Innovation means change.
At the Canadian Business Research and Innovation Centre, we collaborate and engage with businesses, employees and entrepreneurs to investigate, define, validate, and successfully implement innovations in conducting and growing businesses in Canada, a place in need of change. While we see the dangers of what is going on around us, we also see opportunities to change, to move forward, to innovate. Here is what’s going on around us, how they present a threat to us, and the opportunities that we have to change:
“More than 40 percent of the companies at the top of the Fortune 500 rankings in 2000 were no longer there in 2010.”
— F.W. OLIN GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT BABSON COLLEGE
Threat: If large, major institutions like Fortune 500 companies are affected by technological innovation and globalization, how do you think will it be for your business or career?
Opportunity: If other companies which started from their garages can do it, why not your business?
“Canada is weak at business innovation. Poor productivity, harms our competitive position in the world and affects our standard of living.”
— CONFERENCE BOARD OF CANADA
Threat: International competition may take over our markets and we get left out.
Opportunity: The landscape is changing. It is being redefined. We have the opportunity to be authors of change. To influence the change, to be ahead in implementation (credibility), and to have the most benefit from it.
“1 in 2 American workers will either move to independent work, or spend at least part of their working hours as self-employed professionals by 2020.”
— CAREER ADVISORY BOARD, PRESENTED BY DEVRY UNIVERSITY
Threat: What will be the basis for career advancements in the future given that competing third party independent work will be abundant and acceptable?
Opportunity: Moving into self-employment, being my own boss and being more in control of my future becomes a more acceptable arrangement with corporations avoiding being tied up with employment.