CREATIVE RESEARCHENVIRONMENTS

An Australian Perspective on Managing a Paradox

Summary

• Who are creative people?

• What are Creative Research Environments?

• Where are we now?

• Why do we need to strive to improve?

Who Are They?

Maslow’s Insight

Conscious

Unconscious

HOT BUTTON ZONE

THE HOT BUTTONS?

• Crave Autonomy• Ambitious & Striving for purpose• Risk taking – Almost Cavelier!

• Strong analytical-factual thinks

• Hunger for Information/Knowledge• Typical Gen X / Y-type profile

How are they Motivated?

• Effective leadership• Recognition of higher purpose• Fun at Work

• Constant challenge & stimulation

• Accountability for outcomes

Cultural ContrastMotivator USA AustraliaLeadership “Field of

Dreams” Simple, Safe Steps

Recognition Very Obvious Quite Achiever

Fun @ Work Formal/Respect Informal/Irreverent

Stimulation Capitalist - Profit

Socialist – Public Good

Accountability Shoot For Stars Cassandra Complex

What Do They Do?

R&D Team Culture Types

Club Culture• Extended Personality

• Nepotistic Feel• Flexible/Informal

Role Culture• Management focus

• Comfortable/safe

Task Culture• Problem solving• Team-based• Responsive

Person Culture• Star Cluster

• Talent is king• Anti-management

Cultural Fit in CREs is Crucial

But there is no right answer!

The 4P’s in Paradox

PEOPLE(Innovation Capability)

PROJECTS(Innovation Strategy)

PASSION(Innovation Adoption)

PROCESS(Innovation Process)

PEOPLE - Capability

• Behavioural Profile• Knowledgement Services• Gap Analysis Diagnostics

• Creative Thinking Processes

• Creative Stimulation

PASSION - Adoption

• Alignment with Sector/Company Prospectus• Economic Impact of Outcomes• Sociotechnical Change Processes

• Commercialisation Services

• Sector/Company Opportunity Profiling• Critical Mass Diffusion Processes

PROJECTS - Strategy

• Scenario Visioning• Futurism• Scanning Techniques

• Leading Edge Planning Techniques

• Collaborative Partnerships• R&D Clustering• IP FTO Scanning

PROCESS – Systems

• Performance Measurement• Business Planning• Outcomes & KPIs

• Project Selection Models

• Project Management Systems• Stage-gate Decision Making• Project Termination Processes

Where Are We Now?

Typical Australian R&D TeamDevelopers of

Innovation

3%(Club-based)

Initiators of Innovation

14%(People-based)

Resistors of Innovation

40%(Role – based)

Implementers of Innovation

43%(Task-based)

Using the 4P’s in Paradox

• PEOPLE – Recruiting the right profile to get > 80% initiators/implementors

• PASSION – Improving alignment of R&D programs with real issues

• PROJECT – Select on ROI

• PROCESS – Implement systems & measures to deliver on ROI

Why do we need to perform better?

Paradox of Economics 101

LONG RUN

Creativity & Innovation are the engine for future economic

growth

SHORT RUN

It is short-sighted to allow price

competition to be the only determinant of

success

Closing Comment

R&D is an Investment

Like any area of investment Science & Technology must offer appropriate levels of return to attract the attention

of investors

Summary - CREs

WHO

WHAT

WHERE

WHY