The Call to Innovation

You know by now that I like to quote from Vision 2050: A new agenda for business.  If 30+ leaders, mostly from the C-suites of the world's largest companies, took the time to write it, I think it only right that I should take the time to read it.   

This week's quote is a nice support for our spotlighted story (our first "Conversation") on Innovation Alliances for the 21st Century.    Taken from chapter 4, "Opportunities", our enlightened friends at the WBCSD said this:

     [Essential to helping change happen will be] diversified knowledge and multiple perspectives.  The nature   and number of partners involved in strategically developed coalitions can provide multiple perspectives and areas of expertise that makes issues easer to spot.  A broad base of knowledge and experience will enable organizations to identify and prepare for risks and challenges before they have an impact.  The experiences and capabilities of increasingly diverse networks will also permit more informed planning, which will increase the likelihood of buy-in from a broad base of constituents.  Given the degree of change on the horizon, this buy-in will be critical, and will ease implementation.

 

They were not talking about innovation alliances per se, but they were talking about the critical advantages of working across organizations and across sectors to implement change and to get things done -- things that might not be doable otherwise.   

 

What kinds of things?  As outlined in further detail in chapter 3, "Pathway to 2050":

• "One World - People and Planet" lifestyles
• True value, true costs, true profits
• Enough food, water and biofuels through a new Green Revolution
• Forest recovery and regeneration
• Secure and sufficient supply of low-carbon energy
• Close to zero net energy buildings
• Universal access to safe and low-impact mobility
• Materials management to not a particle of waste

Are we still looking for the "moon shot" of this century?  I read this as a direct Call to Innovation. Let's get busy!