The authors mention what are the first steps and how any organisation can start its first steps at Innovation. It need not be from research and development or production or any similar industry area. The first steps can be from the area of sustainability, identify areas where there are violations in terms of environmental standards and propose actions to meet those environmental standards. Those can be the first baby steps any organisation takes in the area of innovation. The paper speaks of how sustainability could be the first innovation steps in any organisation and how that innovation can help the organisation to create industry standards, take the first mover advantage and set standards for others to follow.
By treating sustainability as a goal today, early movers will develop competencies that rivals will be hard-pressed to match. That competitive advantage will stand them in good stead, because sustainability will always be an integral part of development.
Stage 1 - viewing compliance as an opportunity
It is easy to comply with low level; sustainability requirements. But it is difficult and tough to comply with high level sustainability requirements.
Stage 2 - Making Value chains sustainable
The actions taken to get the value chains sustainable has to start from ther supply chain.
Supply chain - Along with many sustainable practices, using Carbon management technologies aim to manage anthropogenic releases of greenhouse gases, such as those associated with the combustion of fossil fuel use, in an effort to mitigate the potential impacts of these emissions on climate systems.
Operations - ensuring that the different operations in the organisation, with suppliers, distributors etc are sustainable
Workplaces - Work From Home and Telecommuting options bring in gret benefits to the organisations both in terms of saving on energy, transportation costs, utilities, rentals and so on.
Returns - Returned items more frequently than not, almost 70% are in working condition. These returned items instead of throwing away can be used in demo, training centres or can be cannibalised to recover costly parts that can be reused.
When companies start environmental sustainability programs, they unknowingly take the lead with their competitors in these areas of innovation. This gives the organisations great confidence and an advantageous lead over their competitors. These innovation initiatives also help uncover the monetary benefits that waste reduction and energy efficiency can deliver. This gives the organisations definite and measurable lead and advantage over their competitors.
Stage 3 - Designing sustainable products and services
Along with the existing product line, companies can plan to design new products that are environmentally sustainable. These products though will take some time to establish itself, can definitely give an upper hand to the organisations vis-a-vis its competitors.
Stage 4 - Developing new business models
Recovering the useful items from the waste materials can help organisations to start new business lines from these new products, giving them ample time over their competitors to innovate and offer superior products and services.
Stage 5 - Creating next-practice platforms -
Organisations that practice sustainable solutions in their daily operations finally end up with their employees getting competitive and coming up with daring innovations that can change the manufacturing ecosystem itself, creating next practice platforms.
Taking this first step in innovation, the sustainability initiative will definitely give the organisation a competitive edge over competitors. With more competitors carrying out their own novel environmental strategies, the earth itself will benefit.
George..
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