Symphonic Improvisation: CREATING A CULTURE OF INNOVATION COMPETENCY

Like a finely tuned symphony orchestra, a high-performing company can execute prescribed processes with clarity, consistency and seamless efficiency. Well-practiced techniques that enable superb performances do not, however, lend themselves easily to improvisation, or "riffing," such as yo...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Batten briefings 2012-08, p.1
Main Authors: Glinska, Malgorzata, Carr, Sean D, Halliday, Amy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptability
Competitive advantage
Corporate culture
Employees
Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship
Executives
Innovations
R&D
Research & development
Sustainability management
Workforce
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Like a finely tuned symphony orchestra, a high-performing company can execute prescribed processes with clarity, consistency and seamless efficiency. Well-practiced techniques that enable superb performances do not, however, lend themselves easily to improvisation, or "riffing," such as you'd find among musicians in a jazz combo. And yet, extemporaneous, jazz-like flexibility is precisely what many big companies must master in order to innovate and remain competitive. This challenge --simultaneously embracing orchestral excellence and jazz-inspired dynamism -- was the main theme of the spring 2012 Innovators' Roundtable, a periodic conversation among senior leaders from some of the world's largest and most innovative firms. Managers in large companies today are balancing two basic yet competing demands: executing their current activities and adapting those activities to tomorrow's challenges. To succeed, global companies must be, in effect, both large corporations and nimble, innovative start-ups. Successful innovation depends on a culture that does not inhibit risk taking and punish failure.
ISSN:1543-3579