Assignment:
In Innovation as Usual: How to Help Your People Bring Great Ideas to Life (2013), Miller and Wedell-Wedellsborg discuss the importance of establishing systems within organizations that promote not only the creativity that results in innovation, but also make it possible for employees to bring innovative ideas to fruition. Miller and Wedell-Wedellsborg argue that a leader's primary job "is not to innovate; it is to become an innovation architect, creating a work environment that helps . . . people engage in the key innovation behaviors as part of their daily work" (p. 4). Such a work environment must be reinforced by innovation architecture-the structures within an organization that support an innovation, from the brainstorming phase to final realization. The more well developed the architecture and the simpler the processes involved, the more likely employees are to be innovators.
You will research the innovation architecture of at least three companies that are well-known for successfully supporting a culture of innovation. Create a 1,500-word paper that addresses the following:
1. What particular elements of each organization's culture, processes, and management systems and styles work well to support innovation?
2. Why do you think these organizations have been able to capitalize on innovation and intrapreneurship while others have not?
3. Based on what you have learned, what processes and systems might actually stifle innovation and intrapreneurship?
4. Imagine yourself as an innovation architect. What structures or processes would you put in place to foster a culture of innovation within your own organization?
Include in-text citations to at least four reputable secondary sources (such as trade journals, academic journals, and professional or industry websites) in your paper.
Prepare assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
Reference
Miller, P., & Wedell-Wedellsborg, T. (2013). Innovation as usual: How to help your people bring great ideas to life. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.
Phase 1:
Each individual will submit their own idea for an innovation along with a model they find useful for evaluating its merits. Each team member is responsible for completing research on various models. While there are several models in circulation for evaluating innovations, such as The Lean StartUp Plan, NOMMAR, SNIFF, and the linear and mental models of innovation, innovators should not feel constrained by any particular model. Feel free to borrow elements from multiple models to develop one that would work best to most effectively evaluate your own innovation.
Teams will then review all of the submissions and choose the most promising idea to pursue. The idea should be selected by application of one of the evaluation models submitted by team members. You will then write a report of 1,500-2,500 words that describes the team's selection process and identifies the final choice. The report must contain the following components:
1. A one- or two-paragraph summary of each team member's idea, a description of the model used to evaluate the idea, and the results of the evaluation. Specifically, the evaluation should identify the merits, drawbacks, and challenges associated with the idea.
2. Identification of the selected idea for the project accompanied by a description of the model used to evaluate the idea. Include the results of the evaluation, which will serve as the justification for the team's selection. Preliminarily forecast the most significant challenges that could impede the development of the selected idea.
3. A project plan that summarizes the roles or tasks assigned to each team member that must be accomplished to complete
4. In-text citations from at least five reputable secondary sources. Each person on the team must contribute an article from the research that was completed on innovation implementation/evaluation models.
Prepare assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
Phase 2:
For assignment, you will continue to reflect on what it takes to create "innovation architecture" to support a culture of innovation within organizations. As part of the assignment, you will conduct an interview with a local business owner or leader or member of a management team to learn more about the techniques organizations utilize (or fail to utilize) to encourage and support the implementation of innovations.
Select your interview candidate and contact the person to set up an appointment. Try to schedule your interview well in advance of the assignment's due date. You may conduct your interview in person or via phone. You should present the consent letter attached in the Module materials to the person you intend to interview.
Prepare a list of at least 5-7 questions for your interview. Your questions should focus on specific processes within organizations for encouraging and implementing innovations and challenges organizations face in when trying to innovate.
After you complete the interview, write a 1,000-word reflection on what you learned in the interview and how your understanding of the importance of effective innovation architecture has developed or changed. Address the following in your response:
1. What are the most valuable things you learned about effective innovation architecture?
2. Identify some of the significant challenges you believe you might face when it comes to suggesting and seeing innovations through in the organizations in which you are or may be involved?
3. How might you apply what you learned in your interview and about innovation architecture in general to help foster a culture of innovation within your own organization?
Cite two additional reputable secondary sources on innovation architecture or on creating a culture of innovation in your reflection.
Provide an interview summary at the end of your reflection that includes the following information:
1. The name of the person you interviewed and number of years he/she has been a manager.
2. The name of the company at which he/she is currently employed.
3. How long the person has been a manager at the current company.
4. Date of the interview and whether it took place in person or via phone.
5. Contact information for the person you interviewed.
6. The list of your interview questions.
Prepare assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is/is not required.