The Innovation Factor


What did we find?


A key finding was that 69% of respondents to our online survey indicated either that their organisation does not provide specific innovation training, while another 8% asserted that they simply do not know if innovation training is available.


While there might be many solid reasons for this, the number of organisations apparently not providing specific training to support success in what is meant to be such a critical field for future success is without a doubt concerning.


So, what is going on? Why is there is such a difference between what organisations say is important to them (namely, innovation) and what they are actually doing?


Laurence Knell, Director, Strategic Innovation Partners


Why don’t more organisations provide innovation training?


Innovation is, without a doubt, one of the key priority areas for Government and enterprise, not just in Ireland, but across the world. Numerous Government policy documents reference the need to focus on innovation as a core competitive capability for the future. Key amongst these is Innovation 2020, which outlines a vision for Ireland to be “a global innovation leader driving a strong sustainable economy and a better society”.


Looking more broadly, The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2018 highlights that ‘analytical thinking and innovation’ and ‘creativity, originality and initiative’ will be key trending skills in the workforce of 2022. And, perhaps needless to say, virtually every public or private sector organisation includes a focus on innovation capability in their vision, mission or goals.


Yet while many organisations “talk the talk” when it comes to innovation, do they always “walk the walk”? In other words, do organisations balance the tension between what everyone seems to agree is necessary (innovation) and what they actually do to support it?


As part of our recent research into innovation capability development in Ireland we sought to explore these, and other questions related to innovation and the supports needed to enhance innovation capability more generally. This research was undertaken between November 2018, and May 2019, and involved both an online survey and one-to-one interviews, conducted either face-to-face or by phone.


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First, the good news. When we asked more targetted questions about the different types of training provided, it emerged that many organisations do provide training which could conceivably fit under the banner of innovation training. This includes training in critical and creative thinking, problem solving and idea generation, not to mention project management (though of course, project management training relates to much more than simply innovation!).


However, looking deeper into the data the picture is not quite so rosy – but equally, not quite so straightforward.


The reality – as revealed by our research – was that the concepts, processes and requirements to support greater innovation in organisations are quite often poorly understood.


When we asked survey respondents to comment on how innovation is defined in their organisation, responses ranged from the more academic (e.g. “using research and new ideas to develop new products, processes, services for the betterment of the industry”, “innovation is finding how to improve or do something differently for the benefit of our stakeholders. It can be incremental or disruptive but needs to have an impact to be sustainable and achievable”), to the practical (e.g. “always looking for better ways of doing things, ongoing improvement, meeting customer needs”, “creating new opportunities and content”, “the ability to come up with new and creative solutions to our clients learning problems”), through to the frankly quite worrying (e.g. “not sure if it is defined at all”, “no clear definition” or “it is not clearly articulated”).


This apparent lack of clarity and agreement on what the term innovation actually means, was echoed by in general comments made by survey respondents. These comments also reveal some rather interesting perceptions and underlying assumptions relating to innovation and innovation capability development. Some critical examples are included below: Comments like these are in themselves are quite concerning. However, just as worrying are the findings from the one-to-one interviews also conducted as part of the research. Importantly, these interviews were held not just with respondents to the online survey but also with a wide range of stakeholders who – for various reasons – had not responded to the initial survey.


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