Collaborative innovation in uncertain times

Modeling nature to design new enterprises 

Nature has been dealing with dynamic change for over 3.8 billion years. Skilfully self-organising into diverse and integrated communities and making the most of available resources. In doing this, nature has been able to cope with challenges and endure over the long term.

The greater the resources within the system and the capabilities to use them, combined with the shared relationships between all the varied parts and players, the more resilient the system becomes and the greater its ability to adapt to changing conditions. 

Evolution continually strives to increase this potential and connectivity. The Darwinian concept of survival of the fittest is in reality the survival of most interconnected. 

We are entering an era where connectivity brought about through information technology platforms is evolving to a new world of collaboration and the inherent strengths it provides. From the middle eastern uprising, social media to crowd-sourcing, people are turning to each other more and more to meet new challenges.

And as future uncertainty and change increases, communities and organisations will face increasing pressure to adapt, evolve and remain viable. Collaborative innovation will become a critical success factor at a social and organisational level. In fact, collaborative innovation may be the only way to keep pace with changes we can expect in the foreseeable future.

Collaborative innovation requires us to think like eco-systems. Understanding the stocks, flows, quality and nature of the connections at play within a community or organisation. And knowing that the greater the quality and quantity of those connections the more resilient and sustainable the community or enterprise becomes.

Design strategies need to focus on building these eco-systems, placing emphasis on not only the relationships but also on the quality and sustainability of those relationships.  This is done by determining the resources (raw and manufactured materials, capital and time), capabilities (foundation and applied skills and process) and networks (supportive and influential relationships) surrounding the customer, beneficiary or enterprise. Then applying a set of naturally inspired principles to create dynamic and integrated eco-systems to support them. This is the fundamental approach taken by NextPlays.

An example of this approach was taken recently when Sociedades Del Futuro ran a NextPlays Generation Challenge with Ashoka in Mexico City. 

Ashoka is a 30 year-old global organisation that identifies and invests in leading social entrepreneurs (Ashoka Fellows) and individuals with innovative and practical ideas for solving social and environmental challenges. 

The intent of the Challenge was to identify where approximately 50 Ashoka supporters and funders could contribute at some level to the eco-system surrounding Fellows’ enterprises and experience the Ashoka call for everyone to be a change-maker.

The supporters and funders were assembled in teams around each Ashoka Fellow with everyone given the chance to bring ‘something to the table’, or share something they thought could benefit and support the Fellow’s enterprise. Then, following a defined process using the seven plays or approaches, everyone began to contribute, collaborate and build the eco-system, understand impacts and define a strategy.

The results were more robust and potentially more responsive enterprises supported by a community driven to help it succeed and scale. It led to new thinking about the offering and conversations around collaborative consumptions and access to products and services, not just ownership.

But the results ultimately have to be proven where they matter most, with the social enterprises and the beneficiaries they serve. The enterprises have to be resilient enough to withstand or adapt to changing conditions.  

Interestingly enough, a recent survey by New Philanthropy Capital in the United Kingdom is showing that social enterprises by their very nature may be more resilient than other forms of enterprise. With recessionary pressure, funding cuts and downsized budgets the pressure is on the community sector.  

What might be considered counterintuitive, social enterprises were proving more resilient when it came to surviving and even growing in the current economy. The study found that social enterprises in the sample were 20 per cent more likely to survive for five years than the average UK business, had very high average growth rates (17 per cent annually) and reported continuous growth even during the recession.

Although the results were focused on diversity of funding and support, with a mix of some grant funding, commercial income generation and direct community (voluntary) involvement, they showed that interconnectivity rather than autonomy is more sustainable. Not only was this approach better for the enterprises, it was still delivering the services and outcomes for the community.

Collaboration is becoming a critical success factor in uncertain times. And If we can move from merely sharing ideas to designing models that are more inspired by nature, creating connections and shared value then we can create systems to last.