Overcoming obstacles to innovation using internal service providers Promotors of Innovation

Generating innovations is one option for companies in order to achieve profitable growth. In comparison with other options (such as market penetration), it also carries the greatest risks. Innovations require drivers in order to ensure that new developments can be incorporated in the existing organisation. The start of the innovation process is per se characterised by a high degree of uncertainty as well as numerous obstacles. In addition to technical experts contributing their specific input, it is also necessary to have decision makers who will weigh up the opportunities and risks involved in innovation projects. In large companies acting on a global scale with a high degree of division of responsibilities, support functions (process promotors / relationship promoters) are a success factor for innovations. Schaeffler practises a promotor model. By means of a structured innovation process, technical and authority promotors are involved in a targeted manner by process promotors. The responsibility of process promotors in Corporate Innovation Management is exclusively to innovation and not to the interests of specific departments. They provide orientation, support problem solving and preparation for decision making. In regular meetings, innovation projects are then discussed with top management and innovation budgets are approved on a targeted basis. Cooperation across organisational boundaries often fail as a result of a dilemma over responsibility. Central interfaces can provide a remedy here. Base on the example of development in future mobility, it is shown how different stakeholders can work jointly and with the support of moderation and structure to develop objective visions of the future. Innovation processes are created within the context of Open Innovation. The requirements place on the process promotors increase with the involvement of external knowledge sources. Practice shows that the quality of results increases when promotors are involved as an interface between internal and external technical experts. Innovations are change processes with people at the centre who should understand changes as an opportunity. Process promotors acting as internal service providers in the company promote not only the output arising from creativity but also the continuous development of the innovation culture in the company.