Four Approaches to Fostering Companies' Innovation Capability (PDF)

For many companies being and continuing to be innovative is essential. But how can companies become more innovative? Carmen Kobe & Ina Goller asked experts, consultants, and managers how they experienced successful improvement of innovativeness in their business life. Out of the interviews, four interventions that are used to develop companies' innovation capabilities could be extracted.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Dr. Carmen Kobe leads the Creativity and Innovation research group at Autonomous Systems Lab (ASL), ETH, Zurich. She researches and teaches innovation processes, front end innovation, and development of companies? and employees? innovation capability. In 2008 she founded Kobe Consulting, a spinoff of ETH that focuses on supporting technical companies to become more innovative.

Ina Goller has worked in consulting organizational and HR issues in national and international organizations for 12 years. Her interest is in changing systems and people. She is a partner in PTA Praxis f

This PDF delves into the core components of innovation capability, emphasizing the importance of employees' knowledge and skills, technical systems, managerial systems, and values and norms. It highlights the necessity of translating these core capabilities into actionable strategies tailored to the unique context of each company. The document provides a comprehensive approach to fostering innovation through practical methods such as experimenting with new ideas, changing project environments, and implementing new decision-making rules.

Managers and consultants will find actionable insights on how to drive innovation within their organizations. The document outlines sequential steps for transforming company processes, from recognizing the need for change to implementing and reviewing the change cycle. It stresses the importance of continuous evaluation and adaptation, ensuring that innovation efforts are sustainable and aligned with the company's strategic goals. This resource is essential for those looking to enhance their company's innovation capabilities and maintain a competitive edge in the market.