Dr Joseph K.K. Ho
Innovation
Culture
Managing Innovation
& Technology
Transfer

2
©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
 Innovation + Culture = Culture of Innovation
 Status Quo Culture vs Innovation Culture
 Elements of Innovation Culture
 ​Dimensions of Innovation Culture
 Organization Culture and Innovation
 4 Levels of Innovation Culture

Innovation + Culture = Culture of Innovation
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©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
References:
How-To On Building a Culture of Innovation | Getting Smart Staff – Oct 30,2014
https://www.gettingsmart.com/2014/10/building-culture-innovation/
Lewis S. (2014) , So You Think You Want to Innovate? learningaccelerator.org
https://bplawassets.learningaccelerator.org/images/companyResources/Assessing-Culture-of-Innovation_2Rev-
TLA__10.9_final.pdf

Innovation + Culture = Culture of Innovation
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©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
References:
How-To On Building a Culture of Innovation | Getting Smart Staff – Oct 30,2014
https://www.gettingsmart.com/2014/10/building-culture-innovation/
Lewis S. (2014) , So You Think You Want to Innovate? learningaccelerator.org
https://bplawassets.learningaccelerator.org/images/companyResources/Assessing-Culture-of-Innovation_2Rev-
TLA__10.9_final.pdf
• Innovation: The act or process of introducing new ideas,
devices or methods to solve problem
• + Culture: The way of thinking, behaving and working that
exists in an organization, such as districts or states
• = Culture of Innovation: Nurturing an environment that
continually introduces new ideas or ways of thinking, then
translates them into action to solve specific problems or seize
new opportunities

Status Quo Culture vs Innovation Culture
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©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
References:
Morris, L., 2007, „Creating the Innovation Culture: Geniuses, Champions, and Leaders‟, Innovation Labs, October 5,2009
https://www.innovationlabs.com/CreatingInnovationCulture.pdf
• Innovative culture: “an expression of people, their past, and
their current beliefs, ideas, and behaviors. They make innovation
happen, and then do so consistently over time”
 Creative Geniuses: looking for insights to develop into
ideas, and then into value adding innovations.
 Innovation Champions: supporting innovation by helping
creative people overcome the obstacles that otherwise
inevitably impede their innovation efforts.
 Innovation Leaders: defining firm’s expectations and
policies to favor innovation.

Status Quo Culture vs Innovation Culture
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©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
References:
Morris, L., 2007, „Creating the Innovation Culture: Geniuses, Champions, and Leaders‟, Innovation Labs, October 5,2009
https://www.innovationlabs.com/CreatingInnovationCulture.pdf
The Innovation Culture Table
Status Quo Culture Innovation Culture
1. Predictability Un-predictability
2. Seek stability Seek novelty
3. Focus on core competence Focus on edge competence
4. High success rate High failure rate

Status Quo Culture vs Innovation Culture
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©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
References:
Morris, L., 2007, „Creating the Innovation Culture: Geniuses, Champions, and Leaders‟, Innovation Labs, October 5,2009
https://www.innovationlabs.com/CreatingInnovationCulture.pdf
The Innovation Culture Table
Status Quo Culture Innovation Culture
5.
Reinforce organizational
hierarchy
Reinforce organizational
networks
6. Fear the hierarchy Focus on creative tension
7. Avoid surprises Embrace surprises
8. Focus on inside knowledge
Combine inside and outside
knowledge

Status Quo Culture vs Innovation Culture
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©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
References:
Morris, L., 2007, „Creating the Innovation Culture: Geniuses, Champions, and Leaders‟, Innovation Labs, October 5,2009
https://www.innovationlabs.com/CreatingInnovationCulture.pdf
The Innovation Culture Table
Status Quo Culture Innovation Culture
9. Easy to live with Hard to live with
10. Corporate politics Moving the cheese
11.
Efficiency through
standardization
Efficiency through
innovation
12. Extend the status quo Abandon the status quo

Status Quo Culture vs Innovation Culture
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©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
References:
Morris, L., 2007, „Creating the Innovation Culture: Geniuses, Champions, and Leaders‟, Innovation Labs, October 5,2009
https://www.innovationlabs.com/CreatingInnovationCulture.pdf
The Innovation Culture Table
Status Quo Culture Innovation Culture
13. Avoid change Embrace change
14. Measure stability Measure innovation
15.
Look for data to confirm
existing management
models
Look for data to contradict
existing management
models
16. Look for certainty Embrace ambiguity

Elements of Innovation Culture
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©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
References:
Simosko, N., In Pursuit of Innovation | NTT Innovation Institute, Inc. | www.ntti3.com
https://www.ntti3.com/wp-content/uploads/In-Pursuit-of-Innovation_Book1_NTTi3.pdf
1. People, Trust and
Commitment
2. Wide-Ranging Exploration
and Ambitious Ideas
3. Technology Agnostic Attitude
and Approach
4. Connected Isolation
5. Finances
6. Timeframes of Divergence
and Convergence
7. Prototyping - Doing vs.
Talking
8. Risk and Failure

Dimensions of Innovation Culture
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©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
References:
Shani, N, Divyapriya, D 2011, Developing Creative and Innovative Culture in Organization, International Journal of
Management (IJM), Volume 2, Number 1, Dec - Jan (2011), pp. 52-57
https://www.academia.edu/2454463/DEVELOPING_CREATIVE_AND_INNOVATIVE_CULTURE_IN_ORGANIZATION
Risk Taking
Emotional
support
Learning from
“failure” rather
than punishing
Balanced
assessment
Trying new
things
Resources
Funding
Time
Authority to act
Knowledge
Wide scope
search
Uncensored,
unfiltered,
unsummarized
Free-flowing
Goals
What, but now
how
Specific call for
innovation
Tie to strategic
plan
“Stretch”
Clear case for
need
Rewards
Aligned with
organizational
goals
Publicly
affirming
Intrinsic
motivation
Individualized
Tools
Flexibility
Deliberate
process
Training
Encouragement
for skills
development
Relationships
Honoring
everyone’s
input
Diversity
Trusting, open
environment
Team based
work
Culture of Innovation | MedStar Institute for Innovation
https://mi2.medstarhealth.org/hub/seven-elements-of-a-culture-of-innovation/

Organization Culture and Innovation
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• Innovative organizations encourage experimentation and risk-taking behavior by
rewarding both successes and failures. Such organizations are highly likely to
embrace the following seven characteristics:
©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
 Acceptance of
ambiguity
 Tolerance of
the impractical
 Low external
controls
 Tolerance of risk  Tolerance of
conflict
 Focus on ends
rather than on
means
 Open systems
focus
References:
How does an organizations culture affect innovation? | Citeman
https://www.citeman.com/9122-how-does-an-organizations-culture-affect-innovation.html

4 Levels of Innovation Culture
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• Individual
 Innovation starts with the creativity of an
individual
 Schools and universities are primary
spaces where to teach “innovation”
• Team
 Innovation cannot go further if new ideas
are not welcome in a team
• Organization
 Supportive behavior: providing not only
needed resources, but also moral
support: patient and ready to accept
failure
©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
References:
The 4 Levels of Innovation Culture | Future of Leadership Initiative https://www.future-of-leadership.org/2017/10/24/the-4-levels-of-innovation-culture/
• Society
 an environment that sets
boundaries in terms of laws and –
in a more profound way – in terms
of ethics.

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Fostering A Culture Of Innovation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c41ODEet
7kc&t=65s
©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
Amazon’s culture of innovation | London Business
School
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNjmCewxy
o0&t=28s

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Innovation Culture versus Climate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct1UJdfTg
QM
©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
Organizational Culture and Innovation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llYW2kwvzrg&fe
ature=share

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Creating a culture of collaborative innovation |
Claire Madden | TEDxQUT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaN6FtJ8i
nA&feature=share
©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
Professor Gary Pisano: Three Steps for Creating an
Innovative Culture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJK9m7c7siE

What’s more in
Managing
Innovation &
Technology
Transfer
• Technology Transfer
©2019DrJosephK.K.Ho
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