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Innovation

Innovation is the dynamic process of developing new or disruptive products, methods, or services. It doesn’t occur by accident or in a vacuum. Instead, innovation is guided by leaders who understand its demands and complexities, and are willing to share this knowledge with others. Innovation leaders share specific traits that naturally suit them to this role. These leaders are:...

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FEI Europe — Adapt, disrupt, innovate. This year’s FEI Europe conference in London was full of energy and ideas and I left feeling more motivated and inspired than ever to continue to find new ways to disrupt stale approaches to innovation. While every success should be celebrated, it is vital that companies don’t make the mistake of resting on their laurels. We must continue to innovate and look for new ways to think about and use technology. The good news is that there was plenty of that happening at FEI Europe.   London provided the perfect backdrop for a week of exchanging ideas at FEI Europe. The city is a unique combination of history and modernity that constantly reminds us of the importance of our past and the need to create a better future. It also didn’t hurt that I got the opportunity to meet with other thought leaders and enjoy world class...

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FEI Boston Recap

FEI Boston - An Event Grounded in Remarkable People   There were over 500 people at FEI Boston 2017. I’ve been attending and speaking at FEI the last five years and noticed that this year’s attendees were from more diverse areas of responsibility.  For those who did attend you can access the presentations on line at:   Login to FEI Connect Click on the 'Presentation' tab   FEI Boston Highlights     In the next couple of weeks you will receive a link to the FEI Executive Summary. This will include key takeaways, summaries and highlights from the keynote sessions, as well as select track sessions. The goal of the executive summary is to ensure the insights you gathered at the event stay top of mind — and make them easy to distribute to your teams back at the office.   My personal favorite was hearing from Clayton Christensen around the job to be done. Having been in Innovation for...

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pharma accelerate innovation

Pharmaceutical Accelerate Innovation with Software Technology     First, A Look at Deloitte's US Life Sciences Outlook Report   Deloitte released the 2017 US Life Sciences Outlook and the report discusses some very important points for the pharmaceutical sector to consider. It’s a great report and one worth reading. Let’s compound this with a few other events occurring in this space: The healthcare bill on the senate floor that’s yet to be determined. The more informed consumers that think nothing of taking to social media to complain about the cost of care and drug prices. The press and evening news reporting immediately on the fallout from social media and drug prices. High deductible plans continue to trend upwards which equates to more consumers paying more out of their wallet for healthcare. And then there's Amazon...

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Innovation Through Competition: Effective Innovation Systems Encourage Ideation Whether the focus is on product development, service delivery, customer satisfaction, or market share capture, competition drives a company to improve its performance. Taking this to the next level, effective competitive systems encourage outstanding innovation, by allowing the best and brightest to tackle an organization’s biggest challenges. Internal Competitions Creating an internal competition is an excellent way to motivate your workforce to develop innovative solutions and new business opportunities. The most common structure is to form teams which compete to develop concepts, often working with mentors who provide guidance as needed. The teams present their projects to a panel of judges who select the best innovations for implementation. This process has the advantages of: Encouraging teamwork; Demonstrating trust in internal expertise; and Developing pathways for employees to participate in innovation regardless of job title or department. The significant downside of this process is that it keeps...

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Enterprise level innovation is the practice of looking beyond the organization’s R&D systems and past its discrete departments, to connect with global collaborators and improve business agility. This practice harnesses the benefits of open innovation to achieve specific enterprise-level goals. Why Enterprise Level Innovation (ELI) Matters The lifespan of large, successful companies is shrinking, and this trend is expected to continue. In 1965, the corporate lifespan of those listed on the S&P 500 was 33 years. By 1990, it shrank to 20 years, and it’s expected to drop to 14 years by 2026. Some of this change is due to mergers and bankruptcies, but a leading cause is market disrupters and innovators. This is a stark reminder of a simple truth: A company will not enjoy longevity in the marketplace without reinventing itself. The reason most businesses fail at this process is that they are not built for delivery or business agility,...

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The FEI 2017 Conference will be held in Boston May 8th through 11th, and Ezassi's CIO, Denise Fletcher is participating as a panelist. We are thrilled to have Denise representing us at this exciting and informative event.   Denise is one of several internationally renowned innovators who will be speaking at the conference on a wide range of topics that address issues of:   Startups and Innovation Consumer-driven Innovation Disruptive Trends and Technology Innovation and Culture Change Experts and Innovation   While Denise will have speaking duties at FEI, she would love to meet with people who are excited about innovation as she is, so don’t be shy. If you see her in the hallway, at the receptions, or waiting for a session to begin, come up and introduce yourself for some informal one on one time with this accomplished innovation expert.   Registration is open, and the agenda is filled with great opportunities to learn, share experiences, and create...

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Open Innovation is grounded in the belief that great ideas can come from any source and an organization’s internal expertise will transform those ideas into market value. The challenge comes when an organization chooses to shift from a closed innovation system to an open one. The decision to make this change will not be successful unless it is accompanied by a corresponding adjustment in corporate culture. The Cultural Shift When we discuss a corporation’s culture, we are in essence referring to its personality. It is rooted in shared values, attitudes and traditions that its leaders and employees believe in. As a result, corporate culture directs how its people behave toward each other and those outside the company. For long-term business success, this culture must align with corporate goals, strategies, and vision. Although each company is different, most have a traditional corporate culture that includes the belief that all innovation is internally driven. An...

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idea management

The shift from closed innovation to open innovation is the defining characteristic of this decade. Startups are able to compete with billionaires, disrupting entire industries from cheaply assembled DIY workspaces. Even large companies like Microsoft are replacing private R&D with open source methods. All entrepreneurs, freelancers, and members of technology-focused industries should study this change. Open Innovation is a Revolution Many of the biggest innovations of the last few decades were built upon pre-existing infrastructure. Jeff Bezos, the founder, and CEO of Amazon, spoke about this concept at the Code Conference in 2016. He explained that the internet was only made possible by the existence of telephone lines. As the infrastructure grows, so does the possibility for innovation. Manufacturers are already starting to build products on the newly emerging infrastructures of 3-D printing and artificial intelligence. This is exactly what open innovation is about. How To Embrace Open Innovation The notion of building products upon public...

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