Creation theory for business innovation - two experts tell why

MOST of the rallying calls for Australian business progress right now mention the word ‘innovation'. There are scores of government department names that bear it; industry awards that reward it; buildings named after it; major organisations like Nissan, NEC and IBM  that catch-cry with it; and epic quantities of paper and megabyte research devoted to it.

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Dr Michael Rosemann of QUT's Information Systems School.

 

Yet innovation defies simple description - other than we know it when we see it - and most research acknowledges ‘innovation' as a form of commercial and industrial ‘creativity'.

This week's Innovation Series event in Brisbane on Wednesday (June 19) considers how the challenges of fostering innovation are similar to quests in ‘developing' creativity.

Headlining the event are Tania de Jong, founder of the Creativity Australia and Creative Universe business event series, and Dr Michael Rosemann, professor and head of the Information Systems School at Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

The Innovation Series theme, Creative Thinking as a Driver of Innovation? is highly topical in these challenging business times, in which organisations and individuals are seeking that innovative edge that will help them to develop and prosper.

In fact, creativity is a great strategic engine for business, according to Tania de Jong, AM, founder of Creativity Australia and Creative Universe. Her theme at the Innovation Series, Creativity: The Strategic Tool of the 21st Century, outlines why creativity has become what she calls Australia's "most endangered species". 

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Tania de Jong: business creativity an 'endangered species'.

 

Ms de Jong believes creativity is a lever for improved wellbeing, social inclusion, innovation, leadership, productivity and transformation. She will flesh out her experiences on why diversity is critical to unleashing the creative potential of individuals and organisations, and how Australia can develop a culture where creativity and innovation flourishes.

Those concepts have blossomed in the events she has created to bring this topic to the fore, including Creative Innovation Global's acclaimed Ci2010, Ci2011 and Ci2012 conferences.

Dr Michael Rosemann takes a different view, discussing the real value in the innovation process of what he calls 'ideation'. Dr Rosemann believes 'ideation' as part of innovation processes is often perceived as a 'miracle' - and few structured approaches beyond creativity techniques guide the derivation of innovative practices.

Dr Rosemann's presentation, Innovating without the need for creativity, will position ideation in the context of three drivers for innovation:  problems, constraints and opportunities. His focus is on how patterns, principles and evidence can be used in the idea generation process, proposing "inspiration as a service" as a possible pathway for the innovation community.

As the author and editor of seven books, more than 200 refereed papers, editorial board member of 10 international journals and co-inventor of US patents, Dr Rosemann's views are in demand at conferences across the globe - and his research projects have been funded by diverse industry partners including Accenture, Brisbane Airport, Infosys, Rio Tinto, the Queensland Government, SAP, Suncorp and Woolworths.

Innovation Series Brisbane events are managed by Zernike Australia and supported by the Australian Institute for Commercialisation, QUT, CSIRO, Hynes Legal and Business Acumen magazine. This week's event is at the Stamford Plaza Brisbane on Wednesday at 12 noon.

www.innovationseries.com.au

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