Human Challenges in Innovation

1. Human Challenges in Innovation Dr Karen Becker Faculty of Business, QUT

2. a view of innovation… • Innovation can be about doing things better (incremental innovation) or doing things differently (radical innovation) • If we want to improve anything in an organisation; product, process, positioning or ways of managing, then change is necessary • The changes that are usually required to innovate are that people think and/or behave differently • Therefore, innovation is ultimately about how well we facilitate change in people • Resistance to change is often cited as the “evil” when we are seeking to innovate

3. Resistance – Machiavelli was right… “It must be realised that there is nothing more difficult to plan, more uncertain of success, or more dangerous to manage than the establishment of a new order of [things]; for he who introduces [change] makes enemies of all those who derived advantage from the old order and finds but lukewarm defenders among those who stand to gain from the new one.”

4. What we know about change • Incremental/continuous improvement vs discontinuous/radical transformation • Lewin’s model – simplistic but often underlies more complex models • Often consider organisational level, but not always individual perspectives • Resistance isn’t necessarily negative - resistance to change is a natural process even for those in favour of change • Recognise emotions & resistance as opportunities – logical and rational arguments are not enough • “Experts” are often the most likely to resist change

5. Who’s who in the zoo... http://changingminds.org/disciplines/change_management/resistance_change/resistance_zoo.htm

6. Perhaps a key? Unlearning • The Issues • Pace of change • Resistance to change • Lack of attention to individual issues in innovation research and practice • How do individuals relinquish past practice? • Unlearning – a background and overview • Case Studies • A model of unlearning

7. Unlearning definitions • ...the process by which individuals acknowledge and release prior learning (including assumptions and mental frameworks) in order to accommodate new information and behaviours (Becker 2007, 2008)

8. A typology of learning situations(based on Newstrom, 1983, p 37)

9. Case Organisations • Case 1 • Mineral extraction and processing (change of safety system, policies and procedures) • Case 2 • Mining machinery manufacturer (change of systems and culture)

10. Case Study 1 • A minerals extraction (mining) and processing company – located in a regional area, reporting to a corporate office in an Australian capital city • History of ownership change • 213 staff, including full-time, part-time and casual employees plus 3 key contracting firms (additional 130 staff) • Labour turnover 20% (stabilised following a period of up to 25%). • Growing awareness of potential safety issues and the increasing occurrence of minor incidents in the workplace • The organisation then commenced a process of employee workshops, communication, involvement and ongoing development to implement a behaviourally based safety system (referred to as ‘BBS’).

11. A picture tells a thousand words… Safety and production trends 1993-2005 (T/Employee to LTIFR)

12. Approach and Outcomes • Sharing of safety records in order to emphasise the urgent need for change • Groups of employees chosen to be involved in the choice of the most appropriate safety system • Communication back to the workforce via the chosen employees • Training for all employees throughout the system implementation (facilitated by employees trained in facilitation skills) • Collection of data relating to the system implementation and results • Ongoing and regular communication by senior managers • Results • Reduction in the lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) to below industry average for the first time in the history of the organisation. • Ongoing commitment to this system and the continued enhancement to the system have lead to widespread adoption throughout the workforce.

13. Case Study 2 • Engineering maintenance and manufacturing located in a large regional centre servicing the mining industry (tight production schedules and expecting fast turnaround times) • Employs 120 -150 staff, fluctuating with work demands • The structure - engineering, sales and service function; production coordination and planning function; and operations function. • Low labour turnover but a shortage of skilled tradespersons • New strategy to increase the numbers in the workforce by recruiting part-time trades assistants to work in teams during school-friendly hours • A radical redistribution of duties, restructuring of work patterns and a review of all internal processes, particularly those relating to quality assurance.

14. Approach and Outcomes • Analysis of the tasks within the operational units • Redesign of jobs to reallocate tasks not requiring trade qualifications • Communication with and input from the workforce in relation to the redesigned positions • Recruitment and selection of appropriately skilled work teams to undertake trade assistant tasks • Training of new work teams • Supervision and mentoring of new work teams • Results: • fewer bottlenecks in internal processes • full use of tradesmen • positive impact on the organisation’s cost structure (penalty rates were no longer required on a regular basis – 35% saving in the cost of production hours)

15. A Process Model of Unlearning

16. Implications for Practice • Level of feelings and expectations linked to unlearning during change - those implementing change must be skilled in dealing with these issues • Planning for adequate support measure during change; both formal and informal • Consider resistance to change as a natural process (eg Dent & Powley, 2002; Waddell & Sohal, 1998) - even for those in favour of the change will feel initial unease when asked to relinquish past practice

17. “The illiterate of the 21st Century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.” Alvin Toffler

18. References Becker, K (2007), ‘Unlearning in the Workplace: A Mixed Methods Study’, unpublished thesis. QUT, Brisbane. Becker, K. (2008). Unlearning as a driver of sustainable change and innovation: three Australian case studies. International Journal of Technology Management, Vol. 42, No. 1/2, pp. 89-106. Cegarra-Navarro, J. G., & Dewhurst, F. W. (2006). Linking shared organisational context and relational capital through unlearning. The Learning Organization, 13(1), 49-62. Dent, E. B., & Powley, E. H. (2002). Employees actually embrace change: The chimera of resistance. Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 7(2), 56-69. Hedberg, B. (1981). How Organizations Learn and Unlearn. In P. Nystrom & W. H. Starbuck (Eds.), Handbook of Organizational Design (Vol. 1). London: Cambridge University Press. Newstrom, J. W. (1983). The Management of Unlearning: Exploding the ''Clean Slate'' Fallacy. Training and Development Journal, 37(8), 36-39. Prahalad, C. K., & Bettis, R. A. (1986). The Dominant Logic: A new linkage between diversity and performance. Strategic Management Journal, 7(6), 485-501. Starbuck, W. H. (1996). Unlearning ineffective or obsolete technologies. International Journal of Technology Management, 11(7/8), 725-737. Waddell, D. M., & Sohal, A. S. (1998). Resistance: a constructive tool for change management. Management Decision, 36(8), 543-548.