Innovation Management ? Reducing Hierarchy -

Home
>
Business Management
>
Innovation Management ? Reducing Hierarchy

Innovation Management ? Reducing Hierarchy

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.

There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.

There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.

Reducing Hierarchy

Theory consistently states that the reduction of hierarchy and "flat" organisations are better suited to increasing optimal performance. Reality shows us that even the flattest organisations have hierarchy and that it cannot be completely eliminated. Further, hierarchy has value ? for example, there are compelling arguments that people look for and follow good leaders.

But results from organisations that consciously and forcefully attempt to reduce status differences produce superior results:

a) Good leaders, though of higher status, make others feel valuable by increasing their value and hence status.

Status deference hinders rather than increases output:

a) People tend to shut down when confronted by higher status individuals.

b) People tend to put greater value to the input of higher status individuals.

c) People tend to allow higher status individuals to get away with bad decision-making.

d) The competitive rush to attain a higher status creates restriction of information, which lessens intellectual cross-pollination.

These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com/

In The News:

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/2008/12/1/october_construction_spending_dips_12.htmcid=1276553836ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNHn1dR-von6y-gkXu-nxjLLxTY4Lgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=0NnMKujodXQJimgurl=www.hispanicbusiness.com/_client_common/images/news/construction_lg.jpg width=80 height=53 alt= border=1brfont size=-2HispanicBusiness.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/business/economy/02econ.html%3Fhpcid=1276553836ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNGYukENd-tS5eRG41LbgJ9n91BqDAConstruction Spending Reflects Economic Slowdown/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew York Times,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr2 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The Institute for Supply bManagement/b’s monthly index of manufacturing activity fell to 36.2, from October’s 38.9. The reading is worse than Wall Street b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/12/01/america/Economy.phpcid=1276553836ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNE0y59ypG6QT_hw5s6xtRLKqPhpXgOctober construction spending drops 1.2 percent/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrInternational Herald Tribune/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/12/01/daily2.htmlcid=1276553836ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNHWs1MyxUo2vDBmCpv_rbsVuR_FDAConstruction spending fell again in October/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBizjournals.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/8105270cid=1276553836ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNGJFnUoXHQkxs1WFQcQSr7SJge1wQUS Oct construction spending fell 1.2 percent/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrguardian.co.uk/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.globest.com/news/1297_1297/washington/175494-1.htmlcid=1276553836ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNGFwmCDbzqf6BBV9jS82dJFmMfn1wnobrGlobeSt. com/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/12/01/business/NA-US-Economy.phpcid=1276553836ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNGKD_EuCxJNVWKqHsreBcPh9ysBUwnobrInternational Herald Tribune/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276553836hl=ennobrall 269 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.rte.ie/business/2008/1201/usa.htmlcid=1276422140ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNFtdRdBHOCdw07ZL1A6KDBxZI9PbQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=WpyTjZDqjJkJimgurl=dynimg.rte.ie/000139f210dr.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2RTE.ie/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/01/news/economy/ISM_November/%3Fpostversion%3D2008120110cid=1276422140ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNHIhqMrWP8yGXfQHFTbCmTVbvDxOwManufacturing index at 26-year low/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCNNMoney.comnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1based Institute for Supply bManagement/b said its manufacturing index declined to a reading of 36.2 from 38.9 in October. It was the lowest reading for the b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/manufacturing-falling-fastest-pace-27/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B01759E58-3EB4-4E5E-A1A1-2BC26F9A8A8D%257Dcid=1276422140ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNH7mm-DTjTkI1fMq9Cp8bhupu2phACORRECT: Manufacturing falling at fastest pace in 27 years/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrMarketWatch/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2008/12/01/daily9.htmlcid=1276422140ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNFu3pnG9CdZ9IFclLD1a5X1WCNJywManufacturing hits 26-year low/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBizjournals.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/01/news/economy/ISM_November/%3Fpostversion%3D2008120111cid=1276422140ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNGGH2I2mrYvoHjIIz1ZIApKI9VyewManufacturing index at 26-year low/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCNN/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.forbes.com/markets/2008/12/01/manufacturing-retail-consumer-markets-econ-cx_cg_1201markets18.htmlcid=1276422140ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNEWYD4QwfVdn-V2S_pA9H2JzFk0qAnobrForbes/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-weekbox1-2008dec01,0,7052508.storycid=1276422140ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNGe3AwlpgjjLIrmEvVe4gYNXdrvDgnobrLos Angeles Times/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276422140hl=ennobrall 616 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.wnct.com/nct/news/state_regional/article/early_christmas_tree_sales_up_in_nc/24998/cid=1276433807ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNEJqmDqKsUpg44zTK4P0hh8BOukOgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=IV0dEMt91z4Jimgurl=media.wnct.com/wnct/img-story/images/uploads/Christmas_Economy_Graphic_AP.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2WNCT/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/price-tags-on-partridges-and-pear-trees-a-different-cpi/cid=1276433807ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNHTTaqy-NAeXppEus4MHwlpM8fxBgPrice Tags on Partridges and Pear Trees: A Different CPI/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew York Times,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Catherine Rampell For the last 24 years, PNC Wealth bManagement/b (or its predecessor, Provident Bank) has released this whimsical index, a measure of the b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D_PPfujQH9BIcid=1276433807ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNGGHHY0HMmegVyZuXXWCHXlmpzNrwVideo: 12 Days of Christmas#39; Items Would Cost $86,609/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrAssociatedPress/nobr/fontobject width=448 height=356param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/_PPfujQH9BI/paramparam name=wmode value=transparent/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/_PPfujQH9BItype=application/x-shockwave-flashwmode=transparentwidth=448height=356/embed/objectbr/fontfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hbRtA6z3x9Zijla9K78YuJGQEq3QD94PT2QO0cid=1276433807ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNGtAO8fwqLfRSI70iGddIzr98gDYw#39;12 Days of Christmas#39; items would cost $86609/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Associated Press/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/3540138/Twelve-Days-of-Christmas-would-cost-21000.htmlcid=1276433807ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNFypOfkv-JAIIyzvToWR4FgDWRukQTwelve Days of Christmas would cost $21000/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTelegraph.co.uk/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/01/useconomy-christmascid=1276433807ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNHGAFDGe4I6rVLPvvW3MsFNwiLkGAnobrguardian.co.uk/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://sev.prnewswire.com/banking-financial-services/20081201/NY4898601122008-1.htmlcid=1276433807ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNGdx8AVtLLNx625aKbBaFFCaYQivQnobrPR Newswire (press release)/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276433807hl=ennobrall 349 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/AGC-LCM-Declare-Dividends/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B641366A4-F68C-4D7E-8870-F3ADCB0D1839%257Dcid=1276595346ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNHFut9Zn6XL05YhG7HJXiQYX70YdgAGC and LCM Declare Dividends/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1a diversified closed-end bmanagement/b investment company, has declared its December monthly dividend of $0.0664 per share, reflecting a reduction of $0.0286 b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%2520News/2058244/cid=1276595346ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNGydnL1AVdQ5qDsMVz8olxfYFTJfwAGC and LCM Declare Dividends/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTrading Markets (press release)/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0456755.htmcid=1276595346ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNHIb-ppnpkkgpLOuroqej4--Xdi-gMadison Strategic Sector Premium Fund (MSP) Declares Quarterly b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCNNMoney.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/PPR-0340-November-Dividend/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B3C32D15F-9E55-4B98-AA4A-987CFA7EF69A%257Dcid=1276595346ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNHISfPq9yJ5eaafhPAWGyNZjlsZXgPPR - $.0340 November Dividend/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrMarketWatch/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/WIW-Declares-Monthly-Dividend/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B817D8E56-4EF0-411B-A366-BFA950A03F90%257Dcid=1276595346ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNEqNztUTTk4axgJmtMA5wJfzlramQnobrMarketWatch/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276595346hl=ennobrall 58 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.reuters.com/article/innovationNews/idUSTRE4AP0Z620081201cid=1276378241ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNHa5bzUBWBamwVbQYSDlk_HuYWYcwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=zD_6cUQ7_F0Jimgurl=www.reuters.com/resources/r/%3Fm%3D02%26d%3D20081201%26t%3D2%26i%3D7025988%26w%3D192%26r%3D2008-12-01T161406Z_01_BTRE4AP0IB600_RTROPTP_0_AIG width=80 height=55 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Reuters/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/01/business/01aig.phpcid=1276378241ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNFp5JKYP1nBp5lZlwEviJ_lik1tlwAIG sells wealth bmanagement/b unit to Abu Dhabi group/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fInternational Herald Tribune,nbsp;Francenbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1NEW YORK: American International Group, the troubled insurance giant, said Monday that it had agreed to sell its wealth bmanagement/b provider AIG Private Bank b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.reuters.com/article/mergersNews/idUSBNG40949220081201cid=1276378241ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNEEN7OQhqBLUBnUwje3m0I6oRpBVAUPDATE 1-AIG to sell AIG Private Bank to UAE#39;s Aabar/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122813841343668791.html%3Fmod%3Dgooglenews_wsjcid=1276378241ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNH43sPfG2wy0hOxtn3jZZyfYcba5AAIG to Sell Private Bank to Aabar/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWall Street Journal/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.investmentnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081201/REG/812019992cid=1276378241ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNGiTwIxIPqjySx53IBYDlIOo2V5xQAIG to sell bank to Abu Dhabi firm/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrInvestmentNews/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/business/International/AIG-to-sell-it%27s-Private-Bank-1216.htmlcid=1276378241ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNGxMpsoAFKilNWZp24TLQgfAwHy8QnobrCapital FM/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.businessinsurance.com/cgi-bin/news.pl%3Fpost_date%3D2008-12-01%26id%3D14628cid=1276378241ei=yYM0SefXA6iY6APJhvz8CQusg=AFQjCNGgz8fzmtAgICgOQZdErHhbYgK1WQnobrBusiness Insurance/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276378241hl=ennobrall 171 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

management - Google News

Innovation Management ? Reducing Hierarchy

Business Management