Everyday innovation report - Nesta

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coverage can lead to risk aversion, even if
the content of the media stories is not related
to innovation” (Su Maddock, Director of
Innovation, Whitehall Hub).
The size of big corporate organisations
like P&G can be a barrier to some internal
innovation. “If the amount of money that
we can potentially make from an idea is too
small it won’t be developed in P&G, these
ideas or projects won’t progress however
we will consider sharing these opportunites
with smaller organizations who can make
appropriate returns from them – the other side
of the Open Innovation coin”, commented Mike
Addison, new business developer at P&G. Scott
Hobbs at Amey suggests “it is often the ability
of people to effectively articulate ideas that is
a key barrier. Also at an early stage, they are
asked to ‘prove an idea’ can deliver benefit
which is often difficult at an early stage.”
Key findings:
Results suggest that the concept of an
‘innovator’ at the individual level is often
burdened by negative stereotypes. Su
Maddock argues, “the word ‘innovation’ is not
helpful at the level of individual…it suggests
stereotypes and a ‘done over there syndrome’”.
Peter Spurgeon, Professor of Health Services
Management at Warwick University notes the
lack of tools to “spot and support individual
innovators in the NHS”. He agrees that the
‘innovation’ label is not helpful. This view is
shared by several of our interviewees who
are concerned about the stigma attached to
the term innovator and the lack of shared
meaning assigned to it. Consequently, several
of our case study organisations have made the
conscious choice to avoid the term innovation
as it is can be counter-productive, choosing
instead to refer to innovation with a variety of
terms such as ‘continuous improvement’, ‘fresh
thinking’, or ‘diverse thinking’.
• Interviewees and survey respondents highlight the importance of embedding innovation
within organisational values, through organisational initiatives. ‘Individual and team
incentives or reward programmes that encourage innovation’ and ‘work time devoted to
developing new ideas’ are reported among the most effective initiatives for facilitating
innovation.
• Almost one in three organisations surveyed identified ‘individual incentives or reward
programmes that encourage innovation’ as one of the top most effective interventions for
boosting innovation. However, less than a third make use of such reward programmes
or directly link their appraisal system to innovation.
• A small number of interviewees mentioned the use of financial rewards with the majority
mentioning intrinsic rewards based on recognition, status, and reputation.
• Interviewees said flatter organisations and structures promote innovative working and
are described as less common in larger, public sector organisations.
• Both interviewees and survey respondents highlighted the importance of valuing risk
within organisations with a quarter of survey respondents considering ‘tolerance of failure
and promotion of risk taking’ as a top catalyst for innovation.
• The three most common working practices cited by survey respondents to facilitate
innovation were ‘managerial support’; a ‘we’re in it together’ attitude; and ‘strive to
acquire a reputation for innovation’.
• Respondents from public sector organisations cited fewer working practices
conducive to innovation.
• A lack of resources was reported as the main barrier to innovative working (e.g.
‘perceived excessive financial constraints’, and ‘lack of time’).