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No matter what sector or industry you work in, innovation What do we mean when we talk about
can seem like a big task and one that many companies fear. innovation?
Yet the need to change and stay ahead has never been more Ultimately, it is about doing more than
important. Jenny Lang, Innovation Manager for the Digital just the incremental – incremental
change just isn’t enough.
Catapult North East & Tees Valley at Sunderland Software When it comes to open innovation
City asks: Why would anyone adopt new technology? projects, small and medium sized
enterprises (SMEs) and large corporates
(or public sector organisations) need to
work together because collaboration can
provide mutual benefits. The corporate
benefits from new ideas developed
by SMEs to help them overcome
internal problems at a faster rate than
internal solutions can be produced.
Likewise, the SMEs have a chance to
create new revenue streams – either by
payment from the corporate or through
partnerships. In addition, the SMEs get
to understand sectors they perhaps have
not previously been involved in, which
opens up new markets.
Innovation vs technology
When approaching innovation,
it is important to remember that
innovation does not equal technology.
Companies are often caught in
the trap of being led by shiny, new
technologies rather than being led
by a challenge or problem specific
to their organisation. By focusing on
the challenge, it becomes easier to
engage in a more holistic approach
to innovation and therefore avoid the
Being innovative doesn’t rely on
being technical or ‘tech savvy’,
it is about creativity and finding
new ways to do things better
urge to predetermine the solution.
In the same way innovation is not
about technology, it is also not just
about new products. The process and
implementation of innovation projects
is something that should cut across
all departments within the business,
including those working within the
brand, customer engagement and
operational processes. Companies
often wrongly take the position that
innovation belongs to one person in the
organisation, namely those in technical
teams or those with ‘innovation’ in the
job title. Innovation is in fact everyone’s
responsibility. Being innovative doesn’t
rely on being technical or ‘tech savvy’,
it is about creativity and finding new
ways to do things better.
Internal vs external ideas
Furthermore, it is often wrongly
assumed that innovation can take
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