Innovation Cultures - Thinking Innovation | Page 16

THINKING INNOVATION :

Forward-thinking organizations must create a culture , cultivate an environment and an infrastructure that recognizes innovation , supports it and capitalize upon it .
Trying to go further with less ? Now more than ever , innovation plays a critical role . The development of new products and services can act as an engine of growth and a remedy for the effects of the ongoing worldwide economic uncertainties .
However , being receptive to innovation is not enough . Forwardthinking organizations must create a culture , cultivate an environment and an infrastructure that recognizes innovation , supports it and capitalize upon it . This is far easier said than done . Change often threatens the status quo and the mission of the organization and its stakeholders , at least in the short-term . Its initial impact may appear ephemeral .
Those are the obvious speed bumps . Less apparent are the aspects of innovation that go against much of our training and education , which tends to focus on skills needed for optimizing operations or improving internal performance measures rather than creating customer value .
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