Probably the most concrete topic I’ve written the most about is the geographic distribution of an R&D workforce. I think one of my main takeaways is to not assume that everyone working together in the same building is as good as it gets, in terms of innovation, though it depends on the industry. Reasons to consider a more distributed workforce:
You can hire people who are a better fit for a specific role if you are set up for a remote workforce
A distributed workforce is exposed to a greater diversity of information environments
Modern communication technology makes it feasible to collaborate effectively at a distance, so that in person communication is no longer so crucial
That said, a distributed workforce offers its own challenges. You have to be more intentional about facilitating random meetings among different parts of the org for one, or you risk excessive siloing. And I think occasional in-person meetups are also important.
If you think nothing matters as much as getting the right people, then this is all the more important!
Some of my favorite papers on corporate innovation is the works of Ashish Arora and his colleagues, who are actively working on this stuff.
Probably the most concrete topic I’ve written the most about is the geographic distribution of an R&D workforce. I think one of my main takeaways is to not assume that everyone working together in the same building is as good as it gets, in terms of innovation, though it depends on the industry. Reasons to consider a more distributed workforce:
You can hire people who are a better fit for a specific role if you are set up for a remote workforce
A distributed workforce is exposed to a greater diversity of information environments
Modern communication technology makes it feasible to collaborate effectively at a distance, so that in person communication is no longer so crucial
That said, a distributed workforce offers its own challenges. You have to be more intentional about facilitating random meetings among different parts of the org for one, or you risk excessive siloing. And I think occasional in-person meetups are also important.
If you think nothing matters as much as getting the right people, then this is all the more important!
Some of my favorite papers on corporate innovation is the works of Ashish Arora and his colleagues, who are actively working on this stuff.