Our innovation awards: Call for nominations | The Economist. Regular readers may know I have tracked a number of ideas from the pages of The Economist. The newspaper was established in 1843 to take part in “a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress”. It cites that
This short video recorded for the UKs Institution of Chemical Engineers by the CEO of Dow Chemical, Andrew Liveris, calls for balancing advanced economies in favour of high value-added economic activities. Certainly, in the UK, this is a live debate. While economics explains the natural trends in any economy from basic materials, to manufacturing, to
As with our personalities, we each have a preferred style that we use to innovate. This is useful to know how we tend to operate as individuals and for leaders and managers in formulating or increasing team performance. We are all creative and have an innate ability to solve problems. The work of Kirton observed that individual personalities effect
Well, it depends. There has been a lot of debate over this one both in the general business population and in the academic literature. And I’ll bet you have an opinion on the matter. This article outlines some of the issues and takes forward the situations where small might be better than big, or vice
I heard a story about a management team that was presented with the results of an employee survey that covered amongst other things, the health of innovation in the business. An astonishing thing was that it described every single innovation score as healthy without one ounce of dissent. To many it felt completely off base. Anecdotal evidence showed many innovation projects were
This piece derives from a paper I wrote that invited an exploration for the question – how innovation adds value. I thought it an interesting way in which strategies for innovation can be directed towards the top and bottom line; the price and the cost. What is Added Value? The Financial Type: The classic and
The qualities and characteristics of firms intent on undertaking radical innovation is a subject of great interest. The era of stagnant national economies is upon us, particularly in developed nations and GOVs and firms alike seek solutions and magic pills to create spectacular stories to rival those in the digital economy, elsewhere. Key is the
This piece was inspired by a question posed at a Manchester Business School seminar. It is important because there exists a lot of confusion in the media about innovation (more innovation must be good, right?). I like the question because it explores the different angles to innovation from a technological perspective – and there is
The report outlines the approach the UK must take to leverage the potential of its innovation machine. The 21st century will be a time of rapid technological change… spurred on by the grand challenges we collectively face. For some time there has been a feeling backed up by evidence that the national innovation system in
The Telegraph One in five ‘must become an engineer’ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/9936226/One-in-five-must-become-an-engineer.html This piece in The Telegraph outlines the magnitude of the technological skills gap that needs to be plugged if the UK is to realise its potential in technological innovation. The facts presented are, 1. The UK is 600,000 short of staff, skilled in STEM subjects (Science,