Innovation Excellence

In this book, author Stephan Scholtissek examines innovations as they relate to companies in the energy and natural resources sectors (e.g. energy, utilities, chemicals, mining and metals companies), sectors which are incorrectly assumed not to be innovative and which are undergoing massive change as the balance of power shifts towards emerging economies and as the world looks to a range of low carbon technologies. Scholtissek argues that innovation (strictly defined as the sum of invention and market success) is the only answer for competitive success in a multi polar world where the essential ingredients of business can no longer be used to differentiate companies. He states that companies must be restructured to be run as portfolios of innovations. Scholtissek sheds light on different forms of innovation (product, service, process, organization and business model) and argues that R&D resources must be extended across all these forms. And he includes a number of detailed case studies from the energy and natural resources industries that demonstrate leading practice. The book will also address an end-to-end innovation process/framework that helps the innovation process run more smoothly. It will also include the key success factors that increase the likelihood of success of an innovation in a given company. Finally the author draws conclusions regarding the future of innovation. The goal is to provide the reader with a holistic approach to increasing the success of innovation in his/her company.