You might picture our established structures as the hardware that we run our innovation supply chain on. They certainly direct the energy, the resources we invest in innovation. And they have significant implications for our "innovation software", i.e., our understanding of innovation, our innovation mindset. That's what I'll discuss today along two main questions: the first deals with … Continue reading Why we need to broaden our innovation mindset
It's no surprise: for problems that have been around for a while, we usually develop certain structures to deal with them efficiently. Think about structures as organisations like companies or research laboratories, or processes like quality assurance or even the scientific method. Each of these established organisations and ready-made processes are designed for a purpose: to solve a specific known problem. And that's what … Continue reading How our innovation structures deceive us
The work of Geoffrey West and his team is truly fascinating. In their cross-disciplinary research on complex adaptive systems, they looked for common underlying principles that could be applicable to biological systems and social systems alike. Of course I'm particularly interested in West's observations on social systems like cities and companies; and the different roles they play in innovation. Today, … Continue reading Cities, companies, and innovation – An emerging narrative
Over the past few weeks, I've been pondering over the observations of Geoffrey West and his team. In their cross-disciplinary research on complex adaptive systems, they looked for common underlying principles that could be applicable to biological systems and social systems alike: What do animals and plants, companies and cities have in common? West's key findings In this quest for … Continue reading Cities, companies, and innovation – The crucial interplay
The front–loop of the adaptive cycle is very present in our daily experience, no wonder that it dominates our thinking as well. It's the place where we are most comfortable, where we want to be. Continued growth and the accumulation of resources create an impression that all change is positive, that all change is progress: your business model is … Continue reading Opposing objectives
understanding innovation 