In these troubling times, innovation is seen as integral to resolving the crisis generated by our deteriorating economic circumstances. We are urged to focus on the new and the next: to take a leap forward. We are reminded that innovation, more than mere behaviour change, is “... also about what works… better”. But what do we understand by this phenomenon?
Basically, innovation implies prudent application of learning. It means judicious application of our competencies to configure new ways of doing things in order to improve the quality and efficiency of services, products or processes. Innovation is multi-dimensional, encompassing development, use and adaptation of relevant technologies; altered ways of solving tasks or delivering services; new or changed ways of organising activities within institutions; introduction of new responsibilities, perspectives, objectives, strategies; and improved ways of interacting with other organisations and knowledge bases. These constitute a passport to more sustainable national development.
Where does innovation originate, how does it evolve, and how do individuals and institutions nurture it? What drives a people to innovate? What triggers that creative spark to forge a breakthrough? Innovation often arises from frustration with the status quo or in response to crisis: our current reality. It thrives under visionary leadership, which can unlock ideas from their teams, communities and societies.
Myriad developments create a push for innovation in the public sector. Changes in a country’s demographics can lead to development of home-care policy as a response to increasing numbers of elderly citizens needing critical care. Economic development, growth and crisis, spawn need for enhanced competitiveness in the marketplace. The mission to integrate the country into a more cohesive society requires strengthening relationships between the islands of T&T and promoting rural development. These processes create enormous pressures for innovation in the public and private sectors. Natural disasters often expose weaknesses in emergency preparedness, also spurring public sector innovation.
Networks, partnerships and other forms of interaction between relevant actors expedite development and implementation of new and bold ideas that reinvigorate public policies and services. These interactive arenas foster innovation by promoting multi-actor collaboration; facilitating knowledge sharing and transformative learning; and building joint ownership of new innovative visions and practices.
The quiet revolution currently taking place in our cocoa industry typifies innovation at work in support of national development. The Cocoa Research Centre (CRC) of UWI, St Augustine, partnering with a new breed of cocoa entrepreneurs and the Government is charting an exciting future for cocoa. The alliance marries science and technology, sourced from CRC, with the business acumen and marketing savvy of private sector partners to produce a variety of value-added products from an industry which formerly only exported beans. The collaboration also embraces cocoa farmers and rural communities, creating conditions for innovation to flourish by tapping into the creativity at all levels of society; not only top down. The model is adaptable for more general application in the agricultural sector.
There is an urgency for government, private sector, civil society and citizens to collaborate in fashioning an environment to nurture and sustain a culture of innovation. Therein lies our future.
Winston Rudder
Via email