INNOVATION… A Survival Issue.
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INNOVATION… A Survival Issue. Inventors and Entrepreneurs Special Interest Group of Technology Advocates of San Antonio TASA April 11, 2007 Dr. Geoff Nicholson (retired)
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INNOVATION… A Survival Issue. Inventors and Entrepreneurs Special Interest Group of Technology Advocates of San Antonio TASA April 11, 2007 Dr. Geoff Nicholson (retired) VP 3M International Technical Operations. Challenge. Put almost 40 years …into 60 minutes. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of INNOVATION… A Survival Issue.
INNOVATION…
A Survival Issue.
Inventors and Entrepreneurs Special InterestGroup of Technology Advocates of San Antonio
TASA April 11, 2007
Dr. Geoff Nicholson (retired)VP 3M International Technical Operations
Challenge
Put almost 40 years …into 60 minutes
“Research is the transformation of money into knowledge.”
“Innovation is the transformation of knowledge into money.”
Customer
SOME WORRISOME INDICATORS
US is today a net importer of high-technology products
Its share of global high technology exports has
fallen in last 2 decades from 30% to 17%
Trade balance in high technology manufactured goods shifted from + $33 billion in 1990 to - $24 billion in 2004
Fewer than 1/3 of US 4th and 8th grade students performed at or above a level called “proficient” in mathematics
“Proficiency” considered ability to exhibit competence with challenging subject matter
Alarmingly, about 1/3 of 4th graders and 1/5 of 8th graders lacked competence to perform basic mathematical computations
SOME WORRISOME INDICATORS
US 12th graders recently performed below the international average for 21 countries on test of general knowledge in mathematics and science
Advanced mathematics assessment was administered to US students who were taking or had taken pre-
calculus, calculus, or Advanced Placement calculus and to students in 15 other countries who were
taking or had taken advanced mathematics courses
Eleven nations outperformed the US, and four countries had scores similar to the US scores
NO NATION SCORED SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THE US!
SOME WORRISOME INDICATORS
In 1999, only 41% of US 8th grade students received instruction from a mathematics teacher who specialized in mathematics…
…considerably lower than the international average of 71%
SOME WORRISOME INDICATORS
Germany 36% of undergraduates receive degrees in science and engineering
China the figure is 59%
Japan 66%
US corresponding figure is 32%
SOME WORRISOME INDICATORS
In 2004,
China graduated over 600,000 engineers
India 350,000
America about 70,000
SOME WORRISOME INDICATORS
“Don’t bet against yourself
– you risk winning”
“One of life’s greatest pleasures is doing what people
say cannot be done”
We must be driven to solve customer problems
• Both perceived• And un-perceived
3MCustomer Inspired Innovation
Your Invitation To Create The Future
Customer Inspired InnovationMarket/Industry
Foresight
Creative Foresight Opportunity Dev.
CustomerInsight
Unique CoreCapabilities
Un-Articulated Needs
Articulated Needs Satisfy The
Customer
Delight The Customer
You Need Freedom to Achieve Your Goals
Empowerment• 15 percent rule• “It is always better to ask for forgiveness
than permission”• Learn to live with failure but not accept it
CR
EATI
ON
of N
EW
TEC
HN
OLO
GY
Initial Modification Product toApplication of Technology the Customerof Technology
No Discipline
Chaos
AccurateSchedule
HighDiscipline
Order
Individual Small Group Large GroupHigh Risk Medium Risk Low RiskHigh Failure Low Failure
No ManagementInvolvement
HighManagementInvolvement
No Schedule
3M technical people encouraged to develop their own ideas in environment of innovation and creativity
Failure is an accepted and essential part of progress 3M is open, informal, and on a first-name basis 3M has grown primarily through the process of evolutionary spin-off Technology base of 3M is very diversified - a strength, but also a challenge Synergy is one of our greatest strengths Technology exchange is essential part of 3M success New products are key to our success - requiring 30%
of sales each year in new products
The 3M TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENTThe 3M TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT
Culture
New Product Expectation
Permissive Attitude of Management
Needs/Technology Driven
Product Champions
Multi-Technology
Technical Assessment
Bootleg Slack/Boundary Crossing
Recognition/Rewards
KEYS TO NEW PRODUCTSKEYS TO NEW PRODUCTS
RULES TO AVOID INNOVATION Be suspicious of every idea that originated below you
Insist that people go through all levels with a new idea
Express criticism and withhold praise
Make a decision to reorganize in secret and maximize surprise
Be control conscious
Never forget that people at the top know everything
WRONG MANAGEMENT SIGNALS It’ll never work.
We explored that thoroughly 10 years ago.
OK, if we can get somebody else to pay for it.
We’re too shorthanded to work on blue sky ideas.
It’s not in the business plan.
It’s not your job to talk to customers.
McKnight Principles“Management that is destructively
critical when mistakes are made kills initiative, and it is essential that we have many people with initiative if we are to
continue to grow.”
W. L. McKnight, 1948
Why Innovate?
Innovation
Innovation
Innovation
Innovation
Growth
Survival
Competitiveness
Personal Satisfaction
REG
ULA
R A
DH
ESIV
E TA
PES
viscous adhesive
time
adhe
sion INCREASES
WITH TIME
TO MAXIMUM
BACKINGBACKING
SURFACE
Post
-It
Not
e A
DH
ESIV
EBACKINGBACKING
BACKINGBACKING
BACKINGBACKING
SURFACE
ADHESIVESPHERES
ADHESIVESPHERES
SEPARATION
time
adhe
sion
Post
-It
Not
e A
DH
ESIV
EADHESIVESPHERES
ANCHORED
SEPARATION
BACKINGBACKING
BACKINGBACKING
SURFACE
NO CHANGE
WITHTIME
“Post-it” NotesHistory
1967 Accidental technology discovery
1968 Patent filed U.S. – S. Silver
1973 Appln. of uniqueness – G. Nicholson
1976 Product invention – A. Fry
1978 Market research, championing – G. Nicholson
1980 National product introduction
“Post-it” NotesUniqueness
Unlike all other pressure-sensitive adhesives the adhesion level is constant with time.
Look for the value of the uniqueness!
“Post-it” NotesMarket Research
Good when quantifying EVOLUTIONARY products. No good when quantifying REVOLUTIONARY products.
“Post-it” NotesMarket Test
4-City TestProduct placed in distribution – counted 4
weeks laterConvinced division vice president to visit
test cities and sell.Commitment to go with the program.
BUSINESS SUCCESS(Nicholson to Japan)
“Post-it” Notes“Tolerance”
All major new product successes at 3M are killed at least three times by management.
“Tools”Six Sigma, DFSS and other tools
used effectively and intelligently, and at the right time accelerates decisions and product to the customer.
3 Innovation
SIX PHASES of a PROJECT
1. Enthusiasm2. Disillusionment3. Panic4. Search for the guilty5. Punishment of the innocent6. Praise and honors for the
non-participant
Post-it Notes
To Activate Innovation You Need To …
know where you want to go – VISION
know where rest of the world is going – FORESIGHT
have ambition – STRETCH GOALS
have freedom to achieve your goals – EMPOWERMENT
draw from and work with others – COMMUNICATION, NETWORKING
be rewarded for your efforts – there is nothing more rewarding than RECOGNITION from your peers.
STRETCH GOALS
Goal 5-8%
Stretch Goal 8-10%
Organic Growth Annually
“The first principle is the promotion of entrepreneurship and insistence upon freedom in the workplace to pursue Innovation Ideas.”
EMPOWERMENT is …
The 15% RULE
Encouraged to Explore! Encouraged to network and Collaborate! Encouraged to Experiment!
REWARDS and RECOGNITION
• Carlton Society• Circle of Technical Excellence and
Innovation• Dual Ladder
TRAITS and CHARACTERISTICS
3M Innovators…• Are Creative• Have Broad Interests• Are Problem Solvers• Are Self-Motivated, Energized• Have a Strong Work Ethic• Are Resourceful
3M Innovators are Creative
• Inquisitive, Ask Questions• Explorative, Look for Solutions• Insightful, Intuitive Thinkers• Ideas Flow Easily• Visionary
3M Innovators are Problem Solvers
• Experimental style – do it first, explain it later!
• Tinker with things (hands on)• Not afraid to make mistakes• Willing to do the unobvious• Practical• Take multiple approaches to a problem• Technically competent – as defined by
hiring manager
3M Innovators are Self-Motivated, Energized
Self-starters, driven Results-oriented – Doers Passionate about what they do Accomplishment – urge to succeed Emotional, enthusiastic Sense of humor Sense of social responsibility Sense of contribution, value and purpose Courage, self-confidence Take initiative Energize others around them
3M Innovators Have a Strong Work Ethic
• Committed• Hard Working• Work in Cycles• Flexible work habits – not structured• Drive toward work completion• Pursuit and dedication to results• Tenacious
3M Innovators are Resourceful
Network
Get things done through others
Discovery and inventions are made in the laboratory by experimentation, not on computer screens.
Computers give us the knowledge to make discoveries.
LEVERAGINGLeveraging Across Technologies – Integrating 3M technologies to create new innovative products that change the basis of competition.
LEVERAGINGLeveraging Across Countries – Applying 3M technological breakthroughs in as many geographic areas as possible
Why Laboratories Outside the United States?
Serve our customers Grow our business Know the competition Access to global technology The innovation factor
Final Message
No matter where you are… Innovate for the customer Network across the globe Have Fun!
“Even if you are on the right
track, you’ll get run over if
you just sit there.”
Will Rogers
