Collaborating for Innovation Success throughSuccess throughResearch-as-a-ServiceResearch as a Service

Professor Dr Jan ReckerProfessor Dr Jan ReckerWoolworths Chair of Retail Innovation

Information Systems School, Queensland University of Technology

Thi T lkThis Talk

• Innovation requires evidence-based decisions– Do you use it?Do you use it?

• Research-as-a-Service assists Innovations– Do you have access to it?

Fi di th i ht ll b ti tt• Finding the right collaboration matters– Do you have the right model?y g

“If the decision is going to be made by facts, then everyone’s facts […] are equalequal.If the decision is going to be made on the basis of people’s opinions thenthe basis of people’s opinions, then 

mine count for a lot more “mine count for a lot more.

James Barksdaleformer CEO Netscape

Evidence means ability to innovateEvidence means ability to innovate

“The collected wisdom ofThe collected wisdom of baseball insiders is

bj ti d fl d “subjective and flawed.

In 2004, two years after adopting the sabermetric model, the Boston Red Sox win their first World Series since 1918.

Evidence means ability to innovateEvidence means ability to innovate

“The collected wisdom ofThe collected wisdom of baseball insiders is

bj ti d fl d “subjective and flawed.

In 2004, two years after adopting the sabermetric model, the Boston Red Sox win their first World Series since 1918.

What percentage of your p g yinnovation decisions are

id b d?evidence-based?

How do you make Innovation How do you make Innovation decisions?

Conventionaldecision-making

Evidence-based decision-makingdecision making decision making

• Typically relies on status (confidence)

• Is based on an understanding of truestatus (confidence)

• Often uses observations cases or

understanding of true cause-effect relationshipsobservations, cases or

anecdotes• Values existing or

p• Realizes the availability

of potential evidenceValues existing or common practices

• Runs the danger of• Opposes or neglects

tradition, intuition, Runs the danger of using flawed decision models

folklore and rules of thumb

Levels of EvidenceWhich level is the basis for your decisions?

ExamplepThe danger of case studies

“A M i i iP d th t d ’t k”“A Magazine is an iPad that doesn’t work”

ExamplepThe danger of case studies

“P h t f t ”“Paper has a great future”

Requirements for evidence-basedRequirements for evidence based decisions

Data awarenesswhat data is appropriate?

What data is available?What data is available?

What is the quality of available data?

The ability to understand scientific conceptsValidity and reliability

Statistical significance and sample size

Replication and biasReplication and bias

The ability to analyze, interpret and evaluate statistical informationDetermine appropriate analyses

Identify appropriate visualizations

Consider limitations and assumptions

C i t ff ti l d t lCommunicate effectively and accurately

Th R h S iThe Research as a Service M d lModel

Collaborations with Universities andCollaborations with Universities and other Research institutions can i t R h i i tinsert Research-as-a-service into as an organizational innovation gsupport service.

Th R h S iThe Research as a Service C tComponents

• Novel conceptual perspectivesNovel conceptual perspectives• Rigorous scientific principles• Quality empirical evidence

U bi d b ti• Unbiased observation

Example #1Positive Deviance in BakeriesPositive Deviance in Bakeries

Example #1Positive Deviance in BakeriesPositive Deviance in Bakeries

“Wh i i “Where in our company is innovation and success already y

happening?

Novel Perspective: Positive DevianceNovel Perspective: Positive Deviance

a practice that stands out from a pool of comparable practices as it shows better performance under the same environmental conditions.A shift in management thinking, from “fixing errors” to “rewarding and learning from the best”

Rigorous scientific principlesRigorous scientific principles

Who is truly successful?

Positive Deviant

Positive Deviant

Positive Deviant Positive Deviant

Why are theytrulysuccessful? m

ance

Positive Deviant

Positive Deviant

successful?Which trueroot causes

proc

ess

perfo

rAverage

Positive Deviant

can we insertelsewhere to improve all

Sal

es p

pprocesses?

Number of customers

Unbiased observationUnbiased observation

Quality Empirical EvidenceQ y p

“It’s not necessarily the process”It s not necessarily the processeveryone follows the same process model

“It’s not the competition”process performance independent from local context

Individual motivation and the willingness to‘do something extra’do something extra

Clever use of mark-downs, baking scheduling

Culture: collaboration and communication between depa tmentsdepartments

Exchange of ideas inter-departmental

Creativity: finding new solutions for products,Creativity: finding new solutions for products,display and service; willingly deviate from standardized process.

Exchange of knowledge between storesExchange of knowledge between stores

The Difference?

%]

Bottom10%

Top10%

25%Percentile

50%Percentile

75%Percentile

ce [

in %

rofr

man

co

cess

per

Pro

Cumulative number of store processes

Improving 10% Improving 90%

KKeyyTakeawaysTakeaways

Collaboration for research as a serviceCollaboration for research-as-a-service

#01 Research-as-a-Service l d t i t#01 leads to conscious competence.

AdoptionAdoption

Unconscious ConsciousCompetence Competence

UnconsciousIncompetence

ConsciousIncompetence

#02 Beware ofll b ti t d ff#02 collaboration tradeoffs.

ManagementLong live the difference

Management (used to express appreciation of diversity).

Woolworths QUTWoolworths QUTGain Competitive Advantage Create knowledgeInternal to Woolworths Tell the worldShort, outcome based communication All the exciting details of new information

must be shared.Outcome focus communication Capture all knowledgeGet to the outcome quickly Explore all possibilities. Time is secondaryW ill k ti E id b dWe will make some assumptions Evidence-basedInvolve people that can implement Involve people with knowledge

#03 Find your Collaboration Model.#03Governance L li th Governance Long live the

difference (used to express appreciation

of diversity).

Prof. Jan Recker, PhD

Woolworths Chair of Retail InnovationWoolworths Chair of Retail InnovationInformation Systems SchoolScience and Engineering FacultyQueensland University of Technology

email j.recker@qut.edu.auweb www.janrecker.comtwitter janreckertwitter janrecker