Developing a Disruptive Innovation Mindset in 21st Century Companies: Thriving in the Pandemic Economy
Instructor
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George TsekourasDr, DPhil, Director of CENTRIMGeorge is the Director of CENTRIM. He has led the research in the area of innovation and entrepreneurship in areas like peer-to-peer learning networks, innovation coaching, planning and implementing new product development strategies, fostering linkages with external research, open innovation for SMEs, public-private innovation partnerships and innovation in social enterprises.
He is the founder of a number of peer-to-peer learning networks in UK, Ireland, South Africa and Greece, which have supported more than 2,000 SMEs around the world. He was the coordinator of the RAPPORT consortium (www.rapport-project.eu), which looked at best practices to connect SMEs to the public or private research organisations. Currently, he works for a consortium that helps the European Commission to design the SME Instrument scheme, a new scheme to support innovation by European SMEs.
George has also worked in other innovation areas like innovation benchmarking, industry forecasting and business process re-engineering. He has a first degree in mechanical engineering and a DPhil in innovation management from SPRU at the University of Sussex. He is the author of a number of papers in academic journals, books and international conferences while he has designed and delivered many executives training and consultancy programmes on innovation-enabled entrepreneurship.
In today’s challenging economy, cultivating an innovation mindset is essential for organizational survival. The demand for soft skills that support innovation has significantly increased in recent years. Despite attending numerous seminars and workshops, many traditional companies struggle to foster an innovation mindset effectively.
Executives face the daunting task of promoting creativity and innovation within their organizations, often amidst the daily pressures of operational demands. Many employees feel constrained by time and routine, making it difficult to explore more creative or innovative approaches that can truly enhance processes, products, and services.
This seminar offers practical solutions to nurture and sustain an innovation culture within businesses. Participants will gain concrete strategies to embed an innovation mindset deeply into their organizational ethos. This program equips participants with the insights and tools necessary to navigate and excel in evolving business landscapes, fostering resilience and driving sustainable growth.
Join us to empower your organization with the tools and strategies necessary to thrive in the pandemic economy through a robust culture of disruptive innovation.
- • Understanding Innovation: Explore the importance of fostering an innovation mindset in the current economic landscape.
- • Overcoming Challenges: Address common barriers to innovation and creativity within organizations.
- • Practical Strategies: Learn actionable methods to promote and support innovation at all levels of the company.
- • Cultural Integration: Discover how to embed an innovation culture into the core values and operations of the business.
- • Supporting Creativity: Equip employees with the resources and encouragement needed to innovate effectively.
This program is designed for:
- • Managers in SMEs and/or Large Enterprises: Individuals with decision-making authority responsible for adapting their departments or organizations in response to dynamic environments or unexpected crises such as economic downturns or pandemics. This includes managers overseeing operational processes and strategic adjustments.
- • Managers Involved in Business Development: Professionals engaged in developing or implementing new business initiatives, such as launching new products or services, expanding into new markets, or spearheading radical innovations. This category encompasses managers from diverse sectors including IT, educational services, hospitality, chemical industries, and engineering firms.
- • Decision-Makers: Managers with the authority to implement strategic changes and adapt business operations in response to external challenges.
- • Innovators: Managers driving new business initiatives and innovations within their organizations, contributing to growth and competitive advantage.
- • Sector Diversity: Managers from various sectors including IT, education, hospitality, chemicals, and engineering, seeking to enhance their leadership and strategic management skills in dynamic environments.
Recent Program Participants
Hourly Schedule
Day 1
- 07:45 - 08:45
- Initiating the Innovation Process
- • Starting with the end at heart
• Identify real challenges
• Set out the innovation resources
• Group exercise
- 08:45 - 09:45
- Sustaining the Building Process
- • The Upscaling stage
• The Expansion stage
• Group exercise
- 09:45 - 10:00
- Coffee Break
- 10:00 - 11:00
- Define Business Challenges and Organise the appropriate Innovation Resources
- • The Renewal stage
• The Merge & Acquisition stage
• Group exercise
- 11:00 - 12:30
- The New funding Instruments – Trends and enablers
- • The Global Innovation Fund
• The Centralised EU Fundings: Horizon Europe, EU Covid-19 funding
• The Decentralised EU Funding: Idek funding opportunities
• Case Studies
- 12:30 - 13:30
- Lunch Break
- 13:30 - 15:00
- Practical session: Designing and deploying successful proposals
- Practical Group Exercise: to help participants to understand the critical success factors for applying for support in the new National, EU and Global Funding instruments for Innovation.
- 15:00 - 15:15
- Coffee Break
- 15:15 - 16:15
- Develop and Present Action Plans Conclusions and Feedback
- Develop and Present Action Plans
Day 2
- 07:45 - 08:45
- Introductions and Objectives of the seminar
- 08:45 - 09:45
- What do we really mean when we talk about "innovation"?
- • Where does innovation come from?
• Can everybody be an innovator?
• Why is it not enough to have the most gifted creative employees?
• Case study
- 09:45 - 10:00
- Coffee Break
- 10:00 - 11:00
- The art of Defining Proactive and Agile Strategy
- • Strategy planning skills versus dealing with the unexpected
• Prepare your company for the next stage of its lifetime
• Group exercise
- 11:00 - 12:30
- Identifying your Pluses and Minuses
- • What your company’s armoury, opportunities and talents?
• What are your companies’ threads and weaknesses?
• Group exercise
- 12:30 - 13:30
- Lunch Break
- 13:30 - 15:00
- What do you need to create an innovation mindset?
- • Trust your employees
• Given them time
• Give them physical (or digital) space
• Create teams
• Secure a dual operating system
• Support minimal valuable products
• Involve and co-create
• Group exercise
- 15:00 - 15:15
- Coffee Break
- 15:15 - 16:15
- No big-bang innovation company program has ever worked!
- • Learning from international experience of successful businesses
• Contrast between short-term, medium-term and long-term strategies
• Group Exercises
Terms and Conditions
The above seminar is fully subsidized by HRDA on the condition that the following criteria is stringently adhered to:
1. Cameras and microphones must be open for the duration of the seminar.
2. Participation for the whole seminar must exceed 75%.
3. 1 device per person must be used.
4. You must ensure you check in punctually at the beginning of the seminar and check out at the end of each day.
5. You are obligated to participate in the follow up onsite 4 Hour visit and you must ensure you check in and check out promptly.
In the event the criteria is not fulfilled satisfactorily and you are rejected by HRDA, please note that you as an individual or your company will be liable to pay the participation fee of €1800.
Finally, please see our cancellation policy:
– Cancellations can be accepted up to 5 working days prior to the seminar without penalties. For any cancellations received after the deadline (or no-shows), the individual or company will be invoiced the full amount per participant.
– Substitutions can be accepted up to 2 working days prior to the seminar without penalties.