Best practice: Part 3
Internal Innovation Consulting is boosting a differentiation and competitiveness
IT Business Innovation is not a ‘nice to have’ activity, but a must have strategic contribution to accelerate differentiation efforts. Innovation consulting expertise strengthens innovation capabilities by providing the right innovation tools, methodologies, and skills for mastering continuous innovation. It must continuously sharpen its product and service innovation capabilities in light of ever-faster changing customer expectations. Nestle’s position regarding IT innovation services is defined and driven by two parameters:
- The dynamics of innovation are transforming. As the remit of innovation broadens, innovation consulting needs to target a broader spectrum of innovation capabilities, including innovation culture, innovation processes, innovation technology, business model innovation, and management innovation.
- Nestlé’s IT Innovation has developed a strong innovation consulting offering. Nestlé’s IT Innovation has been building its innovation competence, culture, and networks for several years. Accordingly, Nestlé IT has managed to foster significant innovation consulting knowhow. It is recognised by both, internal stakeholders and external market observers, as a leading example of how traditional businesses should ramp up their own internal innovation transformation capabilities.
Innovation Consulting Strengthens Nestlé’s IT Operations And Culture
The demand by Nestlé’s stakeholders for developing a framework and a mindset for disrupting and challenging set norms is increasing dramatically. Nestlé needs all three: incremental innovation for improving existing products and services; disruptive innovation for making products more accessible; and blue ocean innovation to tap into entirely new markets.
A post-pandemic world changes the focus of innovation initiatives. Innovation has become a top business priority. In turn, this is increasing the need for both business and technology leaders to become proficient in cutting edge innovation capabilities as:
- Innovation and digital transformation are intrinsically linked. The shift from current to future modes of innovation implies deep cultural and operational transformation (see Chart). Most innovation consulting starts off as a digital transform project and evolves into innovation work.
- Innovation work usually reveals that a division must address digital transform. To realize both these goals, cultural transformation and change management are key. Accordingly, the impact and importance of Nestlé IT Innovation for successful digital transformation goes well beyond traditional R&D-driven innovation activities – and complements R&D-driven innovation.
The shift to Future Innovation Modes implies deep cultural and operational transformation
Change Maker must retain a sense of urgency regarding innovation transformation
They must continue to transform their innovation processes, culture, and technology. Internal innovation consulting capabilities need to address the innovation transformation efforts alongside external innovation partners. Nestlé IT Innovation brings a deep understanding of Nestlé’s culture and internal processes and challenges. This inside angle is essential for building trust among Nestlé’s employees during the innovation transformation process. The ‘trust factor’ is essential as social capital is a form of economic and cultural capital in which trusted relations are central and transactions are defined by trust and cooperation. In this way, Nestlé IT Innovation directly supports Nestlé’s strategic objectives.
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