\nHow do you avoid the pitfalls<\/strong> and failures that are synonymous with frustration<\/strong> for stakeholders, and wasted time and money for managers?
\nThere’s only one answer <\/strong> to these questions : the Holistic Lab! <\/strong>What are we talking about when we talk about innovation?<\/strong> <\/p>\n
Innovation as such is nothing new, but its definition has evolved over the last decade,” explains Patrick Hoffstetter, co-director of Connection Leadership. The reason?<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n Global brand transformation<\/strong>. For our expert, there are three levels<\/strong> – or wave forces – of transformation. For companies, the question is no longer “should we transform?<\/em><\/strong> but rather “how can we make a success of our transformation<\/em><\/strong>? So how do we go about it? <\/strong> By highlighting the different dimensions that need to be taken into<\/strong> account to successfully transform<\/strong> the company. Our approach is based on a simple observation: the majority of unsuccessful transformations stem from a failure to take complexity into account,” explains Patrick Hoffstetter.
\n In the past,<\/strong> it only concerned the product<\/strong> – and as such was carried out by R&D teams – but today it covers a much wider perimeter<\/strong>.” <\/em><\/p>\n
\n“These (r)evolutions naturally impact the entire company, challenging all its departments in the process: HR, finance, purchasing, distribution, communications, marketing… So the structure is forced to rethink innovation in every pore of its skin… or die.
\nAnd that’s just as well, because it’s the sine qua non for a successful approach. <\/em>“says Patrick Hoffstetter. <\/p>\nThe three levels of transformation<\/h3>\n
\nThe first<\/strong>, common to all companies, is of course digitalization<\/strong>.
\nWhile this has a major impact on organization and processes, it does not alter the company’s DNA.
\nThe second level<\/strong> concerns brands<\/strong>, which must reinvent themselves<\/strong> to counter the arrival of new players positioned upstream or downstream of their value chain.
\nFinally, the last level<\/strong>, by far the most critical<\/strong>, is the phenomenon of Uberization<\/strong>, i.e. the arrival on the market of disruptors who upset or even threaten incumbent companies by introducing a new economic model that undermines the traditional one.
\n“Whatever the intensity of the wave, the risk is to drown!” warns Patrick Hoffstetter. <\/p>\nInnovate, yes, but according to which model?<\/h3>\n
\nAnd there is a wide range of practices<\/strong> in this area: some large groups choose tointernalize the process<\/strong>, by creating innovation units<\/strong>, for example.
\nOthers join an incubator<\/strong> or become part of an investment fund.
\nStill others collaborate with, or even acquire, startups<\/strong> for their ability to move fast and bounce back quickly from setbacks, all with limited resources. There are many different models, but few of them are really satisfactory,” stresses the expert.
\nWhen we look at the different analytical frameworks, we see that the overall results are often not commensurate with the resources deployed.
\nWhen carried out in-house, particularly in intrapreneurial mode, the lack of disruptive recommendations often leads to frustration<\/strong>.
\nConversely, when the process is entirely outsourced<\/strong>, the POCs* developed often come up against the company’s historical processes. <\/em>The reason?<\/strong> Theabsence of a cross-functional vision and\/or the refusal of<\/strong> a manager or brand to question itself<\/strong>. And it’s crucial!<\/em><\/p>\nThe holistic approach as a lever for transformation<\/h3>\n
\nThrough our holistic approach, which combines extensive benchmarking with in-depth knowledge of<\/strong> the human being, we support brands on a global scale, precisely reconciling their cultural, technological and business visions<\/strong>. From our point of view, you can’t have one without the other. <\/em><\/p>\n
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Patrick Hoffstetter<\/a> Co-founder of Connection Leadership, Patrick has held a number of high-level positions over the past 30 years, both with major international groups and with GAFAs and startups.