Open Innovation

People are territorial by nature, protective of their homes, job duties, and relationships. We don’t like others infringing on areas we have claimed as our own. Companies are organizations of people working toward a common goal. As a human endeavor, the corporation’s culture embodies human traits including a suspicion of outsiders and fierce protectionism of its entrenched systems. Unfortunately, these typical business characteristics inhibit the organization achieving true open innovation.   The Open Innovation/Traditional Corporate Culture Clash Traditional business culture is founded on specific beliefs:   No one can do it better than we can. Everyone has a job and job title and need to stay within their roles. Data silos organize information and protect sensitive information. With few exceptions, how we’ve always done it is just fine so why change it. Our processes are secrets to be protected from outsiders. Innovation and market response is important, but it’s more important that we control...

Open innovation injects new ideas into an organization by providing the ability for non-employees to submit concepts for consideration. The process relies on a pool of involved and enthusiastic contributors who want to participate in the process. The challenge is how to attract and engage these innovators in a way that sustains their interest and increases the quality of their submissions. Gamification is an excellent tool to achieve this goal.   Gamification is the process of transforming tasks or processes into a competitive process to engage users, solve problems, increase productivity, and drive innovation. It encourages ongoing participation, which keeps the open innovation ideas flowing.   Gamification Systems The concept of gamification is part of our everyday lives, in that certain systems encourage our active participation. Examples include: Airline Frequent Flyer Programs Real-time Fuel Usage Tracker Apps One Day Sales Crosswalk Countdowns Credit Card Rewards Store Savings Apps   Each of these systems gives rewards for participation,...