<slider> Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
Innovation happens when you engage into:
Developing entirely new and improved products and services, for example to respond to rapidly changing demands or needs or preferences.
Adding value to existing products, services.
While some innovation ideas can come out of the blue this is not the rule…in practice the organizations need to set up routines and practices to promote and feed innovation in a continuous manner.
Keeping a continuous communication with customers and partners can be a very important ingredient in this process.
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
A few questions that you should address upfront before advancing with a new product or a changes to an existing product or service...
what impact it will have on your business processes and practices?
what extra training your staff may require?
what extra resources you may need?
how you'll finance the work?
whether you'll be creating any intellectual property that will need protecting?
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
Some tools to support and organize the process of assessing and validating an innovation option...
The Stage Gate model (proposed by Robert Cooper) offers a structured approach to organize the development and assessment of your ideas…
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
Stage Gate model – some questions to address at each decision point!
Decision Point #1
Should this new product/service idea even be considered?
Is the new product idea aligned with your vision and positioning for your business? And with the perception that you customers have from your activity?
Do you have the human resources available to properly manage the project?
From an ethical point of view is there any problem in manufacturing and selling the product?
Can you deal with the level of financial risk associated with the new project?
The market size for the product is large enough?
Decision Point #2
Can we you efficiently manufacture the product?
Is there a market for the product?
Is the project technically feasible, e.g. do you have the competencies, the resources or can you access them?
Will the endeavor be a profitable one?
Decision Point #3
How well can you reach the people you target?
Do we have a marketable product that functions properly, lives up to its claims, and has been proven to work in the field?
How can you scale the production and reach new people?
How can you improve your production quality?
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
Some tools to support and organize the process of assessing and validating an innovation option...
The KANO model (proposed by Noriaka Kano) is a pragmatic tool that can assist you in the task of prioritizing elements in the development of new products, notably by allowing you to distinguish between basic and differentiating features.
The KANO model offers a representation of you product features in a two-axis grid, comparing product investment with customer satisfaction.
Basic features that a user expects to be there and work, will never score highly on satisfaction, but can take inordinate amounts of effort to build and maintain.
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
The KANO model in order to use the KANO model you will have to “listen” to your customer and ask them to tell you what product attributes they value most in the product, in the following way…
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
The answers are classified into 6 different requirements as illustrated…
The combination of the answers to the two questions for each product atribute results into a classification of the “importance/priority” of the atribute to the customer.
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
KANO analysis…implications
Basic Needs are not fulfilled, the user will be extremely dissatisfied. The users take these Such must-be requirements will lead to satisfaction if not met, or even loss of interest in the product/service at all.
With One-Dimensional requirements, user satisfaction is proportional to the level of fulfillment. The higher the level of fulfillment, the higher the user’s satisfaction and vice versa.
A user may also be Indifferent to a given attribute.
Reversed attributes are those for which the product/service feature is not wanted by the user.
Questionable results emerge when there is a contradiction in the user’s answers to the questions.
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
The KANO model (proposed by Noriaka Kano) …
Basic features that a user expects to be there and work, will never score highly on satisfaction, but can take inordinate amounts of effort to build and maintain.
Delightful Features
At the opposite end of the spectrum are features that delight the user. These score very highly on satisfaction and in many cases may not take as much investment. Small incremental improvements here have an outsized impact on customer satisfaction.
</slider>
<slider>
How can organizations maintain a sustainable innovation practice?
Innovation is a matter of discipline. It requires a continuous investment from the organization in order to implement relevant routines, and practices that assure an adequate allocation of resources and the commitment of everybody in its pursuit.
The management of innovation requires the definition of a model/approach and the implementation of a set of processes and routines supported by methods and tools.
In short, organizations need to set up some innovation management program i.e. a set of strategies, methods and tools to identify and manage innovation opportunities in a continuous basis.
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation processes
Innovation must be addressed as a process, i.e. a set of activities aimed at a goal (e.g. developing new products, services, etc.), and needs to have sufficient resources and key personnel qualified to bring together knowledge from different areas, including marketing, design, R&D, process redesign, etc.
The innovation process involves activities that are related both to the design and development of new products, addressing some specific market focus. Keeping updated on the target market evolving needs and trends is therefore critical!
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation process: the marathon approach
Innovation management has often been compared to a marathon for it requires enduring practice. Moreover, whereas it is dependent on the resources and efforts of the organization, it cannot be disconnected from its context (e.g. target market, partners, etc.). This means that looking outside its boundaries is fundamental in order to increase the range for the identification of opportunities.
Organizational Context
Market Dynamics
Technology
Partners
Suppliers
Sources of Knowledge and Inspiration (e.g. research, exhibitions, etc.)
</slider>
<slider>
Implementing Innovation Management Routines
The implementation of an innovation management approach requires actions at three levels:
Strategic Level
Organizational Level (i.e. processes)
Institutional culture
In the case of small companies or organizations, like in the context of Craftsmanship+, these elements are often in the hands of one single person – the craftsman or entrepreneur.
</slider>
<slider>
Implementing Innovation Management Routines
Innovation Strategy
Innovation needs to be embedded into an organization/company’s strategy, and in the vision of its leader/entrepreneur.
A great volume of ideas for new products are often generated in day-to-day work, e.g. in a conversation with a customer, in the relationship with suppliers and partners who often present something new that unlocks the door to a whole new product. When these ideas come up they need to be effectively managed, i.e. led to its tangible development. Ideas can be lost by lack of awareness or support led by the load of the day-to-day work.
The organization must identify a champion, i.e. someone responsible (e.g. the entrepreneur himself) for capturing emerging ideas.
</slider>
<slider>
Implementing Innovation Management Routines
Innovation Organization
Innovation needs to be connected to a clear organizational process. When a new idea arises it is necessary to have clear where/whom to redirect it and lead it from, often, an informal concept emerging in a conversation (e.g. in a meeting, exhibition, customer visit) towards a project that is addressed in a systematic manner (i.e. captured, prioritized, developed, tested, etc.).
When someone identifies a new idea there is the risk of loosing an innovation opportunity if it is not clear whom to the idea should be communicated, and who is responsible to develop it, test it, etc. In some cases this process can be tracked in a software or some kind of record (e.g. excel file, shared documents, etc.).
The organization must define a clear process for allowing an easy follow up of emerging ideas and opportunities, clearly identifying the responsible persons to involve.
</slider>
<slider>
Implementing Innovation Management Routines
Innovation Culture
Innovation needs to be embedded into an organization/company’s culture so that the innovation process is not one-off exercise, but rather a way of life for the organization, the entrepreneur and any staff involved.
Developing an innovation culture can be a lengthy process. However, small simple steps can be of great help. For example by sharing positive good stories of innovation results can motivate all collaborators to believe that they can also contribute and their ideas could also lead to good results! Other practices include the promotion of bonuses for innovative ideas, prizes, either with financial or in-kind incentives, etc.
The organization must adopt practices that promote the visibility of innovation results and stimulate every collaborator to feel motivated to advance with new ideas of their own.
</slider>
<slider>
How well do we manage innovation?
The organization should promote regular exercises of assessing how well is innovation being managed. One popular approach is to conduct innovation audits, i.e. assessment exercises, aimed at self-questioning the existence, awareness and functioning of innovation attitudes and practices.
This type of internal inquires allow for the identification or areas for improvement (e.g. innovation strategy, organization and culture, etc.)
</slider>
<slider>
How well do we manage innovation?
A popular innovation audit approach was proposed by Tidd, Bessant, and Pavitt (Managing Innovation, 2005).
The assessment exercise shall loo at the following five different dimensions, that frame the innovation performance:
Strategy
Is there a good understanding (i.e. entrepreneur, collaborators, etc.) of the benefits of innovation?
Is there some form of planning process for innovation?
Is there an effective market feedback mechanism in place?
</slider>
<slider>
How well do we manage innovation?
Process
Is there a clear specified process for new product develop (i.e. tasks, calendars, responsible, etc.)?
Does the organization/entrepreneur have well developed project management capabilities?
Does everyone in the organization understand (and keeps updated about) customer needs?
Organization
How well does the organizational structure support agile decision-making?
Do people work together across different functions?
Are there rewards and recognition systems that stimulate innovation initiatives?
</slider>
<slider>
How well do we manage innovation?
Linkages
How much does the organization/entrepreneur foster the collaboration and information sharing with its suppliers?
To what extent the organization/entrepreneur resorts to diverse and reliable sources of new knowledge (e.g. research centers, exhibitions, etc.)?
How well does the organization/entrepreneur develop external networks for collaboration (e.g. customers, partners, competitors, etc.)?
Learning
Is there a benchmark routine towards other organizations?
Does the organization/entrepreneur allocate time to learn about past errors and successes?
Are there some indicators set up to help in monitoring the innovation activity?
</slider>
<slider>
Auditing your innovation management system
Innovation audits are a popular approach employed to monitor the performance of the innovation systems and to identify key areas for improvement.
Innovation audits involve enquiring employees about the importance and the perceived performance of a set of practices that are relevant for a healthy innovation system.
In small companies, as it is common in the case of crafts, the exercise can be adapted to promote a reflection of the entrepreneur/artisan about its practices and routines for gearing and developing new ideas.
</slider>
<slider>
Auditing your innovation management system
Popular innovation audit frameworks include the “Pentathlon Framework” developed by Goffin and Mitchell (2005).
The Pentathlon Framework classifies innovation into outputs (such as products, services, processes, and business models) and five aspects of innovation management: strategy; ideas generation; prioritization; implementation; and people, culture and organization. Questions address items related to each of these dimensions.
Examples of innovation audit questions:
Our main innovation strategy is clear (for example, first-to-market or fast follower).
We have a clear/specific definition of innovation that is shared throughout the business.
(…)
The general climate within all of our departments and functions is supportive of the process of generating ideas.
Source: http://www.som.cranfield.ac.uk/apps/innovationaudit/
</slider>
<slider>
Challenges of Innovation Management in Small Organizations
Many of the prevalent innovation management models are designed to fit large organizations where often specific department and resources are institutionally allocated to innovation. However, the logic and tools of innovation frameworks can be adjusted to guide the entrepreneurial practice in this domain.
Nevertheless it is important to bear in mind the specific context and challenges of small companies, such as:
Lack of resources or scale to hold technical innovation specialists/teams, which makes them generally unable to support a formal R&D structure.
Lack of time and resources to identify and use external sources of information, technical and scientific expertise, leading to a more frequent occurrence product and process improvement rather than radical innovation.
Difficulties in attracting risk capital for innovation and new product development.
Difficulties in managing large or rapid growth and the associated complex organizational and decision making processes.
</slider>
<slider>
Learning from Others: Common Success Practices
Studies on the innovation practices of successful small companies have highlighted several good practices, at three different levels:
Internal: Systematic pursuit of knowledge management, adoption of IT applications, promotion of an innovation culture, innovation friendly human resource practices.
External: Closeness to customers, good knowledge of supply chain and competitors, proactive engagement with the environment for acquisition of technology and new knowledge.
Bridging: Adoption of creative business models, development of partnerships and integration across stages of the product development cycles.
</slider>
<slider>
Among the crafts there are several examples of innovation management practices:
Two of the most visible collaborations of Piurra ( Case 8) were quite different from each other, but have a great influence in innovation practices. In one hand, the “Arts on chairs” project was a great oppotunity to go beyond a more commercially driven process and to explore new and complex techniques. In the other hand, the collaboration with the wood dealer was the opposite process, with the design being completely defined by the available raw matter.
The philosophy of Kurelu ( Case 4) is based on interactivity and communication with the customer, ensuring that every creation is unique and tailored to clients preferences in terms of color pallet, combinations, shape, size, etc. Aggeliki visits physically or virtually her clients and make suggestions on colors, etc.
Over the last years, Sónia (Rosabengala, Case 10) has been invited by local entities or local stores to create some pieces allusive to a certain personage/figure, which implies the conduction of some research work in order to respect its characteristics and to meet customers’ expectations (e.g. Fogaceiras from Santa Maria da Feira, São Gonçalinho and Nossa Senhora da Apresentação from Aveiro, Santo António from Lisbon).
</slider>
<slider>
Applying the concepts to your context
1. Think about other businesses in crafts and semi-industrial activities sectors that you know, based in your community, country or even in other countries.
Which success practices do they adopt in terms of innovation management?
How well do they manage innovation according to the audit approach proposed by Tidd, Bessent and Pavitt (2005)?
2. Now think about your business.
Which innovation management practices did you implement in so far?
How could you improve innovation processes in your business?
</slider>
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
Innovation happens when you engage into:
Developing entirely new and improved products and services, for example to respond to rapidly changing demands or needs or preferences.
Adding value to existing products, services.
While some innovation ideas can come out of the blue this is not the rule…in practice the organizations need to set up routines and practices to promote and feed innovation in a continuous manner.
Keeping a continuous communication with customers and partners can be a very important ingredient in this process.
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
A few questions that you should address upfront before advancing with a new product or a changes to an existing product or service...
what impact it will have on your business processes and practices?
what extra training your staff may require?
what extra resources you may need?
how you'll finance the work?
whether you'll be creating any intellectual property that will need protecting?
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
Some tools to support and organize the process of assessing and validating an innovation option...
The Stage Gate model (proposed by Robert Cooper) offers a structured approach to organize the development and assessment of your ideas…
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
Stage Gate model – some questions to address at each decision point!
Decision Point #1
Should this new product/service idea even be considered?
Is the new product idea aligned with your vision and positioning for your business? And with the perception that you customers have from your activity?
Do you have the human resources available to properly manage the project?
From an ethical point of view is there any problem in manufacturing and selling the product?
Can you deal with the level of financial risk associated with the new project?
The market size for the product is large enough?
Decision Point #2
Can we you efficiently manufacture the product?
Is there a market for the product?
Is the project technically feasible, e.g. do you have the competencies, the resources or can you access them?
Will the endeavor be a profitable one?
Decision Point #3
How well can you reach the people you target?
Do we have a marketable product that functions properly, lives up to its claims, and has been proven to work in the field?
How can you scale the production and reach new people?
How can you improve your production quality?
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
Some tools to support and organize the process of assessing and validating an innovation option...
The KANO model (proposed by Noriaka Kano) is a pragmatic tool that can assist you in the task of prioritizing elements in the development of new products, notably by allowing you to distinguish between basic and differentiating features.
The KANO model offers a representation of you product features in a two-axis grid, comparing product investment with customer satisfaction.
Basic features that a user expects to be there and work, will never score highly on satisfaction, but can take inordinate amounts of effort to build and maintain.
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
The KANO model in order to use the KANO model you will have to “listen” to your customer and ask them to tell you what product attributes they value most in the product, in the following way…
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
The answers are classified into 6 different requirements as illustrated…
The combination of the answers to the two questions for each product atribute results into a classification of the “importance/priority” of the atribute to the customer.
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
KANO analysis…implications
Basic Needs are not fulfilled, the user will be extremely dissatisfied. The users take these Such must-be requirements will lead to satisfaction if not met, or even loss of interest in the product/service at all.
With One-Dimensional requirements, user satisfaction is proportional to the level of fulfillment. The higher the level of fulfillment, the higher the user’s satisfaction and vice versa.
A user may also be Indifferent to a given attribute.
Reversed attributes are those for which the product/service feature is not wanted by the user.
Questionable results emerge when there is a contradiction in the user’s answers to the questions.
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation Sustainability
How to encourage and nurture innovation in your organization?
The KANO model (proposed by Noriaka Kano) …
Basic features that a user expects to be there and work, will never score highly on satisfaction, but can take inordinate amounts of effort to build and maintain.
Delightful Features
At the opposite end of the spectrum are features that delight the user. These score very highly on satisfaction and in many cases may not take as much investment. Small incremental improvements here have an outsized impact on customer satisfaction.
</slider>
<slider>
How can organizations maintain a sustainable innovation practice?
Innovation is a matter of discipline. It requires a continuous investment from the organization in order to implement relevant routines, and practices that assure an adequate allocation of resources and the commitment of everybody in its pursuit.
The management of innovation requires the definition of a model/approach and the implementation of a set of processes and routines supported by methods and tools.
In short, organizations need to set up some innovation management program i.e. a set of strategies, methods and tools to identify and manage innovation opportunities in a continuous basis.
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation processes
Innovation must be addressed as a process, i.e. a set of activities aimed at a goal (e.g. developing new products, services, etc.), and needs to have sufficient resources and key personnel qualified to bring together knowledge from different areas, including marketing, design, R&D, process redesign, etc.
The innovation process involves activities that are related both to the design and development of new products, addressing some specific market focus. Keeping updated on the target market evolving needs and trends is therefore critical!
</slider>
<slider>
Innovation process: the marathon approach
Innovation management has often been compared to a marathon for it requires enduring practice. Moreover, whereas it is dependent on the resources and efforts of the organization, it cannot be disconnected from its context (e.g. target market, partners, etc.). This means that looking outside its boundaries is fundamental in order to increase the range for the identification of opportunities.
Organizational Context
Market Dynamics
Technology
Partners
Suppliers
Sources of Knowledge and Inspiration (e.g. research, exhibitions, etc.)
</slider>
<slider>
Implementing Innovation Management Routines
The implementation of an innovation management approach requires actions at three levels:
Strategic Level
Organizational Level (i.e. processes)
Institutional culture
In the case of small companies or organizations, like in the context of Craftsmanship+, these elements are often in the hands of one single person – the craftsman or entrepreneur.
</slider>
<slider>
Implementing Innovation Management Routines
Innovation Strategy
Innovation needs to be embedded into an organization/company’s strategy, and in the vision of its leader/entrepreneur.
A great volume of ideas for new products are often generated in day-to-day work, e.g. in a conversation with a customer, in the relationship with suppliers and partners who often present something new that unlocks the door to a whole new product. When these ideas come up they need to be effectively managed, i.e. led to its tangible development. Ideas can be lost by lack of awareness or support led by the load of the day-to-day work.
The organization must identify a champion, i.e. someone responsible (e.g. the entrepreneur himself) for capturing emerging ideas.
</slider>
<slider>
Implementing Innovation Management Routines
Innovation Organization
Innovation needs to be connected to a clear organizational process. When a new idea arises it is necessary to have clear where/whom to redirect it and lead it from, often, an informal concept emerging in a conversation (e.g. in a meeting, exhibition, customer visit) towards a project that is addressed in a systematic manner (i.e. captured, prioritized, developed, tested, etc.).
When someone identifies a new idea there is the risk of loosing an innovation opportunity if it is not clear whom to the idea should be communicated, and who is responsible to develop it, test it, etc. In some cases this process can be tracked in a software or some kind of record (e.g. excel file, shared documents, etc.).
The organization must define a clear process for allowing an easy follow up of emerging ideas and opportunities, clearly identifying the responsible persons to involve.
</slider>
<slider>
Implementing Innovation Management Routines
Innovation Culture
Innovation needs to be embedded into an organization/company’s culture so that the innovation process is not one-off exercise, but rather a way of life for the organization, the entrepreneur and any staff involved.
Developing an innovation culture can be a lengthy process. However, small simple steps can be of great help. For example by sharing positive good stories of innovation results can motivate all collaborators to believe that they can also contribute and their ideas could also lead to good results! Other practices include the promotion of bonuses for innovative ideas, prizes, either with financial or in-kind incentives, etc.
The organization must adopt practices that promote the visibility of innovation results and stimulate every collaborator to feel motivated to advance with new ideas of their own.
</slider>
<slider>
How well do we manage innovation?
The organization should promote regular exercises of assessing how well is innovation being managed. One popular approach is to conduct innovation audits, i.e. assessment exercises, aimed at self-questioning the existence, awareness and functioning of innovation attitudes and practices.
This type of internal inquires allow for the identification or areas for improvement (e.g. innovation strategy, organization and culture, etc.)
</slider>
<slider>
How well do we manage innovation?
A popular innovation audit approach was proposed by Tidd, Bessant, and Pavitt (Managing Innovation, 2005).
The assessment exercise shall loo at the following five different dimensions, that frame the innovation performance:
Strategy
Is there a good understanding (i.e. entrepreneur, collaborators, etc.) of the benefits of innovation?
Is there some form of planning process for innovation?
Is there an effective market feedback mechanism in place?
</slider>
<slider>
How well do we manage innovation?
Process
Is there a clear specified process for new product develop (i.e. tasks, calendars, responsible, etc.)?
Does the organization/entrepreneur have well developed project management capabilities?
Does everyone in the organization understand (and keeps updated about) customer needs?
Organization
How well does the organizational structure support agile decision-making?
Do people work together across different functions?
Are there rewards and recognition systems that stimulate innovation initiatives?
</slider>
<slider>
How well do we manage innovation?
Linkages
How much does the organization/entrepreneur foster the collaboration and information sharing with its suppliers?
To what extent the organization/entrepreneur resorts to diverse and reliable sources of new knowledge (e.g. research centers, exhibitions, etc.)?
How well does the organization/entrepreneur develop external networks for collaboration (e.g. customers, partners, competitors, etc.)?
Learning
Is there a benchmark routine towards other organizations?
Does the organization/entrepreneur allocate time to learn about past errors and successes?
Are there some indicators set up to help in monitoring the innovation activity?
</slider>
<slider>
Auditing your innovation management system
Innovation audits are a popular approach employed to monitor the performance of the innovation systems and to identify key areas for improvement.
Innovation audits involve enquiring employees about the importance and the perceived performance of a set of practices that are relevant for a healthy innovation system.
In small companies, as it is common in the case of crafts, the exercise can be adapted to promote a reflection of the entrepreneur/artisan about its practices and routines for gearing and developing new ideas.
</slider>
<slider>
Auditing your innovation management system
Popular innovation audit frameworks include the “Pentathlon Framework” developed by Goffin and Mitchell (2005).
The Pentathlon Framework classifies innovation into outputs (such as products, services, processes, and business models) and five aspects of innovation management: strategy; ideas generation; prioritization; implementation; and people, culture and organization. Questions address items related to each of these dimensions.
Examples of innovation audit questions:
Our main innovation strategy is clear (for example, first-to-market or fast follower).
We have a clear/specific definition of innovation that is shared throughout the business.
(…)
The general climate within all of our departments and functions is supportive of the process of generating ideas.
Source: http://www.som.cranfield.ac.uk/apps/innovationaudit/
</slider>
<slider>
Challenges of Innovation Management in Small Organizations
Many of the prevalent innovation management models are designed to fit large organizations where often specific department and resources are institutionally allocated to innovation. However, the logic and tools of innovation frameworks can be adjusted to guide the entrepreneurial practice in this domain.
Nevertheless it is important to bear in mind the specific context and challenges of small companies, such as:
Lack of resources or scale to hold technical innovation specialists/teams, which makes them generally unable to support a formal R&D structure.
Lack of time and resources to identify and use external sources of information, technical and scientific expertise, leading to a more frequent occurrence product and process improvement rather than radical innovation.
Difficulties in attracting risk capital for innovation and new product development.
Difficulties in managing large or rapid growth and the associated complex organizational and decision making processes.
</slider>
<slider>
Learning from Others: Common Success Practices
Studies on the innovation practices of successful small companies have highlighted several good practices, at three different levels:
Internal: Systematic pursuit of knowledge management, adoption of IT applications, promotion of an innovation culture, innovation friendly human resource practices.
External: Closeness to customers, good knowledge of supply chain and competitors, proactive engagement with the environment for acquisition of technology and new knowledge.
Bridging: Adoption of creative business models, development of partnerships and integration across stages of the product development cycles.
</slider>
<slider>
Among the crafts there are several examples of innovation management practices:
Two of the most visible collaborations of Piurra ( Case 8) were quite different from each other, but have a great influence in innovation practices. In one hand, the “Arts on chairs” project was a great oppotunity to go beyond a more commercially driven process and to explore new and complex techniques. In the other hand, the collaboration with the wood dealer was the opposite process, with the design being completely defined by the available raw matter.
The philosophy of Kurelu ( Case 4) is based on interactivity and communication with the customer, ensuring that every creation is unique and tailored to clients preferences in terms of color pallet, combinations, shape, size, etc. Aggeliki visits physically or virtually her clients and make suggestions on colors, etc.
Over the last years, Sónia (Rosabengala, Case 10) has been invited by local entities or local stores to create some pieces allusive to a certain personage/figure, which implies the conduction of some research work in order to respect its characteristics and to meet customers’ expectations (e.g. Fogaceiras from Santa Maria da Feira, São Gonçalinho and Nossa Senhora da Apresentação from Aveiro, Santo António from Lisbon).
</slider>
<slider>
Applying the concepts to your context
1. Think about other businesses in crafts and semi-industrial activities sectors that you know, based in your community, country or even in other countries.
Which success practices do they adopt in terms of innovation management?
How well do they manage innovation according to the audit approach proposed by Tidd, Bessent and Pavitt (2005)?
2. Now think about your business.
Which innovation management practices did you implement in so far?
How could you improve innovation processes in your business?
</slider>