June 2009
Creative in a crisis
In the rush to cut costs, it’s tempting to sideline innovation when, if anything, managers should be encouraging it – if ever there’s a time to be doing things better, leaner, cheaper than before, it’s during a downturn. That means bringing out the bright ideas in your staff and converting those flashes of inspiration into commercial strategies. In this special innovation issue of Edge, we reveal how to harness the hidden ingenuity in your team by promoting a culture of creativity at work.
Fortunately, as this month’s up close tells us, there’s nothing like a financial crisis to focus the mind. In fact, many of the world’s greatest inventions were born during tough times – Apple launched the hugely successful iPod during the post-9/11 downturn, while the 1930s saw the birth of the ubiquitous ballpoint pen. Here at Edge we can’t promise to make you the next Steve Jobs, but we can help you – and your team – get your thinking caps on.
Don’t forget, Edge online is exclusively for ILM members so have your username and password handy…
Features
There might be a lamentable lack of cash available for Britain’s entrepreneurs, but Jonathan Kestenbaum is still optimistic about the country’s capacity for innovation. And he should know – as chief executive of Nesta, it’s his job to back the best, most ambitious start-ups. Jane Lewis went to meet him
Innovation is the lifeblood of any business – without it, companies simply stagnate and eventually vanish. It’s down to managers to cultivate a climate where creativity can thrive, so how do you unlock your employees’ potential and then turn their ideas into reality? Sue Weekes reports
Many managers assume intellectual property only applies to the latest inventions, but all businesses own some form of IP, whether it’s the blueprint for a new product or the design of your logo. Helen Mayson has some top tips to help you protect what’s yours
Columns
Style your summer
It’s easy to stay stylish at work as the weather hots up with a few simple fashion switches. Swap black for brights and experiment with prints for a businesslike take on summer’s hottest workwear trends, says Katie Greengrass
Rip up the rulebook
We all have a rulebook that tells us not to question convention, and forces us to play it safe. But by challenging these rules, we could achieve goals and profits we never thought possible, says Jim Lawless
Innovation nation
We Brits might excel at innovation, but we fall down when it comes to making money out of our grand ideas – and we still haven’t managed to reinvent the cat, says Stewart Gowans