Supporting Profitable Growth through Innovation
2 Productivity & Innovation Centre | Supporting Profitable Growth through Innovation
PROFESSOR GEORGE TALBOT
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) and Dean of Arts and Sciences
EDGE HILL UNIVERSITY IS A KEY RESOURCE FOR PROFITABLE GROWTH IN LANCASHIRE.
Edge Hill University has been building its research capacity over the last decade and has particularly invested in Biosciences, Computer Science and Health and Social Care through major development of state-of-the-art buildings and industry-standard equipment. The strategy for 2016-2020 is committed to building relations with external partners and supports the growth of the local, regional and national economy through a range of diverse research and funded projects. The Productivity & Innovation Centre (PIC) will bring important benefits to the region’s SMEs and therefore our community. The centre aims to improve the productivity of Lancashire based SME innovation practices, expertise and capabilities for the region. The PIC is a centre of excellence for innovation and complements other regional initiatives such as Lancaster University’s Health Innovation Campus and Chorley Digital Office Park. The Centre welcomes SMEs from a range of sectors including agri-tech, digital, health and professional and business services. We have brought together business experts from across the University to offer you the very best support for business growth. We look forward to working with you and your business.
CONTENTS 04
HOW CAN WE HELP YOUR BUSINESS?
06
CLARIFYING YOUR OPPORTUNITY
07
DEVELOPING YOUR SOLUTION
08
CASE STUDY
10
MEET THE PIC TEAM
11
FUNDED SUPPORT
11
GUEST SPEAKER SUPPORT
12
GET IN TOUCH
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PROFESSOR SIMON BOLTON
Associate Dean of Enterprise and Employability
MANY SMES WHO SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS OF INNOVATION, EXPERIENCE AN INCREASE IN PROFITABILITY AND GROWTH.
The innovation process for SMEs can often be complex, intensive and time-consuming. My work with global organisations including Procter & Gamble, BSkyB, Nokia and the BBC to improve the productivity of their innovation practices has resulted in the development of a highly effective rapid innovation process namely the Innovation Sprint Programme. The Programme has been adapted to ensure effective use by SMEs. The uniqueness of the Programme is that it utilises the SMEs business data and knowledge to produce invaluable insights, resulting in a more rapid and productive innovation process. Business data is a valuable commodity that can help build and shape new products, services and business models into tangible and feasible solutions. I am delighted to be working alongside local SMEs to support growth through innovation.
The Productivity & Innovation Centre is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The fully-funded assistance is offered to Lancashire based eligible SMEs.
The Programme helped me to take control of the business, instead of the business taking control of me... Graham Caunce – Managing Director, Rudd MacNamara
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WELCOME TO THE PRODUCTIVITY & INNOVATION CENTRE AT EDGE HILL UNIVERSITY The PIC is a centre of excellence in the region for stimulating growth and economic development through business innovation. The PIC is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
HOW CAN WE HELP YOUR BUSINESS? For many SMEs, engaging in innovation to develop new products, services and business models increases profits, supports growth and enables them to adapt to changing competitive landscapes. Innovation can however be fraught with complexity, uncertain, time consuming and carry intolerable levels of risk. SMEs need to have confidence they are driving the right innovation forward. Our unique Innovation Sprint Programme offers a systematic and evidence-based process through which SMEs can address their innovation opportunity or challenge.
By capturing information about your business and using our big data technologies, our experts can help you to unlock key insights and create actionable knowledge, to be used as the basis of your innovation decision-making. Working with our business experts, this data will form the foundation on which you will shape and build your innovation concept through to a realisable solution.
FACT
60 %
60% of leading business figures use Big Data to shape decision-making
Did you know? Our work with international organisations and brands have helped shape the design of the Innovation Sprint Programme, including Procter & Gamble, the BBC and Nokia.
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Innovation is a significant function for any business that wants to drive growth and increase profitability. The PIC offers SMEs a fantastic opportunity to explore a new product, service or challenge and work with business experts to discover its true value before making a significant investment. Andrew Leeming Boost; Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub
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CLARIFYING YOUR OPPORTUNITY THE PROGRAMME CONSISTS OF TWO PHASES:
PHASE 01 Your dedicated Business Development Consultant will work with you to discover more about you and your business via an innovation diagnostic and data capture process. The activity will also assess your business’ suitability for the Innovation Sprint Programme. Having clarity on your starting point, innovation driver and objectives is key to success.
YOUR DATA Making maximum use of your existing business data is vital to the Programme. Your Consultant will extract data and details about your business, products and services including:
Sales figures Customer profiles Supply chain Competitors Technical capabilities Staff competencies and skills Our academic team will then process your data using our big data science technologies to produce a full data analysis report. The final part of phase one is to attend a short facilitated workshop to clarify the requirements for your project using your exclusive data report.
A limited number of fully-funded places are available for eligible Lancashire based SMEs.
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DEVELOPING YOUR SOLUTION
PHASE 02 During this phase, you will attend three intensive workshops. The Programme will require your commitment, input and full participation to maximise the potential of arriving at an achievable solution and effective innovation is also about maintaining momentum. During the facilitated workshops, you will work with our academic business experts to:
Use your data report and its findings for concept development Scrutinise your opportunity and ideas using our systematic innovation framework and business impact criteria Manage uncertainty through evidence-based decision-making Test and refine your solution through engaging with your customers/suppliers/ partners Develop technically and financially feasible solutions
YOUR SOLUTION The outcome will provide you with greater evidence and confidence to transform your innovation into reality: supporting business growth and improving profitability.
Data driven innovation can improve a company’s productivity by up to 10%.
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CASE STUDY
LINKING THEORY TO PRACTICE
Simon Bolton is a Professor of Innovation with many years’ global experience in a range of industries. Simon is an internationally acclaimed designer, practice-led researcher and innovation consultant specialising in helping organisations improve and develop their innovation capabilities and business performance.
THE PROJECT
THE RESULTS
In the late 1990s, Simon co-developed the project to address an ongoing issue regarding plastic bags for fresh produce in the retail sector. The sector is highly competitive and for many premium supermarkets, a good customer experience is paramount.
The revolutionary units are still a major feature of the fresh produce aisles today. The success of the product is based upon it delivering savings in wastage of up to 25%.
THE RESEARCH
The introduction of the units created a wow factor amongst consumers, who clearly identified the benefits of using the easy to use dispenser.
Research showed that customers were experiencing difficulty opening plastic bags in which to put fresh produce and at checkouts. This would cause frustration that would result in the bag being discarded and led to 25% wastage: an excessive expense for any large retailer.
THE INSIGHTS These valuable insights led to the development of two main technical innovation features in the packaging industry: Perforation around the neck of the bag and resistance on bottom section to to allow quick pull to remove one single bag. These technical features launched the creation of the Pinch Pull Bag Dispensing Unit. The designers developed a box in which to store the cartridge of bags. Thorough testing of the prototype dispenser occurred to ensure proof of concept and that the project could be adapted to scale and be mass-produced.
Over 10 million people use the Pinch Pull Bag Dispensing Unit each week. The success of the product is based upon it delivering savings in wastage of up to 25%.
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Insights are the engine of creativity and innovation and help us to develop a deep understanding of unmet needs. They drive market relevance, reach and commercial profitability. Simon Bolton Professor of Innovation
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MEET THE PIC TEAM
PROFESSOR SIMON BOLTON
DR CHARLES KNIGHT
DR MARCELLO TROVATI
Centre Director, Innovation Expert
Associate Director Business School, Business Model Innovation Expert
Reader in Computer Science, Big Data Technology Expert
MICHAEL BANFORD
STEVE MCARDLE
JOANNE MCCAFFREY
Productivity & Innovation Centre Manager
Business Development Coordinator
Business Development Coordinator
TOM WILKINSON
KIM WHITEHALL
KATH CONNELL-WELSH
Business Development Coordinator
Compliance Coordinator
Marketing Coordinator
DID YOU KNOW? £20bn of government investment is planned for high growth, innovative businesses over ten years. There are over 52,000 registered enterprises in Lancashire. ALEX LAMBIE Administrator
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FUNDED SUPPORT Fully-funded places on the Innovation Sprint Programme are limited. To be eligible to secure one of our fully-funded places, your business must: Be an SME (as defined by the European Commission) Be based in Lancashire
Our Business Consultant will confirm eligibility during the innovation diagnostic. For further information on funding opportunities, please telephone: 01695 657756
GUEST SPEAKER SUPPORT Our academic experts are happy to share their business expertise and knowledge to help drive innovation and growth. If you are planning a business conference or event across the region, one of our experts will be happy to attend as a guest speaker.
To request availability, email details of your event to: pic@edgehill.ac.uk
DID YOU KNOW? Our work with international organisations and brands have helped shape the design of the Innovation Sprint Programme, including Procter & Gamble, the BBC and Nokia.
Over 15,000 students choose to study at Edge Hill University
GET IN TOUCH To book a consultation with a member of our Business Development Team or to find out more about the Productivity & Innovation Centre: T: 01695 657756 E: pic@edgehill.ac.uk W: www.edgehill.ac.uk/pic Twitter: @PIC_EHU Edge Hill University St Helens Road Ormskirk Lancashire L39 4QP