1. The role of the innovation
manager
The relevance of implementing specific positions
for innovation managers

2. Overview
The two roles of innovation managers
Know and understand the competences & necessary
qualifications for the two roles
Interfaces with existing positions in the organisation.
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3. The two roles of the innovation manager
The general role of an innovation manager is to ensure
• that the organisation has the capability to develop innovative strategies,
products, services and processes
• that they indeed materialise
Champion organisational innovation and Facilitate innovation in the organisation
evaluate and improve the organisation’s (operational innovation manager)
innovative capability (chief innovation manag)
Role at operational level
Role at board level • Lead the innovation process in specific areas of
•champion innovation to secure the organisation’s long the organisation
term future • ensure that innovative new products, services and
•build and maintain the organisation’s capability to processes are developed and implemented
innovate • play an active role in innovation processes
•secure appropriate resources to ensure that innovation • Work with individuals and teams to encourage
really happens and facilitate innovation
Tasks at board level: Tasks at operational level:
• Create a corporate culture that esteems and • Lead individuals and teams to participate in the
encourages innovation innovation processes
• Ensure that the resources and systems are in place to • Supervise the innovation processes to ensure that
enable innovation to occur they are followed correctly and successfully
• Ensure there is an organisational scorecard to • Evaluate the effectiveness of resources and systems
support the management of innovation and the risks and provide feedback to strategic innovation
associated with it management
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4. Provide on board level effective leadership
of innovation in an organisation
 Make a business case for  The innovative manager provides
innovation and reach agreement leadership in the change of
amongst strategic managers: organisational culture and mindset of
Examples of successful innovation all colleagues:
strategies  This makes the business case
 Design and establish an accessible and translates it to the
innovation process for the own Board of Directors
organisation  The innovative management role is
 Promote the value of innovation clear to all colleagues.
to all stakeholders:
 The ‘achievement of success’ is
Build support across the translated with the input of
organisation  All possible improvements &
negotiate and influence expected results.
 A creative process, which raises all
sorts of questions and ...frustrations.
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5. Influence corporate structure & culture to create
an organisation that is open to innovation
 Evaluate the organisation’s  The corporate structure (and culture)
structure & culture and its is flat.
support for innovation.  An ‘open’ culture for innovation
 Plan and implement changes to within the business unit is
structure & culture & systems essential.
 to make the organisation  The innovation teams decide
more supportive for
»how they will work
innovation
 Use techniques for bringing »on the basis of the targets set by
about cultural change the management team.
 The management team introduces
the objectives for innovation:
 which are translated into team
objectives &
 into personal targets
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6. Review on board level the innovative capability
of the organisation’s resources
 Review the organisation’s  ‘Translate’ the strategic plan for all
 human resources, levels:
 knowledge  The drivers necessary to achieve
 ‘physical’ resources the results.
 Propose appropriate changes to  The concrete tools/skills that
develop its innovative capability make it possible to achieve the
 Developing human resources results.
capability  What do we need to be able to
work in a results-oriented way?
 How can we adapt the processes
to secure the results? (reviewing,
business process).
 How do we create involvement and
commitment? (= basic philosophy).
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7. Establish on board level an
organisational scorecard for innovation
 Establish a system for  The ‘progress’ must be
monitoring innovative capability demonstrable, with good criteria,
& performance and reviewing parameters & indicators
outcomes  Evaluation of the results in every
 Impact on business goals, such component area is obvious: KPI’s
as turnover, growth, opening  Measure the ‘right’ direction in
new markets, etc) the ‘value stream’ process is
 Impact on ‘outputs’ (tangible important.
results of innovation, such as  Remain critical and look a long
new products, new processes, way ahead in the improvement
etc). process.
 Management control systems,  Entrepreneurship and risk-taking
cost/benefit and risk analysis are necessary: the basis of any
innovation process.
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8. Motivate on board level all employees to
contribute to the innovation process
 Assess how well training &  HR involvement is necessary in
development, motivation and light of the motivation and increased
reward systems encourage contributions of the colleagues.
employees to contribute to the  Many functions and roles
innovation process. within the operational units are
 Identify & agree necessary changing:
improvements to the training &
development, motivation and »the added value of the
reward systems. functions evolves
 Implement agreed improvements »the content of the work and/or
to these systems the job design are shifting.
»Wage and evaluation policy
must be adapted accordingly.
 New tasks and roles for the
colleagues
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9. Coach and network on board level to engage
stakeholders and to support innovation
 Actively engage in internal and  Coaching = the form of
external networks to support the communication:
innovation process  Communication culture
 know about networking tools and  Motivation & entrepreneurship
methodologies available for use in
 Networking:
the organisations,
 their strengths and weaknesses.
 Across all business units.
 Employ appropriate  At the level of the operators, the
 social and communication ‘improvement teams’ exchange
skills to engage with others their experiences.
in networks  Regular meetings-internet-
conferences
 coaching skills and
 To exchange experiences
techniques to support
colleagues.  To input foreign experiences and
examples.
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10. Understand on board level the
significance for innovation of compliance
 Ensure that proposed  Compliance occurs at all levels:
innovations are compliant with  Safety and protection
organisational values, rules and  Quality
procedures.
 Ensure that the organisation’s  Intellectual property
intellectual property is protected
 Awareness of sources of
expertise and procedures for
protecting intellectual property
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11. Identify his/her own responsibility on
operational level for achieving innovation goals
 Identify own responsibility for  The ‘excellence manager’
implementing innovation strategy  supervises the process (process
 Identify specialist resources and blueprint)
services available to support the  constantly improves the process
innovation process
 focuses on the priorities
 Roles on strategic and operational
level.
 identifies the roles &
 Specialists available internally and
responsibilities in the process
externally (consultants, trade or  The ‘innovative manager' is not an
professional organisations, ‘intermediary’ between the plant
networks etc) to support manager and the operational unit.
innovation.  coaching the improvement
process
 following the ‘right’ direction
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12. Being able - on operational level - to engage and
enthuse colleagues in the innovation process
 Recognise the potential  Challenges for HRM:
organisational and personal  Demand for new skills, attitudes,
motivations and barriers to competences on the shop floor & all
innovation other levels.
 Explain how to overcome these
barriers  Job coaching and career guidance
 Reasons for and barriers to  This shift – both quantitative and
innovation, including personal qualitative – has consequences for
responses (e.g. personality all staff:
differences, existing knowledge »How to create a fresh attitude,
and expertise, etc). involvement and dedication
 The organisation’s structure among the staff?
and functional roles, and its »How do you develop new skills
quality management systems in the workplace?
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13. Ensure - on operational level - that innovation projects
are planned in line with organisational criteria
 Facilitate the creation of ideas for  Entrepreneurship is a key concept:
innovative processes, products or people’s mindset changes
services:  at the level of innovation in product and
‘Ensure that agreed innovation service.
projects are scheduled into the  at the level of the processes and
overall innovation programme organisation: smarter organisation.
 Use of ‘collaborative’ tools  Training courses are directed at
(workflow management, blogs, raising skill levels and increasing
discussion forums) to design contributions and commitment:
processes  Six sigma thinking
 Facilitate workshop meetings.  Preventing losses
The importance of teams and team-  Handling resistance
working.  Taking on a leadership role
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14. Able to manage - on operational level -
a programme of innovation projects
 Ensure that each project has an  The organisational structure is
agreed regularly updated: transformation.
 Project manager,  In light of improvements to the
 Project team and leader, processes
 Project plan and resources  Important within the operational
 Monitor the progress and environment:
budgets of innovation projects, » The teams make their own
 Prepare appropriate reports decisions about the various
stages in the innovation process
 Take appropriate action
» Overall commitment in the
 Assess the contribution of
projects.
those innovations to the
» The management and the
objectives of the
social partners are kept
organisation. informed on a quarterly basis.
 In light of customer requirements.
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15. Able - on operational level - to encourage
and disseminate small-scale innovations
 Encourage colleagues to  The ‘excellence’ manager’ tackles
undertake small-scale both small and large innovations at
innovations that support the every level:
achievement of business  The bigger innovations are
objectives. introduced top-down.
 Disseminate the results of  There is a continuous process of
small-scale innovations:
improvement and innovation
 Motivational techniques and operating bottom-up.
reward systems to stimulate  Some companies prefer smaller
innovation projects (with smaller teams):
 Dissemination techniques.  they are feasible,
 they can be monitored
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16. page 16 / April 10, 2013
Creating Enduring Organisations
HR-manager
Interfaces with existing positions
R&D Manager
in the organisation.
Quality manager
Logistics manager
Production manager
VS3
VS2
VS1
Innovation manager
PL4
PL1
PL2
PL3
HR-manager
R&D manager
Quality manager
Logistics manager
Production manager