want to go back to status quo and forget the agreements, processes, and principles in the playbook. Every small win is a huge step toward the future and part of the foundation-building process. Protect the foundation.&nbsp;</LI></OL> <P><B>The Takeaway</B></P> <P>Innovation momentum is created, not decreed by senior management. Use your momentum to establish&nbsp;<A href="http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/How-to-Define-Innovation-Objectives-and-Innovation-Goal.php">your innovation objectives and goal</A>.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>Over to you.&nbsp;&nbsp;Please comment below.</B></P> <OL> <LI>What steps would you add to the list?</LI> <LI>How do you motivate your innovators?</LI> <LI>Please share an anecdote about innovation momentum.</LI></OL> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/6-Components-to-Building-Innovation-Momentum.php&bvt=rss">Rob BermanThu, 06 Feb 2014 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:104854http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/5-Important-Innovation-Change-Questions.php#Comments05 Important Innovation Change Questionshttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/5-Important-Innovation-Change-Questions.php<P>In our experience at the DeSai Group, when dealing with innovation as a major change initiative, employees seek answers to these five questions:&nbsp;</P> <OL> <LI>What is happening with the innovation program?</LI> <LI>Why are we pursuing innovation as a major change?</LI> <LI>When is it going to happen?</LI> <LI>How will I be impacted during the rollout and after implementation?</LI> <LI>Where can I go with more questions, issues, and concerns related to the innovation program in my area?</LI></OL> <P><B>What if we do not communicate to staff?</B></P> <P>If these questions are not answered, you are leaving it to chance for employees to create their own interpretations, leading to possible negative consequences and waste of your valuable resources.&nbsp;</P> <P><IMG title="5 Important Innovation Change Questions" class=alignCenter style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" border=0 alt="" src="http://www.desai.com/images/3154262365_ee9e47d72e_m.jpg"></P> <P><B>Communication Plan Template</B><B></B></P> <P>Your high-level communication plan may include these points:&nbsp;</P> <OL> <LI>Develop answers to the five questions. Then make sure the questions are addressed in every innovation initiative communication document, meeting, and webcast.</LI> <LI>Develop a one-minute message--your elevator pitch about the innovation program. It should describe the business case and vision for the future.</LI> <LI>Demand consistent dialog at all levels, especially middle management.</LI> <LI>Use multiple media to teach and tell--remove uncertainties and doubt from day 1.</LI> <LI>Clearly identify the objective of each communication: awareness building, skill development, network development, employee engagement, and so on.</LI> <LI>Check often for alignment of process objectives and productivity for the parties in the communication activity.</LI> <LI>Be open to examine and test for what people hear.</LI> <LI>Actively respond to feedback and make adjustments to the plan as required.&nbsp;</LI></OL> <P><B>Communication, Communication, Communication</B></P> <P>Don't underestimate the need to repeat the messages even when you know everyone has heard them time and again. Even with your best efforts, there are always many who will not understand the importance of the innovation change initiative.&nbsp;</P> <P>There have been stories where after six months of implementation activities, senior executives have publicly asked, "Why are we doing all this innovation stuff?".&nbsp;&nbsp;Although this raised a few eyebrows, the question was taken seriously and led to rather thorough discussions of the whys that had not surfaced before.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>The Takeaway</B></P> <P>Innovation is about approaching products and processes in a different way.&nbsp;&nbsp;The communications surrounding the innovation effort require different methods as well.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>Over to you.&nbsp;&nbsp;Please comment below.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</B><B></B></P> <OL> <LI>How do you disseminate information about your innovation change program?</LI> <LI>What else would you add to the communications plan template?</LI> <LI>What other questions do you find that employees tend to ask?</LI></OL> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/5-Important-Innovation-Change-Questions.php&bvt=rss">Rob BermanThu, 30 Jan 2014 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:104750http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Strategic-Acquisitions-Telecommunications-Case-Study.php#Comments0Strategic Acquisitions - Telecommunications Case Studyhttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Strategic-Acquisitions-Telecommunications-Case-Study.php<P>Everything is connected to everything. Everything is moving from large, to small, to micro, to nano. That means computing power in the palm of our hands and soon in our blood cells.&nbsp;</P> <P>In order to turn data into information and knowledge, we need telecommunications.&nbsp;&nbsp;As an example, one of the largest growing fields is the convergence of 2-D data and entertainment.&nbsp;&nbsp;The convergence requires much larger and more efficient communication pipelines.&nbsp;&nbsp;Not everyone needs the same pipeline of services.&nbsp;&nbsp;Therefore, the Telecommunications industry must respond with customized communication services for any rich-media object.&nbsp;&nbsp;That means, for anyone in the world, at anytime, all the time, in any direction.<B>&nbsp;</B></P> <P><B><IMG title="Telecommunications Case Study" class=alignCenter style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" border=0 alt="" src="http://www.desai.com/images/5416543588_261d2b99e8_m-resized-600.jpg"><BR></B></P> <P><B>Client Situation</B></P> <P>Let’s take a look at a<B>&nbsp;</B>US Based, Telecommunications&nbsp;company&nbsp;with 9,000 employees, operating in 34 states plus one international operation.&nbsp;</P> <P>They sought DeSai’s help to develop new service offerings.&nbsp;&nbsp;Organic growth was their focus although they were open to acquisitions that would bring capabilities the company sought for wireless communications. The company asked DeSai to validate the targets before it spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the acquisitions.<B>&nbsp;</B></P> <P><B>DeSai Approach</B></P> <P>The DeSai team dug deep into what jobs customers were really trying to get done in the target market by conducting interviews, implementing surveys and performing observational research.&nbsp;</P> <P>The work resulted in the conclusion that customers were seeking to accomplish a set of jobs involving much different performance dimensions than what the client had originally envisioned.</P> <P><B>DeSai Recommendation</B></P> <P>DeSai recommended acquiring the capabilities to address the jobs from one of several struggling (and inexpensive) firms, rather than the high-priced acquisition target the firm was considering.&nbsp;&nbsp;Why?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Because of the different capabilities identified during the vetting process.</P> <P><B>Results Are&nbsp;The&nbsp;Measure of Innovation Success</B></P> <P>How did applying the DeSai Body of Knowledge impact the company?<B>&nbsp;</B></P> <UL> <LI>DeSai’s recommendation saved the telecom client millions of dollars in acquisition costs while showing the company an inexpensive route to acquire the capabilities it really needed to address the right customer jobs-to-be-done.</LI> <LI>Client achieved 22% top-line growth in first three years.</LI> <LI>15% net contribution to the bottom line during the first three years resulting from the innovation program/process.&nbsp;</LI></UL> <P><B>The Takeaway</B></P> <P>Change your innovation culture to allow validation of key assumptions before committing large amounts of resources to a project.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>Your</B><B>&nbsp;Turn.&nbsp;&nbsp;Please comment below.</B></P> <OL> <LI>What is your system of checks and balances for vetting possible acquisitions?</LI> <LI>How is convergence impacting your business opportunities?</LI> <LI>Do you prefer organic growth or acquisitions to increase the size of your business?</LI></OL> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Strategic-Acquisitions-Telecommunications-Case-Study.php&bvt=rss">Rob BermanThu, 23 Jan 2014 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:104659http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/How-to-Define-Innovation-Objectives-and-Innovation-Goal.php#Comments0How to Define Innovation Objectives and Innovation Goalhttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/How-to-Define-Innovation-Objectives-and-Innovation-Goal.php<P>To help facilitate a strong leadership conversation about&nbsp;<A href="http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/innovation-in-37-tweets.php">innovation objectives</A>&nbsp;and innovation goals, here are some examples of why you might choose to enable an&nbsp;<A href="http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/you-can-build-your-own-innovation-engine.php">innovation engine</A>&nbsp;for your organization:</P> <UL> <LI>To differentiate your organization in the marketplace</LI> <LI>To build customer loyalty</LI> <LI>To identify savings potential</LI> <LI>To achieve revenue potential</LI> <LI>To accelerate exploitation of new business ideas worthy of pursuing</LI> <LI>To a build climate and culture of innovation as per the organization’s innovation mission</LI> <LI>To become a leading innovation brand for products and services in the markets served and new markets you may serve</LI> <LI>To improve and expand current products and services</LI> <LI>To access new technologies</LI> <LI>To access new markets</LI> <LI>To identify market trends</LI> <LI>To improve product quality and associated core processes</LI> <LI>To improve employee attraction, engagement, and retention</LI> <LI>To develop new competencies&nbsp;</LI></UL> <P><IMG class=alignCenter style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" border=0 alt="how to define innovation objectives and goals resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/how%20to%20define%20innovation%20objectives%20and%20goals-resized-600.jpg"></P> <P><B>Defining the Innovation Goal</B></P> <P>The&nbsp;<B>innovation goal</B>&nbsp;should be visionary and exciting. It should be something that has not seen before, measurable at least once per year (eventually more often), customer focused, and ultimately delivering value (top line, mid line and bottom line).&nbsp;</P> <P>Following are some examples of innovation goals:&nbsp;</P> <OL> <LI>Increase the product pipeline from x to y, to grow the top line by 5% better than your sector’s GDP.</LI> <LI>Annually achieve 25% additional margin from new customer-driven services.</LI> <LI>Increase the top line every three years by 25%.</LI> <LI>Double the top line and bottom line every three years.</LI> <LI>Achieve 25% of the top line from new services created within the past 24 months.</LI> <LI>Develop new customer-driven products from the top ten customers that will increase net margins by 5% every year.</LI> <LI>Build a new S-Curve: Invent a completely new business with a new category of offerings.</LI> <LI>Improve customer acquisition ratio by 15% every year for the next three years.</LI> <LI>Achieve a customer satisfaction index (CSAT) (or some other best practices method such as net promoter score (NPS) score of 6.0 out of 7.0 (85% or better).</LI> <LI>Achieve 25% net profit from 3 new businesses and 25 new current product enhancements in the next five years.</LI> <LI>1% profit before income tax (PBIT) above the current PBIT targets.</LI> <LI>Top customers rate us as most innovative in markets and categories we serve.</LI> <LI>2x/3y: Grow 2x every three years, both top line and bottom line.</LI> <LI>3/30/3: Within three years achieve a rate of 30% new revenue from products/services introduced in last three years.</LI> <LI>20/20: 20% of new business (top line) should come from 20% of new customers every year.</LI> <LI>10/20/30: Ten new offerings that yield 20% growth in revenue and 30% growth in profitability.</LI> <LI>50% of all products should be engineered or should include technologies from outside the firm by 2020.&nbsp;</LI></OL> <P>These are good examples of innovation goals to consider. Use the list to engage senior leaders in dialog, debate, and consensus. Then, define innovation goals for your company and for each business unit.&nbsp;</P> <P>If your innovation initiative is for the&nbsp;<B>entire enterprise</B>, one goal should be directly linked to the business strategy.&nbsp;</P> <P>If you are rolling out innovation only in your&nbsp;<B>own business unit or information technology department</B>, the goal should be aligned to the area’s business or operational strategy.&nbsp;</P> <P>Whatever you choose as your innovation goal, it should be fixed for a minimum of three years.&nbsp;&nbsp;At the end of three years, you can always enhance it or pick an alternative.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>The Takeaway</B></P> <P>To communicate the innovation agenda to your organization you must first clearly define the innovation strategy, objectives and goals.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>Over to you.&nbsp;&nbsp;Please comment below.</B></P> <OL> <LI>How do you plan to motivate your company’s employees to generate innovative ideas and products?</LI> <LI>What is your goal for company innovations in the next 12 months?</LI> <LI>What other items would you add to the above lists?</LI></OL> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/How-to-Define-Innovation-Objectives-and-Innovation-Goal.php&bvt=rss">Rob BermanThu, 16 Jan 2014 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:104394http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/22-Principles-of-Innovation.php#Comments022 Principles of Innovationhttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/22-Principles-of-Innovation.php<P>Based on the last 25 years of working with local and global firms, The DeSai Group we has identified a22 Principles of Innovation.&nbsp;&nbsp;We have divided them into three categories: Organizational Success Principles, Individual and Team Success Principles and Leadership Success Principles. &nbsp;</P> <P>When embraced, these principles create a significant difference when searching for innovations or venturing for new businesses. These principles are industry agnostic. Based on your industry, company culture, and business context, some may have more importance than others. They are all crucial in a great program design. You will need to uphold these as truths and make sure they take deep roots from day 1.&nbsp;</P> <P><IMG id=img-1388515327611 class=alignCenter style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" border=0 alt="22 Principles of Innovation blog resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/22-Principles-of-Innovation_blog-resized-600.gif"></P> <P><B>Organizational Success Principles</B></P> <P>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Seek innovation to alter or identify new business models. Due to the abundant number of convergences in products and industries, there is more white space today (in every sector) than ever before. Old business models are dying fast. Challenge your current business model, and perform acts of creative destruction. Work from the future back.&nbsp;</P> <P>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Listen for 360-degree voices. Your customers and partners are communicating their unmet needs faster and through a variety of media. Learn to listen faster. The voice of the customer alone is no longer enough. You must empathize with customers and gain new insights for their emerging and unmet needs.&nbsp;</P> <P>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Develop an innovation charter that defines innovation for your business. Tell everyone why it is important and what is expected of each individual at all levels as behaviors of innovation. Allow everyone to see themselves in your innovation vision.&nbsp;</P> <P>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Focus on developing microclimates for innovation, not the culture of innovation. This means you must find ways to make teams innovative. As more teams become innovative, culture will take care of itself.&nbsp;</P> <P>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Integrate innovation behaviors into your human resources performance management process.&nbsp;</P> <P>6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;C-suite and senior leaders should role-model innovation behaviors expected of others.&nbsp;</P> <P>7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Provide basic innovation education to as many people as possible, and provide extended training to help build<A href="http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Recognize-Intrapreneurs-Before-They-Leave.php">&nbsp;intrapreneurs</A>.&nbsp;&nbsp;A good target ratio is 1% to 2% (develop 50&nbsp;intrapreneurs&nbsp;if you have 5,000 non-factory employees).&nbsp;</P> <P>8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Focus on fast experiments. Develop 90-day experiment plans for ideas that come from teams across the organization. Some of these ideas will surely drive powerful outcomes for your customers.&nbsp;</P> <P>9.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Define stretch challenges with a vivid vision of a future that is believable. Bigger challenges bring the best innovators forward. Real&nbsp;intrapreneurs&nbsp;are those who need stretch challenges and the freedom to test their wacky ideas—that is their currency. Liberate them to fail fast and discover ways to serve your customers. Give them candid feedback and recognize them&nbsp;quickly, no matter what the outcome for an experiment or a pilot. When they produce results, reward them handsomely. &nbsp;&nbsp;</P> <P>10.&nbsp;In the beginning, provide access to off-budget funds for those who can work on challenging problems and produce fresh new solutions for growth.&nbsp;</P> <P>11.&nbsp;Manage the idea bank closely—the bigger the pipeline (quantity and quality), the better the future.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>Individual and Team Success Principles</B></P> <P>12.&nbsp;Promote cross-functional volunteerism. Research shows that the majority of your employees bring only a portion of themselves to work. This means there is&nbsp;unharvested&nbsp;organizational potential waiting to be leashed. Allow anyone to form cross-functional teams for their great ideas. Diversity of thought is the catalyst for ideas. What any one person sees is only apart of what needs to be seen.&nbsp;</P> <P>13.&nbsp;Teach people how to make what is invisible visible. No one person can see the future as clearly as a team of&nbsp;intrapreneurs&nbsp;can. Humans can see only through a lens of their past experiences. This means they never see a full reality of a situation. This thought can be humbling and, at the same time, very energizing for your best talent.&nbsp;</P> <P>14.&nbsp;Learn to ask new questions before generating new ideas. Most organizations are solving the wrong problems in today’s fast-paced world.&nbsp;</P> <P>15.&nbsp;Prototype fast—think design on day 1. Always promote action over analysis. Sitting in the corner office idealizing issues and solutions is less effective than two people role-playing the situation for new insights.&nbsp;</P> <P>16.&nbsp;Diverge then converge. Then do it again. Then do it once more. Three cycles will improve the clarity of an idea as it moves along the innovation pipeline. The very best ideas will survive.&nbsp;</P> <P>17.&nbsp;Greenhouse ideas. At the very early stages, ideas must be protected just like a seed has to be protected for a plant to grow. Never dismiss an idea. Put them all in a greenhouse and protect them so they don’t get shot down. Keep playing with them. It might take a few weeks or months before they are ready to be shared.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>Leadership Success Principles</B></P> <P>18.&nbsp;Show everyone how to&nbsp;derisk&nbsp;the future. Taking no risk can lead to stagnation. Not taking enough risk can create commoditization and price wars. Taking just enough risk at the right time can lead to market differentiation; that is called&nbsp;derisking&nbsp;the future.&nbsp;</P> <P>19.&nbsp;Create healthy discontent. Provide stretch challenges and demand breakthrough solutions—once in a while. Most work is incremental. Your best innovators get bored easily. Often they are most sought after for all incremental challenges. Manage their intellectual capital between easy and complex assignments. This will keep them engaged and at peak levels of performance.&nbsp;</P> <P>20.&nbsp;Communicate how innovation decisions will be made. Create an environment of transparency for idea generation, evaluation protocol, funding and experimentation.&nbsp;</P> <P>21.&nbsp;Implement a reward and recognition policy that encourages proper behaviors for all, especially middle management.&nbsp;</P> <P>22.&nbsp;Exhibit personal passion for innovative thinking and creativity.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>The Takeaway</B></P> <P>Innovation is a large opportunity in all organizations.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, it requires persistence, a plan and engaged employees to succeed. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</P> <P><B>Your turn.&nbsp;&nbsp;Please comment below.</B></P> <P>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What other innovation principles would you add to the list?</P> <P>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Which category do you feel is more important than the other two categories?</P> <P>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Do you find these principles to be industry agnostic?</P><!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/22-Principles-of-Innovation.php&bvt=rss">Rob BermanTue, 07 Jan 2014 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:104274http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/6-Creativity-and-Innovation-Books-for-Your-Office.php#Comments36 Creativity and Innovation Books for Your Officehttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/6-Creativity-and-Innovation-Books-for-Your-Office.php<p>In my experience, all ideas come from an emotion of creativity. Many ideas are easy to find.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, the breakthrough ideas need staff that is challenged to solve the greatest problems Books in this category will help you identify the problem space as well as solution space by tapping into the hearts and minds of your people.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="79" valign="top">&nbsp;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Managing-Creativity-Innovation-Business-Essentials/dp/1591391121/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1287593274&amp;sr=1-1" target="_blank"><img class="alignCenter" id="img-1388451048549" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" alt="Managing Creativity and Innovation resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Managing Creativity and Innovation-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></a></td> <td width="458" valign="top"> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Managing-Creativity-Innovation-Business-Essentials/dp/1591391121/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1287593274&amp;sr=1-1">Managing Creativity and Innovation (Harvard Business Essentials)</a>&nbsp;</p> <p>Packed with practical information designed for business readers and managers at all levels, this essential volume offers insights on managing creativity in groups, developing creative conflict, and using technology to help foster innovation.&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="79" valign="top">&nbsp;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=http://www.desai.com/0071494936" target="_blank"><img class="alignCenter" id="img-1388451087373" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" alt="Think Better resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Think Better-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></a></td> <td width="458" valign="top"> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=http://www.desai.com/0071494936">Think Better: An Innovator's Guide to Productive Thinking by TimHurson&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;</p> <p>There are thousands of books about thinking. But there are very few books that provide clear how-to information that can actually help you&nbsp;<em>think better.</em></p> <p><em>Think Better</em>&nbsp;is about Productive Thinking — why it’s important, how it works, and how to use it at work, at home, and at play. Productive Thinking is a game changer — a practical, easy-to-learn, repeatable process that helps people understand more clearly, think more creatively, and plan more effectively. It's based on the thinking strategies that people we celebrate for their creativity have been using for centuries. Tim&nbsp;Hurson&nbsp;brings Productive Thinking out of the closet and presents it in a way that makes it easy for anyone to grasp and use — so you can think better, work better, and do better in every aspect of your life.</p> <p><em>Think Better</em>&nbsp;demonstrates how you can start with an intractable technical problem, an unmet consumer need, or a gaping chasm in your business strategy and, by following a clearly defined, practical thinking process, arrive at a robust, innovative solution. Many<b>companies</b>&nbsp;use the Productive Thinking model to generate fresh solutions for tough business problems, and many&nbsp;<b>individuals</b>&nbsp;rely on it to solve pressing personal problems.&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="79" valign="top">&nbsp;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=http://www.desai.com/0805849688" target="_blank"><img class="alignCenter" id="img-1388451173753" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" alt="Creativity and Innovation blog resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Creativity and Innovation_blog-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></a></td> <td width="458" valign="top"> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=http://www.desai.com/0805849688">Creativity and Innovation in Organizational Teams Organization and Management&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;by&nbsp;Hoon-Seok&nbsp;Choi Leigh L. Thompson</a>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Creativity and Innovation in Organizational Teams</em>&nbsp;stemmed from a conference held at the Kellogg School of Management in June 2003 covering creativity and innovation in groups and organizations. Each chapter of the book is written by an expert and covers original theory about creative processes in organizations. The organization of the text reflects a longstanding notion that creativity in the world of work is a joint outcome of three interdependent forces--individual thinking, group processes, and organizational environment.<br><br>Part I explores basic cognitive mechanisms that underlie creative thinking, and includes chapters that discuss cognitive foundations of creativity, a cognitive network model of creativity that explains how and why creative solutions form in the human mind, and imports a ground-breaking concept of "creativity templates" to the study of creative idea generation in negotiation context. The second part is devoted to understanding how groups and teams in organizational settings produce creative ideas and implement innovations. Finally, Part III contains three chapters that discuss the role of social, organizational context in which creative endeavors take place.<br><br>The book has a strong international mix of scholarship and includes clear business implications based on scientific research. It weds the disciplines of psychology, cognition, and business theory into one text.&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="79" valign="top">&nbsp;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Faces-Innovation-Strategies-Organization/dp/0385512074/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378393336&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0385512074" target="_blank"><img class="alignCenter" id="img-1388451220488" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" alt="The Ten Faces of Innovation blog resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/The Ten Faces of Innovation_blog-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></a></td> <td width="458" valign="top"> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Faces-Innovation-Strategies-Organization/dp/0385512074/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378393336&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0385512074">The Ten Faces of Innovation: IDEO's Strategies for Defeating the Devil's Advocate and Driving Creativity Throughout Your Organization by Thomas Kelley and Jonathan Littman</a>&nbsp;</p> <p>The author of the bestselling&nbsp;<em>The Art of Innovation&nbsp;</em>reveals the strategies IDEO, the world-famous design firm, uses to foster innovative thinking throughout an organization and overcome the naysayers who stifle creativity.&nbsp;<b><br><br></b>The role of the devil's advocate is nearly universal in business today. It allows individuals to step outside themselves and raise questions and concerns that effectively kill new projects and ideas, while claiming no personal responsibility. Nothing is more potent in stifling innovation.</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="79" valign="top">&nbsp;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Innovation-Organize-Creativity-Harvest/dp/0749454792/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378393504&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0749454792" target="_blank"><img class="alignCenter" id="img-1388451253832" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" alt="Leadership for Innovation blog resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/leadership for innovation_blog-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></a></td> <td width="458" valign="top"> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Innovation-Organize-Creativity-Harvest/dp/0749454792/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378393504&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0749454792">Leadership for Innovation: How to Organize Team Creativity and Harvest Ideas by John Eric Adair</a>&nbsp;</p> <p>New ideas and new ways of doing things are one of the main ingredients in sustained business success, but how does one&nbsp;create the right conditions for innovation?<br><br><em>Leadership for Innovation</em>&nbsp;will help&nbsp;readers create an innovative climate that encourages the development of new products and services. Drawing upon real-life examples including Google, Honda and 3M, John Adair sets out practical ways for bringing about change in organizations. As well as identifying the characteristics of an innovative organization, he discusses key topics such as organizing for team creativity; motivating creative people, how to build on ideas and how to be a creative leader and team member.<br><br><em>Leadership for Innovation</em><b>&nbsp;</b>shows how to inspire teams to go one step further and generate the kind of ideas that are the foundations of future success.</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="79" valign="top">&nbsp;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/CATS-Innovation-Stephen-C-Lundin/dp/0071602216/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378396789&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0071602216" target="_blank"><img class="alignCenter" id="img-1388451300762" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" alt="CATS blog resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/CATS_blog-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></a></td> <td width="458" valign="top"> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/CATS-Innovation-Stephen-C-Lundin/dp/0071602216/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378396789&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0071602216">CATS: The Nine Lives of Innovation by Stephen C.&nbsp;Lundin</a></p> <p><b>It's time to let the CATS out of the bag . . .</b></p> <p>Curiosity might have killed the proverbial cat, but without it very real achievements would never occur. With this book as your guide, you’ll learn how to spark your innate curiosity, pounce on problems in ways you never imagined, and enjoy greater success and satisfaction at work—and in your personal life.</p> <p>Playful, profound, and positively upbeat,&nbsp;<em>CATS</em>&nbsp;provides what you need to tap into your power of innovation—and then unleash it in every member of your organization. While most business thinkers view this challenge from the top down, Stephen&nbsp;Lundin&nbsp;sees the subject from a&nbsp;CAT's-eye&nbsp;view, explaining how to get every employee--no matter what level--to think and act in innovative ways. Inside, he examines the four challenges to innovation and offers practical measures aimed at conquering them.&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><b>The Takeaway</b></p> <p>Challenge your staff to think creatively about customer needs in new and unique ways.</p> <p><b>Your</b><b>&nbsp;Turn.&nbsp;&nbsp;Please comment below.</b></p> <ol> <li>What creativity and innovation books would you add to the list?</li> <li>Which of the books on the list did you enjoy the most?</li> <li>If only one book could be written on Creativity and Innovation what should its&nbsp;focus&nbsp;&nbsp;be?</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/6-Creativity-and-Innovation-Books-for-Your-Office.php&bvt=rss">Rob BermanTue, 31 Dec 2013 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:104260http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/INNOVATION-IN-37-TWEETS.php#Comments0INNOVATION IN 37 TWEETShttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/INNOVATION-IN-37-TWEETS.php<DIV class=WordSection1> <P><SPAN>Innovation is an often written about topic.</SPAN><SPAN>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN><SPAN>Many books and articles have been created including one of our favorites Innovation Engine written by&nbsp;</SPAN><SPAN class=SpellE>DeSai</SPAN><SPAN>&nbsp;Group co-founder&nbsp;</SPAN><SPAN class=SpellE>Jatin</SPAN><SPAN>&nbsp;Desai.</SPAN><SPAN>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN><SPAN>We are all pulled in many directions each day.&nbsp;</SPAN><SPAN>&nbsp;</SPAN><SPAN>We can find it hard to spend the time reading worthwhile articles and books.</SPAN><SPAN>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN><SPAN>Therefore, in the age of Twitter we bring you Innovation in 37 Tweets.</SPAN><SPAN>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN><SPAN>Innovation thoughts expressed in 140 characters or less.</SPAN></P> <P>QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF</P> <OL> <LI>Are you relying on performance engine (short-tem growth) or using innovation engine for long-term growth?&nbsp;&nbsp;</LI> <LI>Do you have a solid business sponsor for the game of innovation in your organization?&nbsp;&nbsp;</LI> <LI>How different is your business model and its value proposition in comparison to others in the marketplace?&nbsp;&nbsp;</LI> <LI>How much more top-line growth can you achieve out of your current business?&nbsp;&nbsp;</LI> <LI>Do your managers have the insight to define new problems before others do?&nbsp;&nbsp;</LI> <LI>Are you skipping the step of assessing organizational readiness for innovation?&nbsp;</LI> <LI>Innovation Readiness: business case, sustained sponsorship, culture/systems, financial resources and program management?&nbsp;</LI> <LI>Is your business strategy Pioneer, Fast Follower, Imitative, Dependent, Low-cost or Specialization?&nbsp;</LI> <LI>Does your Innovation Strategy communicate why, who, what, how and when?&nbsp;&nbsp;</LI> <LI>Do you have too many ideas, just enough ideas or too few ideas to innovate?&nbsp;</LI></OL></DIV> <P><IMG id=img-1387108403338 class=alignCenter style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" border=0 alt="INNOVATION IN 37 TWEETS resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/INNOVATION%20IN%2037%20TWEETS-resized-600.jpg"></P> <P>STATEMENTS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER</P> <OL> <LI>Innovation is bringing heart into work.</LI> <LI>Nucleus of innovation is tapping into people's hearts.</LI> <LI>Innovators have a thirst for knowledge.</LI> <LI>Waiters wait, managers manage,&nbsp;innovators&nbsp;create value.</LI> <LI>A rhythm for growth - harvesting a cultural balance between performance (left brain) and exploration (right brain).</LI> <LI>Your Innovation Goal should be measurable, customer focused and capable of delivering value.</LI> <LI>Organizations must complement the operational performance mind-set with the innovation execution mind-set.</LI> <LI>To achieve sustainable growth companies must better integrate product innovation with process and service innovation.</LI> <LI>Evolve your mechanistic, bureaucratic and hierarchical practices model towards an innovation-driven executionmodel .</LI> <LI>New value creation - innovate to generate differentiated new value and profit.</LI> <LI>Once you are ready to play the game of innovation, you will need an Innovation Scorecard.</LI> <LI>Create a business case for innovation and supporting innovation strategy linked to business vision and goals.</LI> <LI>Build a pipeline of corporate innovators -- the key talent for future growth (intrapreneurs).</LI> <LI>The average life span of companies on the S&amp;P 500 has shrunk from 75 years in 1930s to just 15 years in 2000s.</LI> <LI>Innovation can build continuous new S-Curves for your organization.</LI> <LI>Without engaged employees, sustainable innovation is not possible.</LI> <LI>Without continuous failure there is no continuous innovation or evolution.</LI> <LI>Most managers are very likely to mobilize an idea if they have 80% clarity about it.</LI> <LI>Innovation Intent is easier to identify if the senior team has already declared its strategic intent.</LI> <LI>Rampant commoditization and disorder suggests that old methods of diagnosing growth challenges have been wrong.</LI> <LI>Globalization and Automation are causing a shortened life span for products and services.</LI> <LI>Innovation, if done right, should be an input to strategic planning, not an outcome.</LI> <LI>Optimize your innovation engine on the innovation highway - alignment, insights and mobilization are&nbsp;key.</LI> <LI>To begin your innovation journey, leaders in your company must take time to develop the innovation strategy.</LI> <LI>Sustainable competitive advantage necessitates sustained new innovations.</LI> <LI>Build your Innovation Engine to accelerate exploitation of new business ideas worthy of pursuing.</LI> <LI>Build your Innovation Engine to improve employee attraction, engagement and retention.</LI></OL> <P><B>The Takeaway</B></P> <P>Regularly re-consider your beliefs about succeeding at the game of innovation by challenging yourself.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>Over to you.</B><B>&nbsp;&nbsp;Please comment below.</B></P> <OL> <LI>What other tweet length questions should we ask about Innovation?</LI> <LI>What other tweet length statements should we challenge ourselves with on a regular basis?</LI> <LI>What is your best advice on Innovation in 140 characters or less?</LI></OL> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;</P><!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/INNOVATION-IN-37-TWEETS.php&bvt=rss">Rob BermanMon, 23 Dec 2013 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:103985http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Innovation-in-Highly-Regulated-Environments-Global-Bio-Pharmaceutical-Case-Study.php#Comments2Innovation in Highly Regulated Environments - Global Bio-Pharmaceutical Case Studyhttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Innovation-in-Highly-Regulated-Environments-Global-Bio-Pharmaceutical-Case-Study.php<P>Pharmaceuticals is an industry that impacts each one of us. Due to the highly regulated environment, it is difficult to easily drive product innovations.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>Four Focus Areas for Industry Innovation</B></P> <P>Therefore, Pharma must focus on 1) business model innovations, 2) process innovations, 3) delivery innovations, and 4) customer experience innovations.&nbsp;&nbsp;</P> <P>Let’s take a look at how a $26 Billion company with 30,000 employees,&nbsp;in 24 countries based in U.S.<B>&nbsp;</B></P> <P><B>Client Situation:</B></P> <P>The client, a leading pharmaceutical company with international operations, was faced with a growth gap, having experienced several years of flat sales and heavy competition in U.S. and generics.&nbsp;</P> <P>The company had recently initiated a global expansion program.&nbsp; However, they quickly realized that this endeavor would be limited and insufficient in meeting its future growth goals. The company’s track record in organic growth and innovation was limited.</P> <P>The challenge was to improve the company’s innovation capacity, identify new growth opportunities, and have a showcase success within two years.<B>&nbsp;</B></P> <P><B><IMG class=alignCenter style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" border=0 alt="Global Bio Pharmaceutical Case Study resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Global%20Bio-Pharmaceutical%20Case%20Study-resized-600.jpg"><BR></B></P> <P><B>Six Stage Approach:</B></P> <OL> <LI><B>Diagnosis:</B>&nbsp;The DeSai Group diagnosed the client’s current situation, past innovation successes and failures.</LI> <LI><B>Recommendation:</B>&nbsp;Based upon these findings, recommendations for enhancing the company’s innovation capacity were made.</LI> <LI><B>Ideation:</B>&nbsp;Through a highly structured ideation process, DeSai and the client identified and clustered ideas into Value-Platforms.</LI> <LI><B>Evaluation:</B>&nbsp;The various Value-Platforms were created, evaluated, and prioritized.</LI> <LI><B>Refinement:</B>&nbsp;The high priority platforms were further expanded with detailed product and service value propositions.</LI> <LI><B>Final Refinement:</B>&nbsp;Six teams were formed for each platform to further build out business briefs to lead to specific business plans within six months.</LI></OL> <P><B>Results Are The Measure of Innovation Success</B></P> <P>How did applying the DeSai Body of Knowledge impact the company?&nbsp;</P> <UL> <LI>A Venture Board was established.</LI> <LI>Proposals were evaluated by the Venture Board composed of both internal and external members.</LI> <LI>Five candidate business ventures were selected having revenue potential of $350Million.</LI> <LI>The existing portfolio was evaluated and 25% of the ongoing projects were halted.&nbsp;</LI> <LI>The evaluation process yielded 20% of the client’s R&amp;D resources for re-allocation.</LI> <LI>An Innovation Board and Innovation Process Owner were established to lead the innovation projects.&nbsp;</LI></UL> <P><B>The Takeaway</B></P> <P>Through a climate and culture of innovation companies can continue to generate value for everyone within their stakeholder system.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>Your Turn.&nbsp; Please comment below.</B></P> <OL> <LI>How does your organization ideate future concepts?</LI> <LI>What has your experience been with Venture Boards and similar concepts?</LI> <LI>In what types of Innovation does your company focus?</LI></OL> <P>&nbsp;</P><!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Innovation-in-Highly-Regulated-Environments-Global-Bio-Pharmaceutical-Case-Study.php&bvt=rss">Rob BermanFri, 13 Dec 2013 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:103827http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/15-Components-of-Innovation-Culture.php#Comments015 Components of Innovation Culturehttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/15-Components-of-Innovation-Culture.php<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <P>Our insight, at <A href="http://www.desai.com/" target=_blank>The DeSai Group</A>, from working with global customers since 1983 is that <EM>leadership</EM> <EM>readiness </EM>is the most essential factor for success. Leaders may want innovation, but it is entirely possible that the midlevel managers are not ready, meaning they have no time and no resources and lack the mind-set, motivation, and skills. It is also possible that the current organizational structures are too bureaucratic to welcome <A href="http://www.desai.com/blogs.hbr.org/2013/10/five-power-skills-for-discovering-radical-ideas" target=_blank>innovation thinking</A>.&nbsp;</P> <P>Let’s look at the 15 factors in the categories of Alignment, Insights and Mobilization</P> <P>that control innovation readiness and improve innovation propensity at your company.<B>&nbsp;</B></P> <P><B>Alignment</B></P> <P>Five alignment factors are related to a business’s ability to recognize, specify, clarify and commit to the purpose of innovation and help achieve predefined business value—your target destination.&nbsp; There is no need to waste time and money on innovation unless it is critically linked to the business strategy.&nbsp;&nbsp;</P> <P><A href="http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/09/innovation-isnt-just-about-new-products/" target=_blank>Alignment</A> is about strategically sponsoring, engaging, monitoring, and supporting all innovation activities at every level of the business structure. If alignment is properly executed and adjusted as the organization matures, the result will be a climate and culture of innovation for long-term sustainable business growth.&nbsp;</P></DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <TABLE style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; WIDTH: 95%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 border=1> <TBODY> <TR> <TD><STRONG>Alignment Success Factors</STRONG></TD> <TD align=center><STRONG>Definition</STRONG></TD></TR> <TR> <TD>Innovation Mandate</TD> <TD>At the top, innovation is seen as critical to the future of our organization.</TD></TR> <TR> <TD>Leader readiness</TD> <TD>Leaders are prepared to guide the organization’s innovation efforts.</TD></TR> <TR> <TD>Employee engagement</TD> <TD>Individuals throughout the organization are motivated to contribute to innovation.</TD></TR> <TR> <TD>Innovation support</TD> <TD>Organization has effective systems and processes to support innovation.</TD></TR> <TR> <TD>Systematic approach</TD> <TD>There is a clear framework, common language, along with a systematic and well-understood approach to innovation.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">What are the signs of an aligned organization for innovation? When alignment is present, you will see focus and collaboration at the right levels for the purpose of achieving organizational and individual goals for both the business leaders and for individuals. True alignment will show up in the form of employees’ desire to engage at work and be effective contributors to the organization, continually looking for new ways to support the overall vision, mission, and purpose of the organization as a whole.&nbsp;</P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><B>Alignment means that each business unit, department, team, and individual sees and understands its role and how it contributes to the overall innovation mandate of the organization. It gives them confidence that their work is valuable.</B>&nbsp;</P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><IMG title="15 components of innovation culture" class=alignCenter style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" border=0 alt="" src="http://www.desai.com/images/15%20components%20of%20innovation%20culture-resized-600.jpg"></P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><B>Insights</B></P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Insights reflect the importance of discovering new ideas—with art and science rather than as matter of luck. It begins with the recognition that information <A href="http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php" target=_blank>from many sources</A> is essential to developing unique insights that will allow your business to achieve strategic targets.&nbsp;</P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">To develop deep insights about what is possible, you must involve people from all levels of the organization, including partners, suppliers, customers, and regulators. The larger the field of information and ideas, the more dramatic, sustainable, and unique will be your pool of insights. Here we capture a collection of ideas and knowledge, connected or not to each other, for potential exploitation.&nbsp;</P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Once captured, the ideas must be organized and easily shared with others so they can be enhanced; the result becomes your <EM>idea bank</EM>. You need a disciplined process to keep the idea bank alive or, like anything else, the ideas will quickly die due to inertia.&nbsp;</P> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 border=1> <TBODY> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=186 align=center><STRONG>Insights Success Factors</STRONG></TD> <TD vAlign=top width=409 align=center><STRONG>Definition</STRONG></TD></TR> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=186>Diverse perspectives</TD> <TD vAlign=top width=409>We incorporate a wide range of perspectives in the idea- generation process.</TD></TR> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=186>External orientation</TD> <TD vAlign=top width=409>We actively engage with the external environment.</TD></TR> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=186>Climate/Culture</TD> <TD vAlign=top width=409>Our organizational climate and culture support the generation of ideas/insights.</TD></TR> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=186>Idea flow</TD> <TD vAlign=top width=409>We have strong flow of creative ideas.</TD></TR> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=186> <P>Idea selection</P></TD> <TD vAlign=top width=409> <P>We select the best ideas from those that are generated on a timely basis.</P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">How does a company develop this competency for deep insights? In most organizations, to gain insight into projects, market positioning, and corporate performance, they develop and study performance charts, two-by-two matrices, and Balanced Scorecards, respectively. Looking at data in such a way, we are able to develop certain forms of business insights.&nbsp;</P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Similarly, innovation insight depends on finding (sometimes through visualization and highly diverse group exercises) new knowledge that leads to practical ideas for consideration. When executed well, insights enable creation of innovation platforms (a plethora of ideas to pursue a large multiyear business opportunity) and fresh ideas. This helps managers quickly make investment decisions to accelerate new and novel discoveries.&nbsp;</P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><B>What is required for an idea pipeline to get fatter and mightier? The most important is to establish climate of trust and openness that support the creative process. You will also need tools for individuals and teams to find incremental and breakthrough ideas.</B></P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><B>Mobilization</B></P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The focus here is strictly on innovation execution. Our data show that most organizations are weakest in this area. Mobilization reflects the reality that even with strong alignment and a good flow of insights, innovation is only valuable when it is translated into results—that is, executed. The organization with the best idea is not always the winner. Rather, the organization with the <EM>ability</EM> to execute the best idea is the winner. Especially in today’s competitive and fast-paced environment where maturation from unique idea to commodity is very swift, execution in the early stages of innovation is critical for success.</P> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 border=1> <TBODY> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=198 align=center><STRONG>Mobilization Success Factors</STRONG>&nbsp;</TD> <TD vAlign=top width=397 align=center><STRONG>Definition</STRONG></TD></TR> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=198>Resources</TD> <TD vAlign=top width=397>The organization allocates sufficient resources to innovation.</TD></TR> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=198>Governance</TD> <TD vAlign=top width=397>There are effective governance structures and processes for innovation.</TD></TR> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=198>Portfolio</TD> <TD vAlign=top width=397>Through a structured process, the company effectively manages a portfolio of innovations selected for implementation.</TD></TR> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=198>Change management</TD> <TD vAlign=top width=397>Leaders create the adjustments required to ensure all innovations achieve full realization.</TD></TR> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=198>Execution</TD> <TD vAlign=top width=397>The company has a clear process for successfully bringing projects through the pipeline to achieve positive results.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Mobilizing also means you must capture the maximum value of an innovation before it is duplicated, continually improving that product of service to stay ahead of the competition. Effective mobilization calls for sufficient resources; quick and effective decisions; clear thinking about the human impact of new approaches; and continuous learning about how to translate innovations into reality faster and successfully over time.&nbsp;</P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><B>In summary, mobilization is a set of processes, methods, tools, and structures that will allow employees and managers to operationalize ideas&nbsp; for implementation and venturing in an informed way to achieve targeted business outcomes.&nbsp;</B>&nbsp;</P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><B>Alignment + Insights + Mobilization = Success</B>&nbsp;</P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Alignment, insights, and mobilization are all happening at the same time. All three play critical roles in the success of innovation and therefore, the long-term sustainability of your organization. To be successful, you must manage each of them and the trade-offs between them. An idea that has great merit but would struggle to be mobilized in your organization may not be as valuable as an idea with less merit that can quickly be tested and mobilized. A fantastic idea that would be great for your consumer but does not align with your organizational purpose will struggle to receive funding and support over the long term. A great idea for the market but without strong leadership alignment will stay dormant.&nbsp;</P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><B>The Takeaway</B></P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">As your organization builds the innovation muscle and the innovation engine continues to grow, you will need to adjust the integration points as a part of the overall business planning conversations and activities at the top.&nbsp;</P> <P style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><B>Your turn.&nbsp; Please comment below.</B></P> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <OL> <LI>Do you feel that Alignment, Insights and Mobilizing should receive equal weight in the process?</LI> <LI>What have you done to commercialize your idea pipeline?</LI> <LI>Which of the 15 factors do you find most important?</LI></OL></DIV> <P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: x-small"></SPAN>&nbsp;</P><!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/15-Components-of-Innovation-Culture.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiTue, 03 Dec 2013 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:103208http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Five-Power-Skills-For-Discovering-Radical-Ideas.php#Comments0Five Power Skills For Discovering Radical Ideashttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Five-Power-Skills-For-Discovering-Radical-Ideas.php<P><IMG id=img-1379445213003 title=Govindarajan-Jatindesai class=alignLeft style="FLOAT: left" border=0 alt="" src="http://www.desai.com/images/govindarajan-Jatindesai_1.gif" width=106 height=79> On October 22, 2013 Professor Vijay Govindarajan and I co-authored a blog about Discovering Radical Ideas for the Harvard Business Review Blog.</P> <P>In the article, we outlined a five-step process to create a consistent flow of “big” ideas to transform your business for the challenges it will face in the coming years. Here is the beginning of it:</P> <P>Innovation starts with new and novel ideas. Over the last 20 years, we have worked with many world-class brands to help find their next “big thing.” During the initial phases of our work together, it becomes obvious that they have plenty of good ideas. Finding ideas is never the problem — initially. The challenge is finding radical ideas consistently year after year.</P> <P>When we surveyed over 300 global executives between 2008 and 2009, one of the primary concerns they expressed was their inability to compete long term without a solid <A title="innovation engine" href="http://www.amazon.com/Innovation-Engine-Driving-Execution-Breakthrough/dp/1118355032/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1366659072&amp;sr=1-9" target=_blank>innovation engine</A> that can grow their top line. In order to do this, your company needs a process to source radical ideas that can catapult your business to new heights, open up new markets, or bring in completely unfamiliar profit streams.</P> <P><A title="Read the entire article" href="http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/10/five-power-skills-for-discovering-radical-ideas/" target=_blank>Read the entire article at <EM>Harvard Business Review</EM> &gt;&gt; </A></P><!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Five-Power-Skills-For-Discovering-Radical-Ideas.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiThu, 07 Nov 2013 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:103029http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Building-a-Culture-and-Climate-of-Innovation-You-Can-Do-It.php#Comments3Building a Culture and Climate of Innovation – You Can Do Ithttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Building-a-Culture-and-Climate-of-Innovation-You-Can-Do-It.php<P>Building a Culture and Climate of Innovation – You Can Do It</P> <P>Read part two of Jatin Desai’s interview with the <A title="Propelling Marketing Ideas" href="http://www.rob-berman.com/" target=_blank>Propelling Marketing Ideas</A>&nbsp;blog. He focuses on Culture and Climate of Innovation. He answers the following questions</P> <OL> <LI><STRONG>How can a company build culture of innovation? (in other words, how can they foster innovation?)</STRONG></LI> <LI><STRONG>What does a company need to do to build strong leaders for innovation?</STRONG></LI> <LI><STRONG>How does a company teach innovation and coach others?</STRONG></LI> <LI><STRONG>How does a firm promote and build innovation teams, especially across silos?</STRONG></LI> <LI><STRONG>How do you make innovation a daily habit for everyone at all levels in a company?</STRONG></LI></OL> <P>&nbsp;<IMG title="Intro to Building a Culture and Climate of Innovation" class=alignCenter style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" border=0 alt="" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Intro%20to%20Building%20a%20Culture%20and%20Climate%20of%20Innovation-resized-600.jpg"></P> <P>Read the interview <A title="Building a Culture and Climate of Innovation" href="http://www.rob-berman.com/" target=_blank>here</A>.</P><!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Building-a-Culture-and-Climate-of-Innovation-You-Can-Do-It.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiMon, 04 Nov 2013 20:29:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:103045http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/You-Can-Build-Your-Own-Innovation-Engine.php#Comments1You Can Build Your Own Innovation Enginehttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/You-Can-Build-Your-Own-Innovation-Engine.php<P>Yes, You Can Build Your Own Innovation Engine&nbsp;</P> <P>Jatin Desai was interviewed for the <A href="http://www.rob-berman.com/">Propelling Marketing Ideas</A> blog about different aspects of Innovation. He answers these questions.</P> <P><IMG title="You can build your own Innovation Engine" class=alignCenter style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" border=0 alt="" src="http://www.desai.com/images/You%20can%20build%20your%20own%20Innovation%20Engine-resized-600.jpg"></P> <P><B>1.&nbsp;</B><B>What is innovation?</B></P> <P class=ListNumberedCxSpMiddle><B>2.&nbsp;</B><B>Can innovation be measured? If so, how?</B></P> <P class=ListNumberedCxSpMiddle><B>3.&nbsp;</B><B>Besides product innovation, where else can a company innovate?</B></P> <P class=ListNumberedCxSpMiddle><B>4.&nbsp;</B><B>How does a company link innovation to their current business strategy?</B></P> <P class=ListNumberedCxSpMiddle><B>5.&nbsp;</B><B>How can a company innovate together with their customers?</B></P> <P class=ListNumberedCxSpMiddle>Click <A href="http://www.rob-berman.com/you-can-build-your-own-innovation-engine/">here</A> to read the interview.</P><!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/You-Can-Build-Your-Own-Innovation-Engine.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiWed, 30 Oct 2013 13:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:102855http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/8-Environmental-Factors-Creating-Organizational-Friction.php#Comments38 Environmental Factors Creating Organizational Frictionhttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/8-Environmental-Factors-Creating-Organizational-Friction.php<P>Mechanical organizations are machinelike and effective when the environmental factors are predictable. But in today’s world, it is impossible for such companies to manage the type of change occurring around them.&nbsp; As an example, here are eight types of environmental factors creating friction at all levels:</P> <P>1.&nbsp;<B>Technological factors</B>. Fast new technologies causing rapid product obsolescence.</P> <P>2.&nbsp;<B>Economic factors</B>. Unpredictable prices, costs, currency rates, interest rates, taxes.</P> <P>3.&nbsp;<B>Competitive factors</B>. Aggressive, global, highly innovative, threats from niche players, competitors who are also customers and partners.</P> <P>4.&nbsp;<B>Labor factors</B>. Increased scarcity of skilled professionals, mobile workforce, increased employee benefits expenses, more reliance on contract labor.</P> <P>5.&nbsp;<B>Resource factors</B>. Scarcity, increasing specialization, unknown sources of supply, rapid obsolescence.</P> <P>6.&nbsp;<B>Customer factors</B>. More demanding, complex, market fragmentation, narrow market segments, increased acquisitions costs.</P> <P>7.&nbsp;&nbsp;<B>Legal and regulatory factors</B>. More aggressive, increased costs, unlimited product liability, growing compliance on free and fair trade.</P> <P>8.&nbsp;&nbsp;<B>Global factors</B>. Real-time communications, production, distribution, logistics, sophistication of supply chain partners, customers and competitors located anywhere in the world, outsourcing pressures, international strategic alliances.<B>&nbsp;</B></P> <P><B>Mechanical Engine Versus Innovation Engine</B></P> <P>These and many other issues are generating additional pressures for today’s employees and managers in an already mechanistic and heartless environment within organizations. Due to these pressures, leaders have focused primarily on survival, with little focus on achieving sustained growth.&nbsp;</P> <P><IMG title="8 Environment factors" class=alignCenter style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" border=0 alt="" src="http://www.desai.com/images/8%20Environment%20factors-resized-600.jpg"></P> <P>Is there a way out? Yes.&nbsp;</P> <P><B><EM>The primary way out is to evolve today’s strategic operating model based on mechanistic, bureaucratic, and hierarchical practices (machinelike) toward an innovation-driven execution model.</EM></B>&nbsp;</P> <P>Machinelike companies focus on bottom-line performance as the primary measurement for most management decisions, at any cost. Focus is on the short-term. These firms are weak because they are inefficient at managing their future.&nbsp;</P> <P>Experience shows that the companies that build an innovation engine are more adaptable, flexible, fast, aggressive, innovative, and able to adjust to dynamic, threatening, and a complex external environment. &nbsp;These firms do not take the external environment as a given. &nbsp;Instead, they embrace it as a challenge and act as an agent of change, leading customers, creating new markets, and rewriting the rules of the industry they serve.<B>&nbsp;</B></P> <P><B>Performance Wheel Versus Innovation Wheel</B></P> <P>To better understand the two machines, I’d like to use the metaphor of a bicycle.&nbsp; The bicycle represents an engine.&nbsp; The fuel comes from a human being riding it, instead of gasoline/petrol we use in other machines.&nbsp;</P> <P>The athlete riding is similar to the leadership team members who models the values, beliefs, skills, and behavior of the organization. The bike frame represents the organizational form—firm strategy, structure, processes, and culture.&nbsp;</P> <P>The <B>performance wheel</B> is the back wheel, which represents practices for achieving organizational effectiveness, efficiencies, and stakeholder management and includes customers, suppliers, shareholders, and partners. This wheel is the source of power and acceleration for individuals, teams, and the organization.&nbsp;</P> <P>The <B>innovation wheel</B>, the front wheel, represents direction and clarity about the future. It is the organization’s capacity for two very important competencies: corporate entrepreneuring (<A href="http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/09/recognize_intrapreneurs/" target=_blank>intrapreneurship</A>) and strategic renewal. The front wheel is the first to sense new opportunities to maneuver based on the eight (internal and external) environmental factors listed previously. The innovation wheel provides the first <EM>experience</EM> of the environmental factors, the road ahead, and the ability to conduct quick experiments in the turbulent race.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>Misplaced Organizational Focus</B></P> <P>Unfortunately, today’s organizations primarily focus on the back wheel to achieve bottom-line optimization, which is why it is called the performance wheel. The values of this wheel calls for power and acceleration, but if the motives of the organizational athletes (leaders at the top) are flawed, results can lead to disaster—we have seen <A href="http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/09/innovation-isnt-just-about-new-products/" target=_blank>plenty of examples</A>. The company may move in wrong directions, lose focus on what is ahead, not make fast enough decisions to alter the path, not be sensitive to environmental conditions, and watch others pass by.&nbsp;</P> <P>Without the front wheel of innovation, the organization has little to no strategic lens for what is possible ahead and what directional decisions to make because the front wheel is missing or ill functioning, most teams at the top make the same decisions as their competitors. The goal of this wheel is to turn the highly mechanistic athlete into an innovative competitor who can easily gather new knowledge, experiment fast, and adapt quickly to outmaneuver other competitors in the race.&nbsp;</P> <P>Most organizations are pretty good at operating the back wheel; they just need to improve management practices and associated discipline. For managers, as practitioners, the back wheel is a safe zone because the artifacts used are metrics, scorecards, and quantitative analysis—hard stuff. For the front wheel, though, the primary values are qualitative, abstractions, and the intuition to make midcourse corrections. Due to emphasis on performance, managers lack experience operating the front wheel—the innovation wheel.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>The Takeaway</B></P> <P>The best performing companies evolve from machinelike short-term focus organizations to an innovation execution long-term focus.&nbsp;</P> <P><B>It’s Your Turn.&nbsp; Please comment below.</B></P> <P>1.&nbsp;Is your organization focused on the performance wheel or the innovation wheel?</P> <P>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;What steps has your organization taken to be more innovative and less mechanistic?</P> <P>3.&nbsp;Which of the outlined Environmental Factors do you feel are most important?</P><!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/8-Environmental-Factors-Creating-Organizational-Friction.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiThu, 24 Oct 2013 23:02:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:102803http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Innovation-Isn-t-Just-About-New-Products.php#Comments3Innovation Isn’t Just About New Productshttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Innovation-Isn-t-Just-About-New-Products.php<P><IMG id=img-1379445213003 title=Govindarajan-Jatindesai class=alignLeft style="FLOAT: left" border=0 alt=Govindarajan-Jatindesai src="http://www.desai.com/images/govindarajan-Jatindesai_1.gif" width=106 height=79> The innovation mindset isn’t just about product innovation.</P> <P>Some organizations have focused on product innovation for so long they don’t know how to innovate in any other areas. For example, in 2010, Microsoft —one of the world’s best product innovators for the last two decades — launched a social phone called Kin. The product was a complete disaster. Within six weeks of the launch, the entire product group was shut down, and, according to their earnings reports, Microsoft took at least a <A title="$240 million write-off" href="http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/kin-listed-as-at-least-240-million-writeoff-in-microsoft-earnin/" target=_blank>$240 million write-off</A>.</P> <P>How could such a great product innovator strike out so fast? In today’s climate, it happens to the best.</P> <P>Most organizations focus on building short-term product innovation engines. However, most products have little sustainable competitive advantage and never generate a profit; those that do are often quickly copied by the competition, negating any long-term advantage. The result: a significant investment in product development, without a commensurate return on investment.</P> <P><EM>To achieve sustainable growth, companies must better integrate product innovation with business model, process, and service innovations.</EM></P> <P><A title="Read the entire article" href="http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/09/innovation-isnt-just-about-new-products/" target=_blank>Read the entire article at Harvard Business Review &gt;&gt; </A></P><!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Innovation-Isn-t-Just-About-New-Products.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiMon, 14 Oct 2013 22:17:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:102541http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Pioneer-Innovation-in-Action-Consumer-Products-Case-Study.php#Comments0Pioneer Innovation in Action - Consumer Products Case Studyhttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Pioneer-Innovation-in-Action-Consumer-Products-Case-Study.php<p>Global Consumer Products Companies are faced with three choices on how to compete in the new products and services arena.&nbsp; They can be a Pioneer, Fast Follower or Imitative.</p> <p>The Consumer Products industry is the fastest of all industries. Unlike Financial Services or BioPharma, the industry must innovate new products and services every six months. At the same time, it must respond to new business models driven by automation and globalization at the speed of light. &nbsp;The primary way to grow is through building Innovation Engine capabilities across the value chain.&nbsp;</p> <p>Let’s take a look at how an $18 Billion company with 18,000 employees, mostly in the US, evolved their Innovation Strategy.&nbsp;</p> <p><img title="Consumer Product Case Study" class="alignCenter" id="img-1381397814272" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" alt="" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Consumer Products-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Client Situation: </b></p> <p>A global multi-billion dollar fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company, had successfully instituted a “fast-follower” strategy. Growth had come through organic operations and few small acquisitions in existing categories in adjacent FMCG fields.&nbsp;</p> <p>The leaders in the industry had refocused their efforts on competing through innovation, speeding up the rate of new product introductions. &nbsp;Retailers had emerged as the leaders of “fast following” strategy. &nbsp;The client wanted to transform into an innovation leader or Pioneer.</p> <p><b>Four Phase Innovation Approach:</b>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Innovation Diagnostics:</b> The innovation assessment highlighted critical issues within the organization that needed to be addressed immediately.<b>&nbsp;</b></p> <p><b>Program Pilot:</b> In Phase II, the capability building tools were created, tested and tailored to the company.<b>&nbsp;</b></p> <p><b>Full Implementation:</b> In Phase III, the capability building was started in three different strategic business units, concurrent with creation of the wider implementation plan.<b>&nbsp;</b></p> <p><b>Enterprise Rollout:</b> In Phase-IV, the Innovation Approach was embedded across all enterprise systems and expanded across supply chain and open innovation platforms.<b>&nbsp;</b></p> <p><b>Innovation Teams Receive Venture Board Approval</b></p> <p>Business Strategy must inform Innovation Strategy.&nbsp; The Consumer Products Company established a Venture Board to vet the ideas and seed them with $10 million in capital.&nbsp;</p> <p>The goal was to find breakthrough ideas throughout the enterprise.&nbsp; The Innovation Funnel was opened wide.&nbsp; Innovation Teams worked the ideas into business concepts. 25% of the business concepts were initially funded.&nbsp; The balance of the business concepts was placed in an Innovation Database for future company use.</p> <p><b>Results Are The Measure of Innovation Success</b></p> <p>How did applying the DeSai Body of Knowledge impact the company?</p> <ul> <li>DeSai helped the client develop a range of new high value ideas with historically high concept testing results.</li> <li>5-7 year innovation roadmaps and pipelines in three strategic business units were created.</li> <li>To achieve the desired growth path, the client initiated relationships with potential innovation partners and gained new insights from external partners.</li> <li>Several innovation processes were instituted: idea generation and management, innovation teams and charters, and a high-level blueprint for building an innovation organization.</li> <li>The client witnessed a cultural change within the organization.&nbsp; Six highly motivated innovation teams were formed creating a range of success stories, and spontaneous adoption of the approach within the organization.</li> <li>The client has attributed a revenue increase of 12.5% directly from the new innovation venturing process.</li> <li>The pipeline of ideas being tested are expected to begin, at least, three new business ventures every year with a potential of $500 million in revenue within the first three years after launch.</li> </ul> <p><b>The Takeaway</b></p> <p>Fast moving industries need a developed Innovation Process that can continue to deliver new products, services and growth to the company.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Your</b><b> Turn. Please comment below.</b></p> <ol> <li>Does your company employ a Pioneer, Fast Follower or Imitative strategy?</li> <li>How does your company vet and seed promising business concepts with funds?</li> <li>How full is your Innovation Funnel?</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Pioneer-Innovation-in-Action-Consumer-Products-Case-Study.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiThu, 10 Oct 2013 22:21:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:102477http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/8-Innovation-Culture-Books-Worth-Reading.php#Comments28 Innovation Culture Books Worth Readinghttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/8-Innovation-Culture-Books-Worth-Reading.php<p align="center" style="text-align: left;">I have spent most of my career involved in the Innovation arena. For long-term sustainable and continuous growth, a company must build a climate and culture of innovation.&nbsp;The recommended books in this category covers topics such as the role of leaders, how to design organizational structures and inspire teams to reach for the very best solutions.&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="alignCenter" id="img-1380758684442" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" alt="Seven Patterns Of Innovation resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Seven Patterns Of Innovation-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></p> <p>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Managing-Innovation-Design-Creativity-Bettina/dp/0470510668/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1287592818&amp;sr=1-1" target="_blank"><img class="alignLeft" id="img-1379445213003" style="float: left;" alt="Managing Innovation blog" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Managing Innovation_blog.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Managing-Innovation-Design-Creativity-Bettina/dp/0470510668/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1287592818&amp;sr=1-1" target="_blank">Managing Innovation, Design and Creativity by Bettina Von Stamm</a></p> <p><span style='background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Shruti; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;'>Innovation is the major driving force in organizations today. With the rise of truly global markets and the intensifying competition for customers, employees and other critical resources, the ability to continuously develop successful innovative products, services, processes and strategies is essential. While creativity is the starting point for any kind of innovation, design is the process through which a creative idea or concept is translated into reality.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em>Managing Innovation, Design and Creativity, 2nd Edition</em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>brings these three strands together in a discussion built around a collection of up-to-date case studies.</span></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Positive-Turbulence-Developing-Creativity-Innovation/dp/0787910082/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378397389&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0787910082" target="_blank"><img class="alignLeft" id="img-1379445213003" style="float: left;" alt="Positive Turbulence blog resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Positive Turbulence_blog-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Positive-Turbulence-Developing-Creativity-Innovation/dp/0787910082/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378397389&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0787910082" target="_blank">Positive&nbsp;Turbulence: Developing Climates for Creativity, Innovation, and Renewal (J-B&nbsp;CCL (Center for Creative Leadership)) by Stanley S. Gryskiewicz) </a></p> <p>Can your company manage&nbsp;even encourage&nbsp;turbulence in ways&nbsp;&nbsp; that actually strengthen its competitive stance? Absolutely. In this work, top organizational psychologist Stanley Gryskiewicz argues that challenges to&nbsp;the status quo can be catalysts for creativity, innovation, and renewal and&nbsp;shows leaders how they can keep their company on the competitive edge by&nbsp;embracing a process he calls Positive Turbulence. Developed through the&nbsp;author's work with many of the world's leading companies over the course of&nbsp;thirty years, Positive Turbulence delivers proven methods for creating an&nbsp;organization that continuously renews itself through the committed pursuit of&nbsp;new ideas, products, and processes.</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Closing-Innovation-Gap-Reigniting-Creativity/dp/0071499873/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378390397&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0071499873" target="_blank"><img class="alignLeft" id="img-1379445213003" style="float: left;" alt="Closing the Innovation Gap blog resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Closing the Innovation Gap_blog-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Closing-Innovation-Gap-Reigniting-Creativity/dp/0071499873/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378390397&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0071499873" target="_blank">Closing&nbsp;the Innovation Gap: Reigniting the Spark of Creativity in a Global Economy by&nbsp;Judy Estrin </a></p> <p><b>Named one of the "Best Books on Innovation,&nbsp;2008" by <em>BusinessWeek</em> magazine</b></p> <p>Does innovation come about by luck or hard work? Is it&nbsp;a flash of inspiration or the result of careful management? Are innovators&nbsp;born or taught? In <em>Closing the Innovation Gap</em>, Judith Estrin provides&nbsp;the answers to these and other questions critical to our future. A technology&nbsp;pioneer and business leader, Estrin describes what will be required to&nbsp;reignite the spark of innovation in business, education, and&nbsp;government ensuring our long-term success in the global economy.</p> <p>Innovation does not occur in a vacuum. It grows from&nbsp;the interplay of three drivers of creative change research, development, and&nbsp;application. Estrin calls this dynamic the “Innovation Ecosystem,” explaining&nbsp;how these communities work together to create sustainable innovation.</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=http://www.desai.com/0743290178" target="_blank"><img class="alignLeft" id="img-1379445213003" style="float: left;" alt="The Elegant Solution blog resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/The Elegant Solution_blog-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=http://www.desai.com/0743290178" target="_blank">The&nbsp;Elegant Solution: Toyota's Formula for Mastering Innovation by Matthew E. May&nbsp;and Kevin Roberts</a></p> <p>One&nbsp;million. That's how many new ideas the Toyota organization receives from its employees every year. These ideas come from every level of the organization&nbsp;&nbsp;from the factory floors to the corporate suites. And organizations all over&nbsp;the world want to learn how they do it. Now Matthew May, Senior Advisor to&nbsp;the University of Toyota, reveals how any company can create an environment&nbsp;&nbsp; of every day innovation and achieve the elegant solutions found only on the&nbsp;&nbsp; far side of complexity. A tactical guide for team-based innovation, THE&nbsp;ELEGANT SOLUTION delivers the formula to the three principles and ten practices that drive business creativity. Innovation isn't just about&nbsp;technology it's about value,&nbsp; opportunity and impact. When a company embeds&nbsp;a real discipline around the pursuit of perfection, the sky is the limit.&nbsp;Dozens of case studies (from Toyota and other companies) illustrate the power&nbsp;and universality of these concepts; a unique 'clamshell strategy' prepares&nbsp;managers to ensure organizational success. At once a thought-shaper, a&nbsp;playmaker, and a taskmaster, THE ELEGANT SOLUTION is a practical field manual&nbsp;for everyone in corporate life.</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=http://www.desai.com/0195304128" target="_blank"><img class="alignLeft" id="img-1379445213003" style="float: left;" alt="Swarm Creativity blog" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Swarm Creativity_blog.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=http://www.desai.com/0195304128" target="_blank">Swarm&nbsp;Creativity: Competitive Advantage through Collaborative Innovation Networks&nbsp;by Peter A. Gloor</a></p> <p><em>Swarm&nbsp;Creativity</em> introduces a powerful new concept-Collaborative Innovation Networks, or COINs. Its aim is to make the concept of COINs as ubiquitous among business managers as any methodology to enhance quality and competitive advantage. The difference though is that COINs are nothing like other&nbsp;&nbsp;methodologies. A COIN is a cyber-team of self-motivated people with a collective vision, enabled by technology to collaborate in achieving a common goal n innovation-by sharing ideas, information, and work. It is no&nbsp;exaggeration to state that COINs are the most productive engines of innovation ever. COINs have been around for hundreds of years. Many of us have already been a part of one without knowing it. What makes COINs so relevant today, though is that the concept has reached its tipping&nbsp;point-thanks to the Internet and the World Wide Web. This book explores why&nbsp;COINS are so important to business success in the new century. It explains&nbsp;the traits that characterize COIN members and COIN behavior. It makes the&nbsp;case for why businesses ought to be rushing to uncover their COINs and nurture them, and provides tools for building organizations that are more&nbsp;creative, productive and efficient by applying principles of creative&nbsp;&nbsp; collaboration, knowledge sharing and social networking. Through real-life&nbsp;&nbsp; examples in several business sectors, the book shows how to leverage COINs to develop successful products in R &amp; D, grow better customer relationships, establish better project management, and build higher-performing teams. In&nbsp;&nbsp; short, this book answers four key questions: Why are COINs better at&nbsp;&nbsp; innovation? What are the key elements of COINs? Who are the people that&nbsp;&nbsp; participate in COINs and how do they become members? And how does an&nbsp;&nbsp; organization transform itself into a Collaborative Innovation Network?</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Innovation-Organize-Creativity-Harvest/dp/0749454792/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378393504&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0749454792" target="_blank"><img class="alignLeft" id="img-1379445213003" style="float: left;" alt="Leadership for Innovation blog resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Leadership for Innovation_blog-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Innovation-Organize-Creativity-Harvest/dp/0749454792/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378393504&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0749454792" target="_blank">Leadership&nbsp;for Innovation: How to Organize Team Creativity and Harvest Ideas by John&nbsp;Eric Adair</a></p> <p>New ideas and new ways of doing things are one of the main&nbsp;ingredients in sustained business success, but how does one&nbsp;create the&nbsp;right conditions for innovation?<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;<br> <em>Leadership for Innovation</em> will help&nbsp;readers create an innovative&nbsp;climate that encourages the development of new products and services. Drawing&nbsp;upon real-life examples including Google, Honda and 3M, John Adair sets out&nbsp;practical ways for bringing about change in organizations. As well as&nbsp;identifying the characteristics of an innovative organization, he discusses&nbsp;key topics such as organizing for team creativity; motivating creative&nbsp;people, how to build on ideas and how to be a creative leader and team&nbsp;member.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br><br>&nbsp;<em>Leadership for Innovation</em><b>&nbsp;</b>shows how to inspire teams to go&nbsp;one step further and generate the kind of ideas that are the foundations of&nbsp;future success.</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Leaders-Guide-Lateral-Thinking-Skills/dp/0749447974/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378396981&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0749447974" target="_blank"><img class="alignLeft" id="img-1379445213003" style="float: left;" alt="The Leader%27s Guide to Lateral Thinking Skills blog resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/The Leader's Guide to Lateral Thinking Skills_blog-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Leaders-Guide-Lateral-Thinking-Skills/dp/0749447974/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378396981&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0749447974" target="_blank">The&nbsp;Leader's Guide to Lateral Thinking Skills: Unlocking the Creativity and&nbsp; Innovation in You and Your Team by Paul Sloane </a></p> <p>In this lively, energetic guide to leadership, highly acclaimed author,&nbsp;trainer and presenter Paul Sloane shares dynamic techniques that are sure to&nbsp;unleash creative energy and lateral thinking. Packed with real-life examples,&nbsp;practical methods and lateral thinking exercises, the book encourages you to&nbsp;question your assumptions and develop new ideas with a variety of techniques.&nbsp;Lateral thinking puzzles at the end of each chapter illustrate the importance&nbsp;of thinking outside the box.&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Giant-Steps-Management-Innovations-change/dp/0273712926/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378397050&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0273712926" target="_blank"><img class="alignLeft" id="img-1379445213003" style="float: left;" alt="Giant Steps in Management blog resized 600" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Giant Steps in Management_blog-resized-600.jpg" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Giant-Steps-Management-Innovations-change/dp/0273712926/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1378397050&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=%2F0273712926" target="_blank">Giant&nbsp;Steps in Management: Innovations that change the way you work by Julian<br>Birkinshaw and Michael J. Mol </a></p> <p>Succinctly but completely describing 50 of&nbsp;the most important management innovations in the past 150 years, Mol and&nbsp;Birkinshaw educate us on where and how managerial innovations arise. An&nbsp;amazing overview of the management practice landscape, Giant Steps in&nbsp;Management provides invaluable insights for organizations seeking better&nbsp;performance. Jeffrey Pfeffer, Professor, Graduate School of Business,&nbsp;Stanford University Never has it been more important for managers to innovate&nbsp;the way they manage. As this book so powerfully shows management innovation&nbsp;advances in how we manage is a secret weapon in the search for competitive&nbsp;advantage. With a fantastic compendium of the 50 most crucial management&nbsp;innovations this book will surprise, inform and inspire any manager who&nbsp;believes that they need to innovate the way they manage. Lynda Gratton,&nbsp;Professor of Management Practice, London Business School Author of Hot Spots;&nbsp;why some teams, workplaces and organisations buzz with energy and other's&nbsp;don't. "This book might be called 'Everything you wanted to know about&nbsp;&nbsp; management, but were afraid to ask'. It's an invaluable quick guide to the&nbsp;entire arsenal of techniques and models, and I recommend it to anyone who&nbsp;takes the job of management seriously. It is typical of the authors work, in&nbsp;that it is clear, crisp, and useful." Tim Brooks, Managing Director,&nbsp;Guardian News &amp; Media Limited INNOVATION IS AT THE HEART OF GREAT&nbsp;MANAGEMENT How do you manage? What skills, ideas, tools and techniques do you&nbsp;use? Have you always used them? Think about it: how we manage organizations&nbsp;and ourselves is in a constant state of evolution. Nothing about the way you&nbsp;work today is forever. Managers are always trying new things, different&nbsp;approaches. There are management &nbsp;innovations underway all the time in large organizations.&nbsp;Many fail. Some work. A few make history. The most valuable ones are picked&nbsp;up and absorbed across entire industries and countries. These are the ones&nbsp;this book will tell you about. Giant Steps in Management presents a thought&nbsp;provoking selection of the 50 most important management innovations of the&nbsp;last 150 years and describes the impact they have on management today. Some&nbsp;of the innovations will be familiar to you; others will be new, different,&nbsp;surprising. Together, they form a fascinating compendium of the ideas,&nbsp;techniques and practices that have rocked the world of management. If you&nbsp;want to be on the right side of innovation, keep this book to hand.</p> <p><b>The Takeaway</b></p> <p>Growing your climate and culture or innovation can be jumpstarted by reading the books featured above.&nbsp; The authors explore and outline many of the areas necessary to succeed.</p> <p><b>Your turn.&nbsp;Tell me what you think.&nbsp; Please comment below.</b></p> <ol> <li>What other books would you recommend be included on the list?</li> <li>What is your favorite book on the topic of Innovation Culture?</li> <li>Who is your favorite Innovation writer?</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/8-Innovation-Culture-Books-Worth-Reading.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiFri, 04 Oct 2013 13:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:102308http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Top-50-Innovation-Twitter-Sharers-of-2013.php#Comments2Top 50 Innovation Twitter Sharers of 2013http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Top-50-Innovation-Twitter-Sharers-of-2013.php<p>My friends over at <a href="http://www.innovationexcellence.com/" target="_blank">Innovation Excellence</a> are always hard at work writing and curating materials relevant to those of us in the Innovation space.&nbsp; They compiled Top 50 Innovation Twitter Sharers of 2013. The names appear in no particular order.&nbsp;</p> <p><img title="Top 50 Innovation Twitter" class="alignCenter" id="img-1379612601750" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" alt="" src="http://www.desai.com/images/twitter_m.jpg" border="0"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Top 50 Innovation Tweeters of 2013</b><b>:</b></p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Paul Hobcraft (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/paul4innovating"><b>@paul4innovating</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kevin McFarthing (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/innovationfixer"><b>@innovationfixer</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ralph Christian Ohr (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/ralph_ohr"><b>@ralph_ohr</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tim Kastelle (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/timkastelle"><b>@timkastelle</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Braden Kelley (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/innovate"><b>@innovate</b></a>)&nbsp;</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Greg Satell (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/digitaltonto"><b>@digitaltonto</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Gregg Fraley (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/greggfraley"><b>@greggfraley</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jeffrey Phillips (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/ovoinnovation"><b>@ovoinnovation</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Nicolas Bry (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/nicobry"><b>@nicobry</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jeffrey Baumgartner (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/creativeJeffrey"><b>@creativeJeffrey</b></a>)&nbsp;</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Matthew E May (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/matthewemay"><b>@matthewemay</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stefan Lindegaard (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindegaard"><b>@lindegaard</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mike Brown (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/brainzooming"><b>@brainzooming</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Deborah Mills-Scofield (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/dscofield"><b>@dscofield</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Shaun Coffey (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/shauncoffey"><b>@shauncoffey</b></a>)&nbsp;</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rowan Gibson (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/rowangibson"><b>@rowangibson</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bill Fischer (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/bill_fischer"><b>@bill_fischer</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dave Gray (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/davegray"><b>@davegray</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Drew Marshall (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/drewcm"><b>@drewcm</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Paul Sloane (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/paulsloane"><b>@paulsloane</b></a>)&nbsp;</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jorge Barba (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/jorgebarba"><b>@jorgebarba</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Calestous Juma (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/calestous"><b>@calestous</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; JR Reagan (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/ideaxplorer"><b>@ideaxplorer</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Cathryn Hrudicka (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/creativesage"><b>@creativesage</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Juan Cano-Arribi (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/pull_innovation"><b>@pull_innovation</b></a>)&nbsp;</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vincent Carbone (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/insitevc"><b>@insitevc</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sarah Caldicott (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/sarahcaldicott"><b>@SarahCaldicott</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Eric Shaver (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/ericshaver"><b>@ericshaver</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Max McKeown (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/maxmckeown"><b>@MaxMckeown</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Boris Pluskowski (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/bpluskowski"><b>@bpluskowski</b></a>)&nbsp;</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Doug Collins (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/innoarchitect"><b>@innoarchitect</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; LDRLB (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/ldrlb"><b>@ldrlb</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Andrea Meyer (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/andreameyer"><b>@andreameyer</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stephen Shapiro (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/stephenshapiro"><b>@stephenshapiro</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Marc Sniukas (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/sniukas"><b>@sniukas</b></a>)&nbsp;</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Saul Kaplan (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/skap5"><b>@skap5</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Nilofer Merchant (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/nilofer"><b>@nilofer</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alex Osterwalder (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexosterwalder"><b>@alexosterwalder</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Graham Hill (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/grahamhill"><b>@grahamhill</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jose Briones (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/brioneja"><b>@brioneja</b></a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Arie Goldshlager (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/ariegoldshlager"><b>@ariegoldshlager</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Scott Berkun (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/berkun"><b>@berkun</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Julie Anixter (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/julieanixter"><b>@julieanixter</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ross Dawson (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/rossdawson"><b>@rossdawson</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ian McCarthy (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/toffeemen68"><b>@toffeemen68</b></a>)&nbsp;</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; John Hagel (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/jhagel"><b>@jhagel</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jose Baldaia (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/jabaldaia"><b>@jabaldaia</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Frank Piller (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/masscustom"><b>@masscustom</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Scott Anthony (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/scottdanthony"><b>@ScottDAnthony</b></a>)</p> <p>•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Gary Schirr (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/professorgary"><b>@ProfessorGary</b></a>)&nbsp;</p> <p>Bonus tweeter Jatin Desai (@<b>jhdesai</b>)<b>&nbsp;</b></p> <p><b>The Takeaway</b></p> <p>Innovation is a vast, ever changing field.&nbsp; Keep up with some of the leading thinkers by following folks compiled in the list.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>It is your turn.&nbsp; Share your wisdom.&nbsp; Please comment below.</b></p> <p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Who do you follow on Twitter that is not on the list and what is their Twitter handle?</p> <p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Where else do you gain knowledge from Innovation thinkers?</p> <p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; What is the most interesting piece of Innovation knowledge you have gained this month?</p> <!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Top-50-Innovation-Twitter-Sharers-of-2013.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiThu, 26 Sep 2013 14:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:101938http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Recognize-Intrapreneurs-Before-They-Leave.php#Comments5Recognize Intrapreneurs Before They Leavehttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Recognize-Intrapreneurs-Before-They-Leave.php<p><img width="110" height="82" title="Govindarajan-Jatindesai" class="alignLeft" id="img-1379445213003" style="float: left;" alt="Govindarajan-Jatindesai" src="http://www.desai.com/images/govindarajan-Jatindesai_1.gif" border="0"> Any CEO can tell you that finding ideas is not the always the problem. The real issue is selecting and spreading the best ideas, testing quickly, and executing flawlessly. An “innovation engine” is an organization’s capability to think and invest in long-term opportunities along with the competence to drive continuous innovations for top-line growth each year.</p> <p>To build your innovation engine, your firm must excel at operationalizing ideas from your energized people who are willing to do everything they can to fight off internal resistance without creating chaos. This is your bench of corporate innovators: your intrapreneurs.</p> <p>You already have natural intrapreneurs in your company. Some you know about, but most are hiding. These individuals are not always your top talent or the obvious rebels or mavericks. But they are&nbsp;unique and certainly the opposite of “organization men.” When you find them and support them correctly, and magic will<em>&nbsp;</em>occur.</p> <p>Intrapreneurs can transform an organization more quickly and effectively than others because they are self‐motivated free thinkers, masters at navigating around bureaucratic and political inertia.</p> <p>In a firm with 5,000 employees, we’ve found, there are at least 250 natural innovators; of these at least 25 are great intrapreneurs who can build the next business for your firm.</p> <p><a href="http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/09/recognize_intrapreneurs/">Read the entire article at</a> <em>Harvard Business Review &gt;&gt;&gt;</em></p> <!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Recognize-Intrapreneurs-Before-They-Leave.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiMon, 23 Sep 2013 13:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:101976http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Intrapreneurs-Must-Reference-World-Authorities-To-Build-Proposals.php#Comments2Intrapreneurs Must Reference World Authorities To Build Proposalshttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Intrapreneurs-Must-Reference-World-Authorities-To-Build-Proposals.php<div style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> <p>Intrapreneurs are the purple horse in the room. They are working as entrepreneurs within a larger enterprise. Gifford Pinchot III coined the term Intrapreneur to describe them. They want to innovate. Often, corporate culture limits or prevents their ability to succeed.</p> <p><b>Business Cases and Proposals Need Research</b></p> <p>When I teach intrapreneurs to certify them in the DeSai body of knowledge they learn to create a business case. To turn that case into a full-blown, well researched proposal the intrapreneur needs to reference credible worldwide authorities.</p> <p><img id="img-1379600687593" src="http://www.desai.com/images/blog_Intrapreneurs Must Reference World Authorities To Build Proposals-resized-600.jpg" border="0" alt="" title="20 Favorite Sources " width="405" height="270" class="alignCenter" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;"></p> <p><b>My Favorite Sources</b></p> <p>20 of my favorite sources are shown below. These sources are universal. They can be used by for profits and non-profits, large companies as well as small ones. Good luck and may “the force be with you” during your research process.</p> </div> <div style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">1&nbsp;</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.worldmapper.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Worldmapper Project</a> <br>Provides cartograms – maps where countries are resized according to a range of economic, social, demographic and resources criteria</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr class="sectiontableentry2"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">2</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.wto.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">World Trade Organization</a> <br>Trade statistics, trade news, economic research and publications</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">3</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.weforum.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a> <br>Research on wide range of issues related to its agenda; also organizes Davos summit annually dealing with global issues</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr class="sectiontableentry2"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">4</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.worldbank.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">World Bank</a> <br>Economic and financial statistics, including commodity prices</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">5</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.wikipedia.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a> <br>Open-source based online encyclopaedia, which is a good first lead for information on many topics BUT always check references and data wherever possible</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr class="sectiontableentry2"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">6</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.bls.gov/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US Bureau of Labor Statistics</a> <br>Research and statistics on all aspects of the labor market in the US, plus international comparisons</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">7</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.un.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">United Nations</a> <br>Data and reports relevant for many trends including economics, demographics, Millennium Development Goals</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr class="sectiontableentry2"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">8</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.strategy-business.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Strategy &amp; Business</a> <br>Surveys, articles, publications on a range of business topics, on both the Booz site and Strategy &amp; Business site</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">9</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.rand.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">RAND Corporation</a> <br>Research areas include security, international affairs, science &amp; technology, health, infrastructure</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr class="sectiontableentry2"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">10</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top" width="98%"><a class="category" href="http://www.pwc.com/us/en/index.jhtml" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC)</a> <br>Consulting/Accounting firm offering research/publications on range of business topics</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">11</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.oecd.org/home/0,2987,en_2649_201185_1_1_1_1_1,00.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Org. for Economic Cooperation &amp; Development (OECD)</a> <br>Publications and statistics on economic and social issues, including macroeconomics, trade, education, science, innovation</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr class="sectiontableentry2"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">12</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/home.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">McKinsey Quarterly</a> <br>Surveys, articles, publications on a range of business topics</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">13</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.mckinsey.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">McKinsey</a> <br>Surveys, articles, publications on a range of business topics</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr class="sectiontableentry2"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">14</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">International Labour Organization (ILO)</a> <br>Information and news on international labour standards and human rights; provides international labor statistics and research</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">15</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">IMF</a> <br>Range of time series data on GDP growth, inflation, unemployment, payments balances, exports, imports, external debt, capital flows, commodity prices, more and other economic and financial indicators</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr class="sectiontableentry2"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">16</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.imd.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">IMD</a> <br>Research, articles and information on critical business topics and issues; and home of the World COmpetitiveness Center</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">17</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.ibm.com/us/en/sandbox/ver1/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">IBM</a> <br>Range of research, particularly related to technology industry</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr class="sectiontableentry2"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">18</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/eurostat/home/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">European Commission Eurostat</a> <br>Publications and statistics on economic and social issues, including macroeconomics, trade, education, science, innovation</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">19</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="https://www.cia.gov/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CIA</a> <br>World Factbook offers basic but useful country information; other reports cover security related matters e.g. fuel use</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table style="width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr class="sectiontableentry2"> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" align="center" valign="top" width="2%">20</td> <td style="text-align: left; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;" valign="top"><a class="category" href="http://www.bcg.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Boston Consulting Group</a> <br>Surveys, articles, publications on a range of business topics</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"></div> <div style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"> <p><b>The Takeaway</b></p> <p>Excellent research sources help an Intrapreneur change an idea from “I know I am correct” to “of course our company must adopt your proposal.”</p> <p><b>It is your turn.&nbsp; Share your wisdom. Please comment below.</b></p> </div> <div style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><ol start="1"> <li>What are your&nbsp;indispensible research sources?</li> <li>What techniques&nbsp;help you best prepare a persuasive proposal for higher management?</li> <li>What is the&nbsp;relationship between the perceived risk of the opportunity and the length&nbsp;of the proposal you submit?</li> </ol></div> <!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Intrapreneurs-Must-Reference-World-Authorities-To-Build-Proposals.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiThu, 19 Sep 2013 14:22:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:101921http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Should-Higher-Education-Be-Free-An-Extreme-Innovation-Challenge.php#Comments3Should Higher Education Be Free? - An Extreme Innovation Challengehttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Should-Higher-Education-Be-Free-An-Extreme-Innovation-Challenge.php<p><img width="106" height="79" title="Govindarajan-Jatindesai" class="alignLeft" id="img-1379445213003" style="float: left;" alt="Govindarajan-Jatindesai" src="http://www.desai.com/images/govindarajan-Jatindesai_1.gif" border="0">On September 5, 2013, Professor Vijay Govindarajan and I co-authored a blog about Higher Education for Harvard Business Review Blog website. To our surprise, it became one of the most popular blog ever. It reached over 225 comments in matter of few days.&nbsp;</p> <p>Obviously we struck a nerve.&nbsp;Why?&nbsp;</p> <p>In the article, we suggested that the time has come for new business innovation models to fix the higher education system here in the US and across the globe. Here is the beginning of it:</p> <p>-----------------------------</p> <p>In the United States, our higher education system is broken. &nbsp;since 1980, we've seen a 400% increase in the cost of higher education, after adjustment for inflation -- a higher cost escalation than any other industry, even health care. &nbsp;We have recently passed the trillion dollar mark in student loan debt in the United States.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/09/higher_education--for_free.html#disqus_thread" target="_blank">Read the entire article</a> at <em>Harvard Business Review</em><em> &gt;&gt;&gt;</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Should-Higher-Education-Be-Free-An-Extreme-Innovation-Challenge.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiThu, 12 Sep 2013 13:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:101754http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Microsoft-Innovative-YES-according-to-AD-in-WSJ.php#Comments6Microsoft Innovative - YES according to AD in WSJhttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Microsoft-Innovative-YES-according-to-AD-in-WSJ.php<p>Microsoft is famous for its back story of a couple of nerds who changed personal computing for the entire world.&nbsp; They went from a few thousand dollars in revenue to$70 billion in revenue each year.&nbsp; They must have been innovative to accomplish such a feat and have $77 billion in the bank.&nbsp; They just spent $7 billion of that hard earned cash to buy Nokia’s Devices &amp; Services business.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>READ MY LIPS – WE ARE INNOVATIVE</b></p> <p>Then, why did they have to point out not once, but twice about innovation in their full page ad on the back page of Section A in the Wall Street Journal? &nbsp;Here are the two quotes with emphasis and commentary added by me.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>“By bringing together these great teams together, Microsoft will be able to deliver more choices and faster<em> innovation</em> to consumers in phones and smart devices of all kinds”</b>&nbsp;</p> <p>I thought a couple of years ago that Microsoft gave billions of dollars to Nokia and its CEO Stephen Elop (a former Microsoft executive)&nbsp;to accomplish the task already.&nbsp; Microsoft and Nokia were already joined at the hip as partners when Nokia gave up its own operating system in favor of Windows.&nbsp;</p> <p>Staples has the “Easy Button.”&nbsp; Perhaps, Mr. Elop has the “Innovation Button.”&nbsp;</p> <p><b>“Together, we will create more unified development, manufacturing, and marketing efforts to bring <em>innovation </em>to market with greater efficiency and speed.”</b><b>&nbsp;</b></p> <p>The market did not think so, and erased 4.6% of Microsoft’s share price after the announcement.&nbsp; That decline in share price pretty much wiped out the nice bump in Microsoft shares after CEO Steve Ballmer indicated he would retire within 12 months.&nbsp;<b>&nbsp;</b></p> <p><b>A THIRD EXAMPLE OF PUTTING YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS</b></p> <p>Ballmer went on to say in a Wall Street Journal story on the same day,<b>“For us to really fulfill the vision for what we can do for our customers, we have evolved our thinking.”</b><b>&nbsp;</b></p> <p>Very recently Ballmer announced the “devices and services” approach at Microsoft after a major reorganization of the 100,000 person company (now 132,000 after Nokia acquisition).&nbsp; Sounds like he is going all in for devices.&nbsp; Other than the X Box gaming device, Microsoft does not have a successful record creating hardware.&nbsp; See Surface Tablet and Microsoft’s recent $900 million write off for unsold inventory.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>The Takeaway</b></p> <p>You need an Innovation Engine to help create an ecosystem of innovation.&nbsp; You cannot decree it, you must work hard to create it.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Your turn.&nbsp; Tell me what you think.&nbsp; Please comment below.</b></p> <ol> <li>Does your business have a culture and climate of innovation?</li> <li>What is the most innovative new product or service your company has created in the last 5 years?</li> <li>Do you feel that Microsoft and Nokia can out innovate Google’s Android platform and Apple’s iPhone platform?</li> </ol><!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Microsoft-Innovative-YES-according-to-AD-in-WSJ.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiFri, 06 Sep 2013 13:00:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:101607http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Moving-Forward-in-a-Changing-World.php#Comments0Moving Forward in a Changing Worldhttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Moving-Forward-in-a-Changing-World.php<P>Today’s modern leaders need to be prepared to guide their organization’s innovation efforts. In this global economy, how to begin and how to structure are big questions. How exactly does one assess innovation readiness and what qualities, values and competencies will drive future success?</P> <P>Competing on price alone in the long and even short run, is a losing strategy. Today, there are no safe-haven sectors, every industry is being re-shaped, and new competitive advantages average three months. Macro trends of globalization and automation continually shorten life span for products and services. Nimbleness is lacking, strategic and annual processes are not working, and multigenerational talent gaps are widening. (chapter 2, Assess Innovation Readiness, <A href="http://www.amazon.com/Innovation-Engine-Driving-Execution-Breakthrough/dp/1118355032/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1366659072&amp;sr=1-9" target=_blank><B><EM>Innovation Engine</EM></B></A>)</P> <P><IMG id=img-1376487059599 title="Moving Forward in a Changing World" class=alignCenter style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" border=0 alt="Moving Forward in a Changing World" src="http://www.desai.com/images/Moving-Forward-in-a-Changing-World-resized-600.gif" width=332 height=204></P> <P>The disruptive result is the shift of power from the board room to the marketplace. Many authors and experts have pointed out this trend, yet traditional business models in the main, have not yet adjusted. <A href="http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470874430.html" target=_blank><B><EM>Spend Shift </EM></B></A>describes a post-recession <B><EM>values-driven </EM></B>economy, concluding that consumer expectations and behaviors will drive business decisions.</P> <P>John Gerzema and Michael D’Antonio’s latest book, <A href="http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-111845295X.html" target=_blank><B><EM>The Athena Doctrine: How Women (and the Men Who Think Like Them) Will Rule the Future</EM></B></A>, may give us some important insight into the skills, values and competencies of an ideal world leader, as identified through a two year study involving 64,000 people in 13 countries that comprise two-thirds of global GDP. It comes down it seems, to an array of desirable skills related to an emerging form of leadership arising in the business world – skills, traits, values and competencies thought of by the majority surveyed, as <EM>feminine</EM> traits.</P> <P>While 81% said both masculine and feminine traits are needed to thrive in this world, the survey strongly revealed that both women and men are frustrated with the traditional masculine conduct and business structures they believe to be responsible for the financial global crisis. Globally, the feeling is one of cynicism overall, distrust particularly in financial institutions, and an overwhelming opinion (86%) that organizations have accumulated too much power.&nbsp; The world is more social, global, and interdependent. While traditional practices in business, education, and government are increasingly ineffective in today’s emerging global community and markets, we are seeing successful, new approaches to business as “millennials” enter the workforce with values that are challenging and changing the status quo.</P> <P>In the August 7, 2013, article/video entitled <A href="http://knowledge.insead.edu/leadership-management/athena-in-pin-stripes-2568?goback=%2Egde_40975_member_264053820" target=_blank><EM>Athena in Pinstripes</EM></A>, John Gerzema makes two glaring points:</P> <UL> <LI>There are still a very small percentage of women in the board room, yet women influence 80% of purchases <B></B></LI> <LI>A public company today focuses on shareholder value. The company of tomorrow will focus on employee value and community value, recognizing who actually creates value within an organization. <B></B></LI></UL> <P>As John Gerzema reminds us, Peter Drucker once said, <B>“The Only Purpose of Business is to Have a Customer.” </B></P> <P>Getting back to assessing and planning, in <A href="http://www.amazon.com/Innovation-Engine-Driving-Execution-Breakthrough/dp/1118355032/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1366659072&amp;sr=1-9" target=_blank><B><EM>Innovation Engine: Driving Execution for Breakthrough Results</EM></B></A>, Jatin Desai, in Chapter 2, “Assess Innovation Readiness,” states that, <STRONG><EM>“Innovation, if done right, should be an input&nbsp; to strategic planning, not an outcome.”</EM></STRONG> Building a supportive climate and culture of innovation requires an evaluation of not only a firm’s offerings, but also the intent, knowledge, quality and ethics of a company and the skill set and values of its leaders. The overall theme really needs to be one of engagement.</P> <P><B><EM>Innovation Engine</EM></B> addresses how to assess innovation readiness, the factors that must be examined, the questions that need to be answered, how to develop the competency for deep insights, the roles of external environment and internal employee engagement, and the overall alignment of success factors.</P> <P>Unfortunately, “In most companies, future-related decisions are based primarily on use of historical data. Hardly anyone brings explicit data about the emerging needs of current customers or defines new opportunities for evaluation … in most cases, the process lacks the collective wisdom and knowledge of the entire organization at large. … it is assumed that the top team, albeit most distant from the front line, has the required knowledge about the ever-changing products, technologies, and issues. This is an orthodoxy that is rarely, if ever, challenged.” (<EM>Innovation Engine</EM>, Chapter 2, p. 39).</P> <P>Past methods do not guarantee future success. The role of transformative leadership is crucial, as it sets the tone, dialogue and pace of an organization’s strategy and execution. If dominant logic is stifling, a learning culture does not exist, or a firm’s access and commitment to technologies and resources are lacking, ultimately innovation will not likely succeed. Regardless of how brilliant an idea may be, or how aggressive leadership and management, if the organization is out of step with the markets, trends, desires and values of its potential customers, there is no business.</P> <P>The success of future leaders is not “men versus women” despite <EM>Athena’s</EM> survey results of 66% of those agreeing the world would benefit if men thought more like women. Feminine qualities like collaboration, Intuition, patience, flexibility and loyalty were ranked high as key leadership qualities. So were masculine qualities such as decisiveness and resilience, along with neutral qualities including intelligence, candor and vision. It seems the message to CEO’s from <B><EM>Athena</EM></B> and <B><EM>Innovation Engine</EM></B> is, from the beginning of the innovation process:</P> <OL> <LI>be a better listener, be inclusive embracing diverse mindsets and points of view</LI> <LI>strive to continuously engage your customers, employees and communities</LI></OL> <P>Innovation Engine puts forth a solid methodology for assessing, aligning, mobilizing and leading innovation which is comprehensive and inclusive from the start, emphasizing the importance of developing an innovation framework, organizational structure and momentum that begins, plays and continues with people, including and accommodating all stakeholders. This is the new direction of the world, and thus, everything in it.</P> <P>The future is upon us. Meet it with an open mind.</P> <P>“<EM>Bon chance mes amis</EM>.”</P><!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Moving-Forward-in-a-Changing-World.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiThu, 15 Aug 2013 19:42:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:100984http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/U-S-Innovation-Leaders-need-IQ-EQ-CQ-Part-Two-of-Judas-Goats.php#Comments0U.S. Innovation Leaders need IQ, EQ & CQ (Part Two of “Judas Goats”)http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/U-S-Innovation-Leaders-need-IQ-EQ-CQ-Part-Two-of-Judas-Goats.php<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">With the U.S. appearing to suck at globalization and largely indifferent but dependent on the domestic market, we need leadership willing to step up and innovate with a capital <B>“I”</B> if we intend to remain in the top 3. It can be done. We are still viewed as the country of freedom and ingenuity around the world, but more and more we are being viewed as resting on our past accomplishments and steering rudderless, albeit arrogantly, through cultural impacts we don’t quite understand and don’t appear to appreciate.</P> <P><B>We Are All Connected – Domestically and Globally</B></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">If we figure the world will just accept us the way we are because we are America, we need to examine that attitude and quickly. How much time do you think the <A href="http://english.cntv.cn/01/index.shtml">Chinese</A> spend learning about America? Cultural impact in the U.S. from voting to job creation and economic recovery, affects us all within and without our borders, and domestic and international markets. We need capital “I” Leaders in the U.S. to embrace not only IQ and EQ, but also <A href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2011/05/30/the-lack-of-cultural-intelligence-is-damaging-our-enterprises-and-our-economy/">CQ (cultural quotient)</A>. Consider India; America by no means has an <A href="http://www.desai.com/innovation-india.php">exclusive on innovation</A>.</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">While JC Penney apparently embraced the risk side of innovation hiring Ron Johnson, at least they tried.&nbsp; Demographic differences between the loyal Apple consumers vs. loyal Penney consumers relied on an Apple innovation methodology that couldn’t make the leap. Yet,&nbsp;JC Penney may still pull a “Coke” – to – “Coca Cola Classic” and now build on the needs and desires of their demographic strengths to bring back a new and improved “classic” approach. Finding the “classic” in emerging markets as well could be a significant and even sustainable coup. But to target effectively they <A href="http://www.marketingteacher.com/lesson-store/lesson-international-marketing-culture.html">need to know the markets</A> <B>and</B> the cultures, <B>and</B> be set up to strike when the timing is right.</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Leaders must move faster regardless of sector. Crowd sourcing like Twitter, makes the whims of the consumer more volatile than ever before, whether it’s basics of life like food, or the latest smart phone. Share one weight loss recipe featuring a specific ingredient or nutraceutical; demand changes instantly and involves multiple markets and cultures.</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><EM>As a leader, if you are acting as the “<A href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judas_goat">judas goat</A>” still herding your company to a rigid, specific destination bogged down in status quo, it will be as sheep to slaughter.</EM></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">What factors are the most critical for emerging achievers and leaders of today when they predict a future for themselves?</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><EM>“Self-awareness, high intelligence, high emotional quotient, extremely high integrity, multiple discipline knowledge, voracious appetite for new knowledge.”</EM>&nbsp; ~ Jatin Desai</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Leaders need to loosen up and embrace the reality that<EM> “90% of what we call ‘management’ consists of making it difficult for people to get things done.”</EM> ~ Peter Drucker&nbsp;</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Need help <A href="http://www.desai.com/our-services/innovation-coaching.php">developing a clear innovation strategy</A>, penetrating emerging markets, leadership development? Visit <A href="http://www.desai.com/">The DeSai Group</A>. Follow Jatin Desai on LinkedIn and Twitter for juicy innovation ideas and tidbits.</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Jatin Desai CEO, and author of <B><EM><A href="http://www.desai.com/our-services/innovation-engine.php">Innovation Engine</A> </EM></B>(May 2013 release by Wiley International), addresses C-Suite groups, delivers keynotes, leads workshops and joins with corporations and organizations to design and implement innovation programs and optimize existing programs, in the USA and internationally. <B><EM><A href="http://www.desai.com/our-services/innovation-engine.php">Innovation Engine</A> </EM></B>is now available<B><EM> </EM></B>in digital and hardcover versions at your favorite retail online or brick and mortar outlet.</P><!--more--> <TABLE style="WIDTH: 70%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=center border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=200 align=center>&nbsp;<IMG id=img-1369759904787 border=0 alt="describe the image" src="http://www.desai.com/images/innovation_engine_book-resized-600.gif" width=148 height=207> <P align=center>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <A href="http://www.desai.com/our-services/innovation-engine.php" target=_blank>&nbsp;&nbsp; Innovation Engine</A></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B>“<EM>Innovation Engine </EM>will help you build a climate and culture of innovation. A must-read for every serious executive desiring innovation as a daily habit in his or her organization and to drive innovation execution.” </B></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B>—Vijay Govindarajan, coauthor of the <EM>New York Times </EM>and <BR><EM>Wall Street Journal </EM>bestseller <EM>Reverse Innovation</EM> <BR></B>.</P> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/U-S-Innovation-Leaders-need-IQ-EQ-CQ-Part-Two-of-Judas-Goats.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiThu, 06 Jun 2013 20:11:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:98875http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Innovation-USA-Leaders-or-Judas-Goats-U-S-Leadership-Please-Step-Forward.php#Comments0Innovation USA - Leaders or “Judas Goats?” U.S. Leadership Please Step Forwardhttp://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Innovation-USA-Leaders-or-Judas-Goats-U-S-Leadership-Please-Step-Forward.php<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"> <P align=center><B>Innovation USA - Leaders or “Judas Goats?” </B><EM>U.S. Leadership Please Step Forward</EM><B></B></P></DIV> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Here in the USA the one question begging to be asked and answered is, “Are we simply sitting too comfortably where we are?” The up and coming countries and markets are busy manufacturing most of what we consume. While they are motivated, innovating and expanding, we are well – sitting.</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Not only are many organizations still stuck in their chairs instead of examining the effectiveness and long term feasibility of status quo, but even worse, it appears that while a lot of lip service has been given to the term “innovation” action has been blatantly MIA.</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Touting innovation officers, teams, strategy and even innovation “days,” doesn’t mean companies are actually engaging in innovation. Setting aside the publication of numerous books on innovation and the mention of the “I” word over 33,000 times in annual reports filed with the SEC, it appears likely that using the “I” word is mainly a <A href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304791704577418250902309914.html" target=_blank>ploy to convince investors</A> that “change” is taking place, even though by self-admittance most executives concede their companies still haven’t developed clear innovation strategies.</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">What does it take to initiate real change? What kind of <A href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemaddock/2013/04/09/innovation-fer-dummies/?goback=%2Egde_40975_member_231489287" target=_blank>intervention</A> is necessary? Look at the complaining and excuses presented by US companies when <A title=challenged href="http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/How-Innovative-is-your-Organization.php" target=_blank>challenged</A>, such as:</P> <UL style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"> <LI>Our business is more complicated…</LI> <LI>We need less regulation…</LI> <LI>That’s not how we do things…</LI> <LI>We can’t afford to re-tool, invest in new tech…</LI> <LI>Our customers are <EM>happy</EM> the way things are…&nbsp;</LI></UL> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B>We<EM> </EM>need to ask:</B> <EM>“<B>Really? No need to innovate?”</B></EM><B></B></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B>What about new markets, evolving customer needs and wants, trade deficit with China, </B><B>run-away growth in world markets, stagnant growth in U.S. markets, and limited U.S. penetration of world markets? What about VISION for the future? </B></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" align=center>There is plenty of evidence portraying a very different picture and begging for leaders to step up to the task of implementing real innovation in U.S. companies, instead of just lip service.</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Domestically, it’s been said that while around 30% of companies think they have introduced a major innovation within the past 6-12 months, only 5% of consumers agree. Presently, for instance, the perception is Google is beating the pants off Apple with innovations and methodology – brilliant new stuff, like “Glass.” Consumers want to be seen, heard, listened to, responded to and <EM>enticed</EM> with “new” – note the T-Mobile inspired discussion on contracts – finally.</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">While we sit in our big chairs at home focusing mainly on domestic markets in largely an unresponsive way, we are losing big in global markets. Director of Tuft University’s Institute &nbsp;for Business in the Global Context, <A href="http://www.fastcoexist.com/1681542/does-america-suck-at-globalization" target=_blank>Baskar Chakravorti</A>, recently released a paper detailing statistics and an argument as to why U.S. companies lag far behind in penetrating emerging markets.&nbsp;</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Although American brands are ubiquitous abroad, U.S. companies actually realize only around 7% - 10% of their overall revenues from emerging markets. In 2010 those markets represented 36% of global GDP – why is U.S. share so small while our <A href="http://qz.com/59506/the-big-mac-mirage-america-is-actually-terrible-at-globalization/" target=_blank>“global peer average [is] 17%”</A> according to HSBC estimated revenues.</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><B><EM>Perception is Everything</EM></B><B>. Real leadership is multi-faceted, and above all based on communication, concern and relationship with real people – domestically and globally, and within and without an organization. </B></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">The great “growth” chasm between West and East cannot be filled by just moving our manufacturing east, negatively impacting even more jobs in America. That only makes Americans in this already high unemployment climate, well, angry. Emerging economies are still the ever-growing elephant in the room. Could it be that many U.S. corporations don’t really care about the needs of Americans as workers or consumers in spite of bail-outs?</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">The combination of continued job decline stateside, along with demand for low priced goods by consumers hit with shrinking wages, plus U.S. companies’ addiction to cost cutting to raise the bottom line, may ultimately be our undoing. Additionally, complications like China’s government control of their currency, seemingly gives the U.S. a lose/lose situation, while the <A href="http://useconomy.about.com/od/tradepolicy/p/us-china-trade.htm" target=_blank>3<SUP>rd</SUP> largest economy</A> in the world, China – has the largest population and <EM>largest potential market</EM>, in the world. The Chinese people won’t indefinitely accept a lower standard of living. When do we get to sell to them?</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><B>What do U.S. Leaders need for success in domestic <EM>and</EM> world markets?</B></P> <DIV> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">We are still viewed as the country of freedom and ingenuity around the world, but more and more we are being viewed as …&nbsp;</P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14px; COLOR: #ff6600"><B><A title="See Part Two of “Judas Goats”: U.S. Innovation Leaders Need IQ, EQ and CQ " href="http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/U-S-Innovation-Leaders-need-IQ-EQ-CQ-Part-Two-of-Judas-Goats.php" target=_self>See Part Two of “Judas Goats”: U.S. Innovation Leaders Need IQ, EQ and CQ </A></B></SPAN></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Need help <A href="http://www.desai.com/our-services/innovation-coaching.php" target=_blank>developing a clear innovation strategy</A>, penetrating emerging markets, leadership development? Visit <A href="http://www.desai.com/" target=_blank>The DeSai Group</A>. Follow Jatin Desai on LinkedIn and Twitter for juicy innovation ideas and tidbits.</P></DIV> <P>Jatin Desai CEO, and author of <B><EM><A href="http://www.desai.com/our-services/innovation-engine.php" target=_blank>Innovation Engine</A> </EM></B>(May 2013 release by Wiley International), addresses C-Suite groups, delivers keynotes, leads workshops and joins with corporations and organizations to design and implement innovation programs and optimize existing programs, in the USA and internationally. <B><EM><A href="http://www.desai.com/our-services/innovation-engine.php" target=_blank>Innovation Engine</A> </EM></B>is now available<B><EM> </EM></B>in digital and hardcover versions at your favorite retail online or brick and mortar outlet.</P> <TABLE style="WIDTH: 70%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=center border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=200 align=center>&nbsp;<IMG id=img-1369759904787 border=0 alt="describe the image" src="http://www.desai.com/images/innovation_engine_book-resized-600.gif" width=148 height=207> <P align=center>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <A href="http://www.desai.com/our-services/innovation-engine.php" target=_blank>&nbsp;&nbsp; Innovation Engine</A></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">&nbsp;<B>“<EM>Innovation Engine </EM>will help you build a climate and culture of innovation. A must-read for every serious executive desiring innovation as a daily habit in his or her organization and to drive innovation execution.” </B></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><B>—Vijay Govindarajan, coauthor of the <EM>New York Times </EM>and <BR><EM>Wall Street Journal </EM>bestseller <EM>Reverse Innovation</EM></B></P><!--more--> <img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=1158&k=14&bu=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/index.php&r=http://www.desai.com/about-us/innovation-execution-blog/Innovation-USA-Leaders-or-Judas-Goats-U-S-Leadership-Please-Step-Forward.php&bvt=rss">Jatin DesaiFri, 31 May 2013 14:09:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:98664