Author: Jan Spruijt

Creating Space for Innovation: The Role of “Design Zones”

Jan Spruijt
For quite some years already, we (as in educational institutes) have been trying to set up the best ‘creative classroom’ possibile, because we believe that it is an essential element of modern education. I believe it contributes to collaborative learning and a strong attitude towards innovation. We are not the only one, many institutes are testing educational concepts based upon collaborative workspaces, Babson College and the Design School probably the most well-known of them.

I stumbled upon the following article about the ‘design zone’ at Babson College. After some years of analysis, they conclude that these zones:

  • increase student participation and therefore create more positive energy;
  • increase personal contact between lecturers and students;
  • the layout can be easily adjusted to the requirements needed at the moment.

There are also some challenges:

  • Set-up and clean-up times take away part of lecture times;
  • Because of its size and layout, these rooms don’t work well for presentations (i.e. sharing knowledge);
  • It requires more participative teaching methods by the lecturers, which some seem to struggle with.

I have found it relieving that ‘even’ Babson College seems to deal with the same problems as we do. On the other hand, it strikes me that even there, they are still small-thinking in terms of classrooms (with walls), whereas we can easily find much better examples especially in business.

Do you know of any extraordinary collaborative workspaces that increase sharing and learning? What is your experience with this way of working?

Read full article: Creating Space for Innovation: The Role of “Design Zones”

Using Games to create Business Model Innovation

Jan Spruijt
I believe this article by Sune Gudiksen is interesting because it explores the rationale of game theory in combination with business model innovation. The article argues that gamification (in the innovation process) could lead to novel business model insights.Gudiksen describes game theory by referrin the ‘magic circle’: “As stated bypioneering play researcher Huizinga (1949), itis a playground in which special rules apply.He further argues that magic circles are ‘temporary worlds within the ordinary world, dedicated to the performance of an act apart’ (Huizinga, 1949, p. 10). Salen and Zimmerman(2004) argue that within the magic circle, specific meanings can emerge. Building upon the experiential learning model, in which learning happens as a result of concrete experiences, reflective observations, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation (Kolb, 1984), Kolb and Kolb (2010) suggest that the ludic learning space is the highest form of experiential learning. The ludic learning space is characterized by principles such as the freedom to play, the chaos of uncertainty, welcoming foolishness and stepping out of real life. Such a temporary space can allow for the various perspectives and forms of professional expertise to come alive in the search for newbusiness model initiatives.”

Gudiksen concludes with the statement that there are three reasons for using games in business model innovation:

    • Games can be a beneficial way of combining various interests.
    • Games challenge assumptions.
    • Games create surprises that might eventually lead to innovation.
    • Games offer the freedom to improvise, suggest, play and test alternative and future business model scenarios.

Please take a look at the Innovation Management Game if you’re interested in business model game.

Read full article: Using Games to create Business Model Innovation

Teamwork and Organizational Innovation: The Moderating Role of the HRM Context

Jan Spruijt
This study examines whether staff groups which are organized in teams are better at organizational innovation than staff groups who aren’t. Moreover, it examines whether human resource management (HRM) systems, which can be of facilitating or constraining nature, enhance the teamwork and therefore innovation outcomes.18 to 45 organizations from the UK manufacturing sector have been researched. Results suggest that the more widespread the use of teamwork in organizations, the higher the level of organizational innovation. Furthermore, this effect depends on the overall quality of the HRM systems that exist in their organizations. Teamwork is further moderated by an HRM practice that provides teams with time for thoughtful reflection. Thus, HRM systems can be of more or less facilitating or constraining nature for teams in organizations.

Read full article: Teamwork and Organizational Innovation: The Moderating Role of the HRM Context

Two Tests to Test your Company’s Innovativeness

Two Tests to Test your Company’s Innovativeness

Jan Spruijt

In collaboration with Avans University of Applied Sciences, we can provide 2 different tests that will help you analyse your organization’s overall performance on innovation management. The first test, based on John Bessant’s and Joe Tidd’s Managing Innovation focuses on 5 different aspects of organizing and facilitating innovation in your organization. The second test, based on Keeley’s Ten Types of Innovation framework, will provide you with an overview of the different types that your strong at.

The tests will give you immediate insight in your scores. Please send the test results to Avans University (jp.spruijt@avans.nl) in order to participate in the research and to benchmark your scores within your sector or country.

Follow the graphs below to go to the website where you can download the tests.

The world of Patents in Europe (Infographic)

Jan Spruijt

Did you know for example that there were 265.690 European Patent Filings in 2013 but only 66.712 were granted? Did you know that your invention will be protected in up to 40 European countries based on 1 single application? James Sherwin from SOR Solicitors, a Dublin-based law firm, created an infographic about European Patents.

This infographic is published with permission of James Sherwin.

10 reasons why you should think twice before starting a start-up.

Jan Spruijt
This week, two different articles were posted indepently from each other, but both strongly related. The first article posted 5 reasons not to start a business and the other one gave us 5 reasons for startups to go bankrupt.What you should think about before starting a startup:

  • If you don’t understand business basics, don’t start a startup.
  • If you don’t have industry experience or knowledge, don’t start a startup.
  • If you haven’t got a strong backbone, don’t start a startup.
  • If you haven’t thought of the consequences – for instance for your family life – don’t start a startup.
  • If you got a hole in your pocket, don’t a start a startup.

And what could doom your startup during the initiating phase:

  • Don’t try to do everything yourself.
  • Make sure your plan is scalable.
  • Don’t forget to continuously increase customer value.
  • Don’t be unwilling to kill your darlings.
  • Never forget to measure progress.

These tips came from Tabitha Jean Naylor and Brent Beshore.

Read full article: 10 reasons why you should think twice before starting a start-up.

4 ways in which ideas management helps innovation flourish

4 ways in which ideas management helps innovation flourish

Jan Spruijt
Ideas management could, according to this article, support the innovation process in four ways:

  • It helps organisations to capture, evaluate and progress proposals
  • It provides a democratic environment to determine the best ideas and to show a willingness to consider all ideas
  • It helps to increase genuine cross-organization transformation
  • It helps in creating a corporate shared view on key activities

It may be an advertorial, but at least it provides a nice overview of an under-researched element of the innovation process.

Read full article: 4 ways in which ideas management helps innovation flourish

The world’s best e-courses on Innovation Management

Jan Spruijt

This autumn, we gathered some of the best 21st century courses on Innovation Management for you. While specialist courses at Insead, Berkely or IESE are extremely good, they are expensive and intense. You don’t want to get into the hussle of persuading your employer you’re worth the 50K investment, but still want to learn something? Go for one of the following excellent online courses on innovation (management):

  1. Innovation Management Game – individual course
    The Innovation Management Game is “a serious game for serious professionals”. Their individual course lets you battle against well-known innovation companies worldwide by learning and practising the newest theory on innovation management. According to some of their clients “The key learnings from the game for us were especially the multidimensionality of the innovation process inside a company and the idea that companies can influence their innovation success in many different ways” and “It introduces innovation in a learning environment and it is completely different than just learning theory.”
    The price: €495,-
  2. THNK – School of Creative Leadership
    THNK is a worldwide renowned institute for linking Design Thinking with Business Thinking. It has an online course, Start Innovating Now, “to build your innovation muscle, and come up with real innovations. An innovative real-life course that will keep you on your toes.” Or as someone says it on their website: “I use TNKS’s innovation process and tools to brainstorm new ideas, synthesize them into innovations that scale and then prototype, test and finetune them.”
    The price: €945,-
  3. Entrepreneurial Leadership – Babson College
    The definition of a short course: it takes only 30-60 minutes to complete. But who doesn’t want a glimpse of the world’s best school on entrepreneurship education?
    The price: $59,99

Any other suggestions? Please let us know.

The future of planes: one huge artificial window

Jan Spruijt

The Center for Process Innovation in the UK has released a video that shows the ‘plane of the future’… without windows to decrease weight and CO2 emmission and to increase comfort. A beautiful example of Open Innovation where Aerospace Engineering meets Consumer Electronics meets Sustainability.

Read full article: The future of planes: one huge artificial window

Brilliant Management Advice From Google’s Eric Schmidt on How Google Works

Jan Spruijt

This week, Eric Schmidt posted a presentation on Slideshare about Innovation Management at Google. It highlights the role of innovation culture, creativity, talent and more key elements that every organization that thinks about managing innovation should start with.

Read full article: Brilliant Management Advice From Google’s Eric Schmidt on How Google Works