Building an innovative organization: consistent business and technology integration

Abstract

Purpose

The IBM 2006 CEO study (which interviewed 765 CEOs, business executives and public sector leaders) took a comprehensive global look at a topic that is increasingly important to leaders worldwide: innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study's findings covered three major areas, such as the value of external collaboration, the importance of business model innovation, and the need for consistent business and technology integration.

Findings

Two out of every three CEOs interviewed expect fundamental changes for their organizations over the next two years. Surprisingly undaunted by this challenge, they see innovation as a means to seize opportunities.

Practical implications

In the IBM study: 76 percent of all CEOs ranked business partnerships and collaboration as important for innovation – but only half of the CEOs surveyed believed their organizations were collaborating beyond a moderate level. Only 14 percent of CEOs ranked internal R&D as a significant source for new ideas.

Originality/value

Approximately one‐third of CEOs' innovation emphasis is now targeted at business model innovation – innovation in the structure and/or financial model of the business.

Citation

Chapman, M. (2006), "Building an innovative organization: consistent business and technology integration", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 32-38. https://doi.org/10.1108/10878570610700992