About this Website
About this Website: Industrial Innovation Leadership (lab2marketcoach.com)
This Website Presents a Holistic View of Industrial Innovation in Six Modules Available on a Membership Basis. Industrial Innovation Engages many Corporate Functions from Research, to Engineering to Business Development, to Operations and to Marketing, What is Presented here is a Valuable Resource for those Individuals who Conduct and Lead Innovation as well as those whose Roles are Impacted by Innovation.
The Content of the Modules is Derived from a Successful Career of Innovation Leadership and is Summarized below. Full Details are Presented in Subsequent Pages Available to Members.
Module 1: Corporate Guidance for Innovation and Innovators
Innovation is Risky and Expensive, and to be Successful Requires Support by a Substantial Portion of a Corporation. Consequently, Innovation Initiatives Need to be Consistent with Corporate Intent. Leaders of Innovation are well Advised to work within the Corporate Intent—or to Work to Change an Intent that Precludes Pursuing an Objectively Exceptional Opportunity.
Corporations make their Intent Known through Communications such as Statements of Mission, Vision, Values and Strategic Intent. The Implications of these Guidelines and the Translation to Innovation Ventures are Discussed. Nations make their Intent Known Through Statements also and an Example of a Major National Innovation with Broad Implications is Presented.
Module 2: New Business Opportunity Identification
Opportunities can Arise from Market Sources or from Compelling Technological Capabilities. This Module Examines the Process of Opportunity Identification and Gives Examples of Market Led and Technology Driven Opportunities.
A Scheme for Evaluating the Attractiveness of Market Segments of Potential Interest and a Scheme for Evaluating the Attractiveness of Potential New Business Opportunities (NBOs) are Presented. The Concept of “Opportunity Space” Incorporating Technological Capabilities and Market Segments is Introduced with the Example of Polysaccharides, Materials of Utility in Many Life Sciences Applications.
Module 3: Solving the Problems of Industrial Innovation
Industrial Innovation has a high Degree of Complexity—Problems can Strike from Anywhere at Anytime in Development Ventures and Ongoing Operations. The Complexity of Integrating Multiple Lines of Expertise and Merging Multiple Lines of Real-time Efforts to Achieve a Single Broad Results Demands a Comprehensive and Rigorous Approach to Problem Solving.
Presented in Module 3, is an Approach Proven in Multiple Industries, Technologies and Ventures and Operations. The Basics of Problem Solving are Covered and an Example of Optimizing the Operations of an Antimicrobial Business is Presented.
Module 4: Individual Leadership Development
The Question of Future Performance
Whether a Corporation is Assigning an Individual to a new Position, or Whether an Individual is Preparing for more Challenging and Rewarding Positions, the Question is the same—Will Future Performance will Measure up to Job Requirements? Module 4, Addresses the Corporate Environment as it Impacts Individual Performance and Considers Strategies and Behaviors that are Important for Individuals who want to Increase their Effectiveness as Leaders of Innovation. Module 5, Addresses the Question of Future Performance in Terms of Placement of Individuals in Newly Created, or Existing Organizational Positions.
Leadership Within the Corporate Environment means:
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Working Within the Organization’s Vision and Purpose, or—for Exceptional Outlying Opportunities—Working to Broaden and Deepen the Corporate Perspective of Innovation
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Accepting the Responsibility to Deliver “Best for the Business” Results—Outcomes of Significant Value to the Company
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Exercising Authority and Understanding its Limits—Achieving Results Even With Limited Authority
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Utilizing Influence to Supplement Formal Authority
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Being a Facilitator to Get the Right Decisions Made by the Right People to Achieve the Right Business Goals
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Communicating Intent, Results, Issues, Deviations, Mitigation Options, Opportunities, Needs, Solutions—While Corrections can Still be Made
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Solving the Complex Multi-functional Problems of Industrial Innovation (see Section on that Subject)
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Being Accountable for Decisions and Actions
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Increasing Personal Capability and Effectiveness
Preparing for more Challenging Assignments means:
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Continued Growth in Intellectual Capacity and Technical Ability
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Leading with Intent—Drive for Growth, Profitability, Sustainability and Protectability
Improving Problem Solving Skills—Reality, Rigor, Creativity, Objectivity, Valid Assumptions, Fact-Based Decisions—Practicing a Systematic, Rigorous Inclusive Approach
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Maturing Judgment—Valid Decision Making Approach & Track Record
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Maximum Exploitation of Experience: Transferability, Leverage-ability
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Grasp of Socioeconomic Trends; Market and Customer Needs; Vision of Future State of the Project and Business
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Ability to Forge Relationships, Gain Support and Influence Beneficial Outcomes
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Effective Communication of Benefits, Needs, Risks, Progress, Failures
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Ethical Behavior: Act in the Best Interest of the Business & Respect People
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Drive to Meet the Challenge and Tenacity Get Results (Climb the wall to Catch the ball)
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Confidence, Determination, Tolerance of Uncertainty, Stamina
Module 5: Building the Organization
The Principles of Organization Design, Employee Assessment and Employee Placement are Presented Through the Example of a Mythical Pharmaceutical Company, Pharmavela, Ltd. Innovators within the Company Developed Compelling Technology Outside the Company’s Mission and made Limited Progress in Commercialization. Based on the Promise of the Development, and the non-core Nature of the Venture, Pharmavela Decided to Spin out a Technology-Enabled Business Unit to Address the Environmental and Industrial Market Segments that Promised to hold Significant Opportunity.
The Example begins with the Pharmavela “Situation” and ends with a fully Developed Final Organization Structure. A Defined Process is Presented that Identifies the Required Functions and Specifies Appropriate Business Grouping of Resources.
Module 6: Miscellany
Classification of German Generals by Kurt Von Hammerstein-Equord, Commander-in-Chief of the Reichswehr—Germany’s Military Establishment from 1930 to 1935
He is Famous for Being an Ardent Opponent of Hitler and the Nazi regime.
His Classification of German Generals is of Wide Interest Today, “I Divide my Officers into four Groups:
There are Clever, Diligent, Stupid, and Lazy officers. Usually two Characteristics are Combined”. See Module 6 for Assignments.
In the Single-cell Organism World, Physarum polycephalum, Commonly Known as Slime Mold is an Expert at Finding New Opportunity—Food, that’s its Opportunity. Physarum first Extends its Tendrils Systematically Across the Area of Interest and when it finds a Trove of Tasty Morsels (microbes, such as fungus) the Tendrils Ferry the Food back to the Central Nucleus. It can even Discriminate Between High and Low Concentration Food Sources. In areas that have no Food, Physarum Deposits Slime, a Reminder not to Waste Energy going back to that Location Again.
Not a bad New Opportunity Process—
Systematically and Rigorously Assess the Total Target Market Space—Expending Minimal Energy—Find and Build a Market Channel to Exploit the Richest Opportunity, and Remember not to Repeatedly go to Disappointing Areas
Some Challenges of a Startup Company
Conceive & Elaborate Fundamentally Sound Technological Assets that Create Commercial Value
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Meet Important Human/Market/Customer Needs— Creates Multiple Offerings, Provides Competitive Advantage (e.g., IP, superior value propositions), Attracts Investment and Enables Expansion
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Obtain Long-Term, “Patient” Investment & Build “Fundamental” Team—Failure can Result from Insufficient Rigor—Business Opportunity Loss from Excessive “Polishing”
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Be “Right at the Start”—Midcourse Change Difficult and Expensive
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Develop Commercial Scale Production & Delivery
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Requires “Practical Team,” Operational Organization Structure
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Timing is Critical—Investment at Risk if Fundamentals Change
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Ninety Percent of Startups Fail, why Bother?
Some Entrepreneurs may Build for Personal Reasons, but…
Startups that do Succeed Bring Great Value!
