IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

2 0 2 1 INNOVA TION
S UR VE Y R E S ULT S
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A FE W
INITIAL
T H OUG H T S

Thank you to everyone who took

the time to respond to our
innovation survey. We invited
4,000 C-suite and other leaders
around the globe to participate
and received over 650
responses. We're excited to share
the results with you and
welcome any additional
feedback or questions you may
have. Here's to your innovation!

THE PLAZABRIDGE TEAM

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658
total respondents from C-suite
and VP roles around the world

Represented titles include: Chief Innovation Officers, Chief

Financial Officers, Chief Executive Officers, VP/Chief Product
Officers, Venture-Funded Startup Founders, and others in
leadership and decision-making roles.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Corporate innovation is like exercise. Some
people make it a daily routine and consider it
part of their life. Others exercise as needed and
periodically to ensure they stay fit for special
occasions. Innovation is perceived the same way
among our respondents.

- The Plazabridge Team

KEY FINDINGS
1. Conflict between innovation and execution dominates the current business environment.

2. The need to collaborate with a larger network of partners, customers and constituents is

seen as critical to successful innovation.

3. Leadership in innovation starts at the top and must be integral to company culture.

4. Innovation is used in multiple contexts, from novel idea generation to incremental system

improvement.

5. A large segment of respondents view innovation as the domain of “special projects.”

6. Respondents take one of two positions: innovation is a discrete process vs. innovation is

pervasive in the company culture and acted upon continuously.

7. An emerging source for innovation (e.g., ESG Strategies) is gaining awareness.

8. Innovation skills are in high demand, especially with existing employees.

9. Support for innovation development often comes from outside the organization.

10. Most respondents feel resources are in place to “catch” new innovative ideas.

11. Many still feel the stigma of innovation failure leads to job failure.

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Is launching new products/services critical to your

organization's growth plans? Actionable Insights
Execution expertise
will be critical to
success.

See case study of how

PBG has worked with
companies to execute
on new product
initiatives.
Does the culture you created support sharing of new ideas?

Is innovation a top priority for you in 2021/2022?

1 = Low
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
10 = High

Our priority for 2021/22 is getting new products out the

door. Commercialization is our focus. Too many ideas,
not enough execution.

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My leadership team has a high understanding of Actionable Insights

fostering a strong creative culture that will produce new Continue to foster a
products and services to market. creative and innovative
culture. Develop a
product management
framework and
incentivize execution
success!

Execution support is always available to commercialize

justified innovation projects.

How important is it that your workforce stay focused on

day-to-day priorities vs. new product initiatives?

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It's critical that we foster a mindset and culture of Actionable Insights

entrepreneurial thinking and action. Bring on or promote an
entrepreneur-in-
residence. PBG’s role
with many of our
clients is just that. We
mentor individual
leaders and teams on
building a successful
startup and
entrepreneurial way of
being in the
My leadership team is data and tech savvy. The leadership organization. How is
team understands what it takes to build new products today your organization
and leverage technologies such as AI/ML, VR/AR, etc. encouraging a startup
mentality?

To what degree does senior management encourage

innovation by demonstrating that "it's okay to fail"?

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Top organizational challenges in 2021:

Revenue Growth
Execution Open Source Product Research
Agility to Adapt Net Zero Innovation
Product Development Reduce Expenditure

Our organization has aligned innovation and ESG strategies. Actionable Insights
Environmental,
Sustainable,
Governance (ESG) is
important not just to
activist investors but to
attracting top talent.
Young and professional
career-minded
individuals are
increasingly seeking
We have a strong innovation culture in our organization. companies with strong
purpose and who act
responsibly. Actively
promote your results
not just to investors but
to your customers and
on your career sites.

Look for ways to vet the

best contractors or
work with companies
like Plazabridge Group
who bring the best of
Our organization uses the following supports: the best to you. One
stop filling talent gaps
can save you time and
money.

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What are the enablers to innovation in your organization?

Optimism Resources Budget

Talent Incentives Investment
Active Innovation Time Diligence
Open Source Reduce Expenditure Positivity

What are your most pressing needs in enhancing innovation output in

your organization (e.g., execution resources, business model strategy
support, etc.)?

Budget Enablement Strategy

Risk Appetite Scale Up Investment Capital
Business Model Policy Support Execution Resources

How successful is your company in developing new Actionable Insights

products and getting them to market? See how we help
develop new products
and build talent and
skills for some ideas on
actions you can take.

Additional Reading:
Case Study: Digital
Transformation for
Revenue Growth
We have all the right skills we need to drive future growth. Case Study:
Building Innovative
Teams

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I would value having more outside partners in big thinking. Actionable Insights
Seek out collaborative
peer groups that are
strong, engaging, and
stimulate your own
growth mindset. PBG’s
Innovation Circles have
led participants to new
opportunities and
companies to
discovering hidden
assets and revenue
opportunities.
Is there a business innovation champion in your Learn more.
company? If so, what is their title or role in the
organization? See our workbook for
ideas on evolving your
innovation practice,
CInO Chief Innovation Officer

Insights I would value most from companies like

Plazabridge Group include (choose all that apply):

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E N G A G E ME N T OPPOR T UN I T I E S
Develop innovation workshops and webinar series for company employees.
Facilitate a multi-day brainstorming summit to develop new product ideas.
Hold guided innovation sessions with select partners to imagine new business
models, new products, etc.
Market test new innovations to determine business viability.
Develop an innovation roadmap with business analysis of future company impacts.
Select, recruit and develop an innovation team for special projects.

Additional Resources
Plazabridge Group Innovation Development Program (IDP)
Plazabridge IDP includes upfront discovery through a combination of research,
interviews, market outreach and problem definition. A period of innovation formulation
includes iterative discussions with internal and external constituents. Concept review
follows where each idea is ranked and scored according to a proprietary rating system;
The Plazabridge Group Innovation Scorecard. A formal presentation of ideas is given to
senior management and engagement is proposed. The engagement is a 6-month term
where PBG lays the necessary ground-work for innovation commercialization.

Learn More

GInI Certification Program GInI Applied Innovation Master Book

“GInI’s Certification has allowed me to
become a better version of myself – a
better innovator, team contributor,
empathic customer listener, and business
leader.”
Samuel Broomer, Executive Vice President
/ Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer,
Berkley Re Solutions, Stamford, CT
“The GInI AInMB is the most complete
reference guide out there on innovation.
It contains everything the modern Chief
Innovation Officer and Innovation
Manager need to know.”
Dr. Marc Sniukas, Professor of
Management & Innovation, Luxembourg
School of Business, Luxembourg

Learn More Learn More

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About Plazabridge Group
Since the dog days of 2008, Plazabridge Group has been helping companies bring innovation
front and center to their success. Applying unique process improvements to all aspects of
revenue growth, our experts deliver on the promises of organizational impact, market
advantage and the potential of innovative product strategies. When your revenue is in focus,
asking Plazabridge Group associates to work with your existing teams can be a formula for
lowering risk and improving opportunities to expand markets, product lines and internal
business development processes.

Ready to take the next step? Get in touch and see how Plazabridge can make your
innovation ideas a reality!
Phone: (919) 473-6748
Email: sabrina@plazabridgegroup.com

PLAZABRIDGE GROUP IS AN AUTHORIZED INNOVATION PROVIDER OF GINI

Interested in taking a GInI certification training course or having your organization accredited
by GInI? PlazaBridge Group is an Authorized Innovation Provider of GInI and can facilitate any
of the GInI exam preparation training courses. In these courses, the GInI body of knowledge is
taught, and participants are prepared for pursuing formal certification with GInI at any one of
the five role levels – CInP®, CDTP®, CInS®, CCInO®, and AInA®. PlazaBridge Group can also
facilitate any of the assessments required for the accreditation of your organization and its
innovation assets with GInI. To learn more, contact Sabrina@plazabridgegroup.com.

About GInI - Global Innovation Institute

Setting the standard for innovation excellence around the world.

GInI (Global Innovation Institute) is the world’s leading professional certification, accreditation,
and membership association in the field of innovation. GInI aims to advance individual careers
and transform organizational achievements by advancing the profession of innovation
leadership. It does this through its globally-recognized standards, tools, publications, resources,
professional development courses, certifications, applied research, and networking
opportunities.

All certifications and accreditations available through GInI reflect the most current methods,
trends, and strategies in innovation leadership. GInI sets the standard for innovation excellence
around the world.

To learn more, reach out to GInI:

Website: www.gini.org
Email: gini@gini.org
Phone: +1 877 276 7701

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