December 11, 2014
McLean, VA — It is a challenge many companies face as they become increasingly large. How can they continually ignite the spark of innovation? Yet a new blueprint from Booz Allen makes clear that any company—no matter how large—can harness the power of their institution to create transformational value.
The article Who Says Big Companies Can’t Innovate? outlines a series of components and systems that provides a repeatable method for driving innovation throughout the organization. The Booz Allen Innovation Blueprint™, which forms the basis of the article, outlines 8 components that companies can take to drive innovative thinking and create a pipeline of new ideas.
It is a strategy based on practical experience. Booz Allen developed the Innovation Blueprint™ for itself when the company confronted challenging market conditions – decreasing budgets while business and mission expectations were expanding. Booz Allen recommitted itself to its original spirit of entrepreneurialism—with new investments and a cultural approach to inspire innovative thinking at all levels of the organization.
This renewed commitment culminated with the establishment of the Strategic Innovation Group (SIG), an internal breeding ground for breakthrough innovation at Booz Allen.
“Often, the freedom to experiment and play with ideas has a natural tension with the efficiency and standardization found in many large companies,” said Karen Dahut, an Executive Vice President with Booz Allen who heads the Strategic Innovation Group and authored the article. “By taking the right steps and focusing their energies, any company can tap into the human desire to create something new.”
Dahut recently presented the Innovation Blueprint™ to innovation leaders from some of the world’s most reputable companies across the nation at the Chief Innovation Officer Summit in New York City, noting three components that can ignite successful innovation in large companies:
- Inspire your people. Grow a team of entrepreneurs, innovators, and market catalysts by installing and relentlessly pursuing a culture of experimentation and freedom.
- Build an internal ecosystem. Cultivate an environment of original thought, creativity, intellectual curiosity and inclusion through in-person events, pitch competitions, virtual collaboration tools, and more.
- Don’t go it alone. Strategically integrate the best of your capabilities with your partner’s unique strengths to co-create original solutions.
In addition to illustrating Booz Allen’s own experience, the article shares examples of other companies who confronted profound challenges and re-focused their agenda to build their own sustainable pipelines.
“Success comes when you foster a deeply embedded culture of innovation built around a set of clear priorities,” remarked Dahut. “Inspiration, commitment and a firm understanding of what really matters create a powerful, proven combination.”
The “Who Says Big Companies Can’t Innovate?” article can be downloaded here.
