APPLIED INNOVATION PROPOSAL In Partnership with WESTBIC Udaras na Gaeltachta Gcom Teo iTeams/NUI, Galway

PROJECT PROPOSAL support SMEs and micro enterprises in rural locations to integrate and implement high impact innovation processes to their business outcome: achieve sustainable growth in a global marketplace from a rural environment.

innovation is the process of ‘making changes to something established by introducing something new changes can be either radical or incremental process is the symbiosis of management techniques including: innovation management, strategic planning, performance measurement, creativity, project portfolio management, performance appraisal, knowledge management. WHAT IS INNOVATION? applied Innovation = making changes to add value

term innovation is often ambiguous – what does it mean, how do you apply it? often associated with visions of world beating products that grow to dominate entire sectors of industry. effect: many SMEs shy away from the innovation process as a result. others are innovative but by default or they innovate “by chance” in a non structured, unplanned manner. INNOVATION IN SMES?

applied innovation requires close attention to five key types of knowledge – goals, actions, teams, results and community and the relationship between them. provide intensive direct support to enterprises to help them integrate applied innovation practices. learn from the trans-national experiences of partnerships in different regions. APPLIED INNOVATION PROGRAMME? aim: give SMEs the tools to innovate, relate to their needs, show them how.

Between 50-70% of all Innovation fails to impact on organisational goals Implications … wasted resources – time, people and money loss of morale higher resistance to the process THE PROBLEM (WITH INNOVATION)

Poor definition of goals Poor alignment of actions to goals Poor participation by employees in teams Poor monitoring of results Poor communications and community Why WHY?

ACTIONS RESULTS GOALS TEAMS COMMUNITY INNOVATION FUNNEL

Increased levels of innovation in rural economies. Improved competitiveness among SMEs and micro enterprises located in disadvantaged, peripheral regions. Greater linkages with external bodies (e.g. third level colleges and other technical institutes) to facilitate greater levels of innovation and technical support. Sustainable development in peripheral regions brought about by increased levels of economic activity in those regions. Greater use of information and communications technologies in the implementation of the project aims and objectives. Knowledge transfer via transnational partnerships. PROJECT DELIVERABLES

Irish partners WESTBIC (BMW Region) Udaras na Gaeltachta & Gcom Teoranta (peripheral Gaeltacht region) iTeams/NUI,Galway (expertise in Applied Innovation Practices) International partners in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Sweden and Finland with similar issues/priorities PARTNERS

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