BQF Innovation

The next meeting of the BQF Innovation Unit will be on the morning of Friday 20th April. It will focus on the topic of Open Innovation. We will review how you can harness external resources to help drive your innovation. We are fortunate to have an eminent speaker, Andrew Gaule.

Andrew Gaule is the founder of the H-I Network (formerly the Henley Incubator), a thought leadership forum comprised of senior executives from some of the world’s leading organisations. He is the creator of several management concepts now in use at organisations such as Unilever, DHL, BOC and the Health Protection Agency: Andrew is the author of ‘Open Innovation in Action – How to be strategic in the search for new sources of value’ which includes case studies from H-I Network clients P&G, QinetiQ, Shell, DSM and Tate & Lyle. Andrew has also been a co-author on many H-I Network reports, including: Corporate Venturing; Rewarding Entrepreneurial Talent; Innovation Performance Measurement: Striking the Right Balance; and A Review of Leading Global Corporate Venture Units.

The location in central London will be advised shortly. Please book your place using the BQF events page.

Paul Sloane

People are being exhorted to object to the government’s proposals on road use pricing. Surely what we need is a sensible discussion not a kneejerk reaction. We need lots of good ideas on transport - it is an area crying out for innovation. But whenever anyone comes up with a proposal, people pour cold water on it. It is easy to find fault with suggestions. But congestion is a pressing problem and we have to do something (or several things) about it before our economy grinds to a halt.

I will not be signing the petition. It seems to me that pay as you go has some merit and needs to be explored. We ration most scarce things by price - so why not road use at busy times? At the same time we need to put safeguards in place to protect ourselves against intrusive use of the data that is gathered.

My ideas for improving transport and reducing congestion include the following:

1. More roads - yes - more roads with better layouts and more flyovers would help.
2. Better, cheaper, faster public transport.
3. Road usage pricing at peak times to reduce congestion
4. Higher speed limits on motorways and some other roads (faster speeds = shorter journeys = less congestion).
5. The separation of pedestrians and cyclists from motor lanes where possible to reduce accidents and to allow higher speeds.
6. More incentives for home working and home deliveries of shopping - including safe receipt while you are out.
7. A campaign to get children going to school on foot, bicycle or bus.

We need lots of ideas and debate and trials. Not just gut reactions, objections and petitions.

If you disagree or have some other ideas please comment.

Paul Sloane

If you work in an organisation with more than 20 employees please complete this Innovation Metrics Survey.

It is just 10 questions. The results will be available Feb 13 and I will post the link for them.

Thanks

Paul Sloane