Is the Global Innovation Index actually measuring innovation?

The report relevant to the 2015 Global Index Innovation has been recently published and, as always, it is quite revealing of human, societal and economic trends that ease and stimulate the expression of new ideas and solutions freeing-up expressions of creativity and at the same time reducing or eliminating barriers to such expression.

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There overall index is generated by innovation input factors and innovation output ones. They spread throughout an entire array of factors that directly or indirectly have the power to boost or restrain that expression of creativity.

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First of all, in my opinion, it needs to be pointed out that what this index measures does not fully represent what concrete innovation is in itself (an expression of creativity that solves problems effectively and/or finds affirmation on markets); rather it seem to focus on identifying an overall ecosystem that fosters the conception and development of creativity almost as an end in itself. This is a perspective that in my opinion requires further debate involving people that in actual practical terms are on the frontline to solve problems, generate effective business opportunities and/or take advantage at best of them.

Creativity, managing around barriers towards innovation

Increasingly we focus on why organisations fail to develop creativity and this article shows an interesting summary on the topic “How We Kill Creativity (And How We Can Rebuild It)” also represented by the image below:

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There are two key aspects that emerge from the article and that need to be addressed.

1) Creativity regarding organisational processes and outcomes is never developed in a vacuum: it does’t happen because one single ‘genius’. It is rather a factor of many elements that come to integrate: people, technology, context, internal and external direct or indirect inputs;

2) Creativity turns into innovation only when concretely solves problems and/or creates value recognised by the market.

Because of this, in order to maximise their potential to create and mostly to innovate (that is what really counts for enterprises), organisations cannot afford vacuums dedicated to creativity and innovation has to be the target. This requires an overall aware and skilled cultural approach to develop creativity and concretely innovate. It is a cultural approach, involving the overall organisation considering its processes and people, that requires a central focus to develop innovation, a focus that is one of the key principles articulated in FAST TRACK INNOVATION fasttrackinnovation.it  by pointing out and elaborating over actual examples of Motorsport and automotive organisations.