Driving innovation through higher purpose

Important results from the project

The project aimed to create three parallel pilots to test methods/tools to drive innovation. We could quickly see that the companies could have been more innovative, had they had purpose to guide their development work. Such purpose could either be on the on the project/initiative level or on the overall company level. Each project generated important learning in relation to the initial goal and purpose. Especially the participating construction company sees potential for an innovative model involving several stakeholders for a joint societal purpose.

Expected long term effects

The joint learning has resulted in a concrete model where purpose generates a more iterative innovative work process. The model has been validated by the companies and they have worked to enact the model’s components in workable methods. This was a goal for the project. The models is also a key component in an academic publication presented an international innovation conference in Boston. After iterating the ideas further, the plan is now to present the model further at a leading strategy conference in Minneapolis in October, 2019.

Approach and implementation

A simple and structured process was used to develop the methods. The project has largely kept to the set timetable. In total 20 interviews and 6 joint learning meetings have been held, and continuous support in the pilot project has been given. The construction company’s results must be considered very good from an innovation perspective. Also the logistics company’s learning about methods and models for innovation was fruitful. Individuals in the retail group learnt things through the projects, but from a performance perspective, it was less successful as the project was not finished.