Innovation is the bottom line, writes Marica

Innovation is the bottom line, writes Marica

THE BUSINESS OF INNOVATION, CREATIVITY & INSPIRATION

We’re certainly living in interesting times!

The apparent discovery of water on Mars, with its now even higher potential of occupancy. AI, robots and the fear of robotics serving and dominating humanity. Consumer behavior “schizophrenia” demanding brand collaborations with unusual associations. Super smart technologies with its clear byproduct being the lack of human privacy – on earth and just for now! New brand dispositions, new organizational narratives, new value chain principles and between all that, SO MUCH to overwhelm anyone. Sigh!

Literally, new needs are being designed by humans for humans.

And so this list of newness that goes on, and on and on, can be said to take way from the “honesty” of life in its truest and simplest sense. It’s like a donut that was “just a donut”, before transformed into a centerpiece on top of a decadent drink- topped with toppings. Comm’on, you know those new age decadent shakes that ooze craze, calories and fun!

But why? Why the hell (for a better use of word!) all this need for change?

This border- line anxiety to impact, to resonate, to re-focus, to relate and to dominate perception. Why? The notion of progress has become so confusing. It can be totally fear inducing and simply put, can be downright tiresome if not processed in bite sizes!This is even for a person like me who is naturally charged to survive on “the future”.

However in saying all this, there’s an undeniable and sheer brilliance in which the world is operating at! There’s a remarkable frequency in which brilliant minds and innovators are creating at (and that’s said outside of when they’re not innovating to nuclear bomb one another!). The pedigree of Innovation can be said to be at the level purest to the word. Be it for a Better World or for better competition..or just for better bottom line. It’s impressive.

More than the deliberate convenience designed for human impact through innovations, there’s a very simple, gross truth. In fact, maybe the only truth that’s left in its truest form. That being, the need to innovate for the “Business” of Innovation.

The Economic impact resulting from Design thinking, Innovation and Creativity is certainly a more seriously tabled discussion now, by key business and industry decision-makers, than it ever has been before. This is while ever evolving technologies remains the drivers, and simultaneously, a nemesis for commercialization through Innovation.

As an entrepreneur, with a somewhat scientific and commercially infused mind, I am fascinated by business leaders I currently engage with. Marketers, Strategists and even Procurement decision makers are mandated by their stakeholders to invest and partner with insight driven Innovations and Innovators FIRST. Through even more recent engagement I’ve established that it’s simply no longer good enough to be sustainable. In fact to my mind, sustainability has become such a “strive” word. It feels as if your business is ok and even with that, it’s only just ok for now. The same, as of late, could said about business relevance. How relevant can you be if you not creating or co-creating industry enabling innovations, all while working closely with legislators and academia to support your Innovations and industry related developments? The past month and a half has left me interested to see where relevant accelerator programs , with sound track records, will be with the launch of Joburg’s Global Entrepreneur Network. And to those who are displaced, why? Why were you not creating the curve let alone seeing it? Anyway.

The Bottom line is the bottom line. There’s undeniable Economic impact and favor to be found in Innovation-centric organisations.

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