Innovation for Value and Mission

lt;p>Mr. Van Biljon is the founder of BMNP Strategies LLC, an advisory company. He serves clients on strategy, innovation, and business transformation. His focus is on challenges related to Industry 4.0, and the impact of disruptive technologies such as AI, digitization, fintech, and IoT.

Mr. Van Biljon was formerly a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where he managed their global innovation practice. Prior to that he led the Research & Technology Executive Council and other best-practice programs for senior executives at CEB, now Gartner. He has held executive positions in technology management and operations at several companies internationally. He is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy where he has been teaching a graduate course on Innovation and Public Policy since 2017.

Mr. Van Biljon's previous book, Making Money: The History and Future of Society's Most Important Technology, coauthored with Alexandra Lajoux, was published in 2020. Earlier he coauthored a book on business ethics, Profit with a Higher Purpose. Articles on innovation and R&D management coauthored by him have been published in MIT Sloan Management Review, Research-Technology Management, and on mckinsey.com.

He holds a B.Eng (Electronics) degree from the University of Stellenbosch, B.Com (Accounting and Economics), and M.Com (Economics) degrees from the University of South Africa. He is licensed as a professional engineer in Ontario, Canada, and is a longstanding member of the IEEE, where he recently co-chaired the General Principles Committee of the IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems (A/IS).

PART I. A QUICK START TO INNOVATION

Chapter 1. Introduction

• The need for innovation in the private and public sectors
• Definition and types of innovation
• The multi-disciplinary nature of innovation
• Course plan options and how to use this book

Chapter 2. Creativity and design thinking

• Human creativity and the processes that expand it
• Problem statements and sources of insight
• Tools for insight and selecting the right model
• Introduction to design thinking and lean start-up models

Chapter 3. Big ideas in innovation

• Innovation thought leaders from Schumpeter to contemporary
• Major schools of thought in innovation
• Why innovation is so hard and where the pitfalls are
• Synthesis: The 7 Secrets of Innovation Success

Part II. INNOVATION IN CONTEXT

Chapter 4. Understanding technological innovation

• The Fourth Industrial Revolution
• The nature of technological transformation
• The Industrial Internet of Things, smart factories, and smart cities
• Advanced analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and other intelligent systems

Chapter 5. Public policy and the Fourth Industrial Revolution

• The race for supremacy in AI
• Policy and ethical issues in the use of AI and intelligent systems
• Retraining and upskilling the workforce; industry incentives for innovation
• Universal Basic Income (UBI) and other policy ideas for the Future of Work

Chapter 6. Prosperity, productivity, and national innovation systems

• The changing nature of competitive advantage
• The national innovation system
• Lessons for advanced economies
• Lessons for emerging economies

PART III. INNOVATION MANAGEMENT

Chapter 7. Managing R&D and product development

• Technical and business risk management
• Timelines and the need for speed - agile development and other methods
• Manufacturing and quality systems
• Technology strategy and roadmaps

Chapter 8. Innovation management systems

• The essential elements of an innovation system
• Different strategic and innovation leadership styles
• Growth horizons and different types of innovation needed
• Innovation stages, process management, and innovation playbook development

Chapter 9. Innovation portfolio management and decision-making

• Introduction to innovation and R&D portfolio management
• Managing complexity: projects, portfolios, and anticipating chaos
• Ensuring portfolio alignment with strategy
• Decision-making processes and their flaws - cognitive biases and distortions

PART IV. THE ECOSYSTEM OF INNOVATION

Chapter 10. Innovation in organizations

• The social nature of innovation and the different roles people need to play
• Dedicated innovation structures and when to use them
• Innovation culture, change management, and the role of leadership
• How to recognize and scale best practices in organizations

Chapter 11. Open innovation

• The role of open innovation and external networks
• External collaboration goals and models
• Innovation competitions
• Additional crowd-sourcing techniques

Chapter 12. Business model innovation

• The elements of a business model
• Platform innovation
• Value proposition stress-testing and business prototyping
• Adapting and pivoting like a startup

Chapter 13. Innovating with a purpose

• The Triple Bottom Line and other socially responsible approaches
• Green innovation and the role of regulation
• How private companies innovate for ESG - cases and discussion
• How the public sector innovates for sustainability - cases and discussion

PART V. QUICK APPLICATION GUIDES TO INNOVATION < MAY BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL SECTORS DEPENDING ON LENGTH OF PARTS I TO IV.>

Chapter 14. Aerospace and defense innovation

• Regular development processes vs. skunk works
• Requirements management, functionality, and technology choices
• Introduction to systems engineering
• Lifecycle management

Chapter 15. Healthcare innovation

• Pharmaceuticals
• Medical Devices
• Healthcare providers
• Healthcare payors

Chapter 16. Fintech and financial industry innovation

• The fintech landscape
• The battle between start-ups vs. incumbents
• Cryptocurrencies and blockchains
• Regulation of fintech and cryptocurrencies

"This book provides a rich overview of the total landscape all innovators must address, presenting the most important tools and how they connect. It is an excellent resource for both teachers and practitioners of innovation and would have made my own leadership in innovation much easier!"
Wayne Delker, Chief Innovation Officer (ret), The Clorox Company

"Innovation for Value and Mission uniquely connects the world of private-sector innovation with the world of innovation policymaking. It's a rigorous but accessible introduction to innovation for university students. It's also a great reference that all innovation practitioners and policymakers should have on their bookshelves."
Magnus Penker, Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author; CEO, Innovation360

"The book contains a strong summary of many important concepts, frameworks, and theories about the business innovation process. It would be an ideal book for introducing the fundamentals as well as providing reference materials for more advanced students."
Nestor Guimaraes, Professor, College of Business, Tennessee Tech University