Creative ideas don’t automatically lead to innovations

Entrepreneurs can make an important contribution to innovation. Companies that promote a culture of unity and collaboration are more successful at transforming creative ideas into new innovations. This is one of the conclusions of the Northern Netherlands Innovation Monitor.

According to Dries Faems, Professor of Innovation and Organization at the University of Groningen , it is essential that entrepreneurs create the right context in their organization to convert new ideas into successful innovations. Faems: ‘Different types of ideas require different types of organizational approach. For radical, ground-breaking ideas, it is important that there is a strong feeling of unity among employees. In contrast, to successfully exploit small improvements, you need a disciplined structure, where everyone knows their role and responsibility.’

About the Northern Netherlands Innovation Monitor

The Northern Netherlands Innovation Monitor is the result of a strategic partnership between the University of Groningen’s Vinci Centre of Expertise and the Northern Netherlands Provinces Alliance (SNN), which was founded in 2016. Partners of the Innovation Monitor are TCNN, NOM, PNO and the Northern Netherlands Patent Centre. The aim of the Innovation Monitor is to record and analyse the innovation activities, investments and performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Northern Netherlands.

The SNN has various incentive and grant schemes for SMEs ( www.snn.eu ). The Vinci Centre of Expertise aims to make academic knowledge available to business practitioners and for business practitioners to contribute to academic research.

The UG is currently conducting a large study among businesses in the Northern Netherlands to gain a better understanding of these processes. Medium-sized business (from about 40 FTE) can participate. For more information see www.rug.nl/creativity .

More information

• Contact: Dries Faems

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