8605-427 Developing a Culture to Support Innovation and Improvement

Unit Overview

8605-427 Developing a Culture to Support Innovation and Improvement is a unit within the ILM level 4 module which provide support in terms of training to leaders on strategies to effectively support innovation and improvement. Organisations should be dedicated to achieving continuous improvement based on the changing environments within the organisation. This proves of supporting innovation and improvement within the organisations involves being able to support creative and innovative solutions within the organisations by influencing the organisational culture.

Creating a culture that appreciated innovative solutions and continuous improvement is important in ensuring that the managers and leaders within the organisations are able to influence the ability to adapt the organisation to changes that may be experienced in relation to technology and abilities of employees and other subjects to make effective solutions to problems. The main purpose of this unit is improving knowledge and understanding of how practising first-line managers or middle-level managers can influence the activities within the organisation by creating support for innovation and improvement. The unit is taught in 12 hours of guided learning and contributes to 3 credit values in the completion of the course.

Suitability of the Unit

Managers should be able to positively influence the work environment and organisational culture to create the desired state of improvement and support for innovation. As such, 8605-427 Developing a Culture to Support Innovation and Improvement is a unit that is designed to suit the learning needs of the managers in relation to the ability to influence the organisation culture and support innovation.

This unit is designed for both middle managers and first-level manager show have a direct connection with impacting the work environment and organisational culture. The unit is designed to provide them with the understanding of the managers on the influence their personal practices and values have on supporting innovation and improvement hence creating effective approaches and practices aimed at achieving this goal.

However, the unit is also applicable to other stakeholders, including the employees, team leaders and executive management, who can use the knowledge within this unit to further build their contribution in achieving the desired organisational culture that supports innovation and improvement.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the unit, the learners should be able to:

• Show understanding of the underlying culture within their organisation

• Explain the influence of organisational culture on management style and team structure

• Understand their role in promoting the organisation’s vision and helping to determine the organisational culture

• Show understanding of the impact of personal values and beliefs on perception towards change and innovation

• Show understanding of personal responsibility in controlling personal behaviour, actions and words with the aim of reinforcing innovation and change culture within their areas of responsibility

• Understand the significance of being sensitive and aware of the needs, feelings and motivations of others to minimise resistance towards change and innovation

• Identify the task of an innovator in the innovation process

• Understand the role of managers in effectively managing innovation

• Explain the role of senior members of the organisation in setting and defining innovation strategies

• Show ability to influence the perception of the other towards innovation and contribute ideas in the workplace

• Describe the importance of constructive feedback to innovators in improving their motivation and engagement in the process of innovation

• Show the ability to manage the ideas provided by the innovators by providing the guidance needed to implement the ideas

• Effectively recognise and manage risks associated with innovation

• Develop the organisational culture to ensure people understand the risk but are willing to take the risk to achieve different tasks

• Explain the role of communicating information on identified risks to relevant authorities

• Show understanding of the legal frameworks and need for compliance in the process of innovation

• Understand the role of setting up effective communication to understand the vision of the future in their areas of responsibility

• Understand the role and purpose of an elevator pitch in acquiring sponsorship for innovative ideas

• Describe different actions that are required in developing a good business case in promoting the benefits of innovation to secure support from sponsors and the work team

• Effectively report and communicate outcomes of innovation to achieve sustained interest and momentum

Key Learning Areas

This unit is a wide area that covers different areas of study in understanding the management of innovation and improvement within organisations. Some of the key learning areas that are addressed within the unit include:

Understanding the Organisational Culture

In this area of learning, the learners are helped to develop skills and abilities to effectively evaluate the organisational culture and determine the impacts of structured teams and management style on innovative strategies. This area also helps to understand the values and vision of the organisation and relate this to the support for innovation and improvement within the organisation.

Management Styles

This area of learning helps to understand the impact of personal management and leadership styles on the overall appreciation of innovation within the organisations. Learners are guided to understand the significance of valuing diversity in achieving the desired support for innovation activities as well as the resistance that could be experienced in the change process and interventions to overcome the resistance.

The Process of Innovation

This area of learning focuses so the actual innovation and improvement process. The learners are informed of the different types of innovation and the main emphasis on innovation activities achieved within the organisation. They are also guided to appreciate the role of different stakeholders in supporting the setting of an innovation culture and providing space to innovate.

Motivating People to Pursue Innovation

Innovation and change require effective support from the people within the organisation to ensure the process succeeds in meeting the designed goals and objectives. This area of learning is important in guiding the learners to understand different models of motivating people to appreciate the innovation and change. Learners are helped to identify different techniques and strategies they can use to achieve the desired levels of motivation among the people.

Effective Communication

This area focuses on preparing the learners to effectively communicate and ensure that they collaboratively work with others in improving innovation practices in their areas of responsibility. This involves being able to engage the staff and supporters of the progress, such as sponsors to ensure they buy the idea and contribute to implementing the ideas within the organisations.

Evaluation

Upon completion of the unit, the learners are put through the assessment process. This involves completing a written assessment where they are tested for the mastery of information in understanding the role they can play in influencing the innovative process and ensuring they are able to apply these concepts and principles in practical organisational settings.