Innovation, culture and

organizations

Jesper Bo Jensen, ph.d.

Futurist

Centre for Future Studies

www.fremforsk.dk

Innovation is not always

in fashion

"Our company is too big to waste time on small

ideas.“

"We want new ideas, but I’m paid to make my

numbers on existing business.“

"I can’t remember manufacturing and marketing

ever talking about anything.“

"We’re doing fine; let’s let our existing line peak

before we try something new.“

"People are going to get cynical about all these

change initiatives."

But in Pharmaceuticals

we need it

New products in the pipeline is

essential

The business model makes faster

and faster innovation the key

factor to success

You have 7-10 years to make

money on a new drug

So innovation and a culture of

innovation is essential

They all laughed

Light Bulbs

The computer in 1948: A world market of 8

Radar in a box: Microwave oven

Typewriter – no office will want one

Television – radio is much better

Xerox machine - photocopier

Laserbeams

3M – post-it

Materials: Velcro, Telfon, Gore-tex

Why innovation Fails

Trend following and mental inventions – 3

times as many failures as successes

Need spotting - double success to failure

Market research: 4 x success to failure

Solution spotting: 7 x success to failure

”Taking advance of random events” 13 x

success to failure

Source: Why innovation Fails, Carl Frankling,

Spiro Press (2003) (193 product innovations studied)

What is creativity and

innovation?

Creativity is the ability to combine know subjects and thoughts in a new way

Creativity emerge while your busy braking up old patterns of thoughts and working

Innovation is implementing new useful ideas

Innovation is goal-oriented

The brain makes patterns

and order out of chaos

Learn to think out of the box – connect all

spots drawing one line no stops

Making and braking

patterns

A solution….

About a student...

….and a

barometer

Predesign

Think before you start drawing, constructing or prototyping new drugs

Is the process that comes before the design and product development

Its a validation of assumptions

Often the most important part of the innovation process

It is the cheapest part – just thinking

It is what a brilliant architect does before he/she makes the first sketch

How to create a culture

of innovation

The mindset must begin at the top level of the organization and cover all levels

Making creative thinking and collaboration possible

Innovative organizations are able to:

A. Listen – both internal and external

B. Stay Open – listen to backroomers and novices

C. Collaborate – with universities, hospitals, pharma

D. Go flat – shot approval processes, communications lines etc.

E. Embrace failure – penicillin and microwaves were both found by accidents

Source: FastCompany

5 strategies used to build

a culture of innovation

Understand the different types of innovation you’re

trying to foster – let people follow all the steps: Profit

models, processes, products and policies

Empower Champions to push back agains bouncers

Redefine metrics and incentive – the new shall not by

judges by the old standards

Give employees the tools they need to make their case

They have to be able to sell their idea to the organization

Create a safe space for experimentation

Do not embrace cheap and fast experimentation, embrace

failures

Stephen Wunker & David Farber in Forbes, Jul 29, 2015

How to build innovative

teams

A certain variation in competency and experience is

good – fosters new ideas and new views on old issues

People need to have some common ground – fosters

understanding and communication

Make a team where they are all eager to participate –

deadweight is a killer, and half-heartedness makes the

group dysfunctional

Researchers, drug-designers, pharma-engineers etc.

Production, designers, sociologogists/antropologists

People from the sales organization, marketing and?

Organizations in the

future

W.L. Gore Follow your own ideas

All work project work

Self management

Very clear goals to be met by surviving project and ideas

Google 10% own time – find something you want to pursue

Many innovational pipelines at the same time

Big rewards to finders of new, sustainable ideas

Whole Food Teams and track records in teams

Decentralized purchase of inventory and special offers

Management via peers

The hierarchy of needs in

organizations(Gary Hamel)

Diligence

Obedience

Intellect

Initiative

Creativity

Passion

W. L. Gore

a very interesting story

Founded in 1958 – never been in red

Best performing product development company in the

US – and today a worldwide organization

No Hierarchy – evaluation among peers, compensation

set by peer evaluation – CEO internal elected by peers

Ranking by peers makes everyone eager to contribute

to the company and creates discipline

Strict stages evaluation of projects – stage 1, 2 & 3

Plants at 250-300 people – “divide so we can multiply”

Small units cooperation – creates differences in views

Creating a culture of

innovation (Terry Kelly, CEO at W.L. Gore)

Look at the values embedded in your organization

What behaviors have been rewarded and reinforced over

the decades?

Is it a culture that really believes in individuals?

Does it foster a collaborate spirit? Encourage sharing?

Evaluate your leadership model

What motivates your leaders, how are rewards, values?

Their job has to be to make the rest succesfull

Checks and balances (Gore: Peer review)

That will reward and reinforce the values ongoing

Team-development games

at W.L.Gore

How do we create an

organization with a culture

of innovation?

Set your employees free and downgrade hierarchies –

creates rising productivity & creativity

Make innovation a natural part of daily routines (Google:

10% is your own time)

New models of management – measuring productivity

and performance instead of personality and likings –

peer reviews and evaluation (W.L. Gore )

Flat, fast and flexible organizations

Rewards, reinforcement, values and culture

Be ready to grasp new opportunities – sleep with your

boots on

Jesper Bo Jensen

Fremforsk

- Centre for Future Studies

Balticagade 15, st. th.

8000 Aarhus C

E jbj@fremforsk.dk

T +45 86 11 47 44

M +45 20 67 45 00

www.fremforsk.dk/en

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