Innovation in business is everyone’s business, says EFC

As the world braces itself for tough economic times and a looming global recession, the Employers Federation of Ceylon asks the question ‘How Can We Harness Business Innovation for Organisational Sustainability?’ and invites organisations to enter into the ‘Big Conversation’ at its Employers’ Symposium this month.

Innovation is the word that is on everyone’s lips these days. It’s the buzzword of the year as we hear key business icons like Steve Jobs telling us that it is Innovation that separates the leaders from the followers or Michael Porter reminding us that it is Innovation that is the central issue when it comes to economic prosperity.

But what does that mean exactly? How can businesses become more innovative? Who in a company is most innovative and how can businesses find, grow and nurture that talent amongst their staff? With innovation can come high risks and costs. What are the implications of these risks and costs? Are we in danger of innovating for innovation’s sake?

All these questions and more will be considered and discussed at the Employers Symposium on ‘Harnessing Innovation for Organisational Sustainability’ in a series of presentations, panel discussions and questions and answer sessions.

The themes covered in the symposium will look at: Fostering an environment for innovation; changing mindsets from compliance to commitment; the role of HR in the innovation journey; and strategies for a way forward.

A collection of high profile national and international speakers and panellists from the business world as well as academia will be attending the one and a half day event to give their take on the issues around business innovation.

The key resource person will be Chairman of the Singaporean consultancy firm ManagementWise (Pvt) Ltd. Ong Teong Wan. With a professional career spanning 25 years Wan has progressed from educational institutions to business operations and corporate offices and eventually risen to sitting on a number of multinational boards as well as numerous professional bodies.

As the author of the bestselling book ‘Results Management,’ Wan has advised and trained various government ministries as well as organisations on effective people management strategies for business success.

In an innovative “twist” to the event, the second day will be dedicated to celebrating and showcasing just how innovative organisations in Sri Lanka can be and what can be learned from their best practice. A series of case studies will be presented demonstrating amazing innovations in various areas of the business lifecycle including product design, operational process and people management.

These ‘world firsts’ include the development of a pioneering technology that has transformed an environmentally hazardous technique into a totally green process that is safe for the environment.

It also includes an “glocal” ( local solution that can be used globally) award winning people management system that was developed for factory workers in Sri Lanka and is now being rolled out to the company’s other factories around the world.

The product development case study will recount the fascinating story of how a Sri Lankan company created a product that smashed a 27-year-old world record at this year’s 2012 Olympics.

The Symposium will be held at Waters Edge, Battaramulla on 28 and 29 November 2012. For more information and to book tickets please call the EFC Hotline on 0774777771 or email Vasana Wijesinghe ([email protected]) or Iresha Wijayasiri ([email protected]).