William Mzimba … we seek to have a credible source of information. Picture: Robert Tshabalala
William Mzimba … we seek to have a credible source of information. Picture: Robert Tshabalala

ONE of the core aims of the Accenture Innovation Index project is to “demystify” innovation. In particular, it seeks to quantify performance in innovation within organisations in hard metrics terms by measuring incremental improvements, regardless of sector or whether companies are large, medium or small.

Says William Mzimba, CEO of Accenture: “A key driver — and something that is of concern in his country — is our inability to drive innovation because it is often seen as a mystical type of business concept. We seek to have a credible source of information available whereby we can come up with macro measurements on real innovation taking place in South Africa.

“We intend to build a database comprising information from hundreds of companies in South Africa, all measured on the same basis, which will enable us to build a credible innovation measurement index.”

Mr Mzimba says measurement of innovation will include not only the economic impact, but also the impact from a social and environmental perspective — for example, social impact as a result of government departments and non-governmental organisations “doing innovative things that are going to make a meaningful contribution to communities.

“We hope that as this index becomes increasingly accepted as an important metric, more organisations will take part.” Participation could extend to a division within an organisation, or even an individual government department, says Mr Mzimba.

“The goal is to create role models. Let’s tell the stories about creative people who have defied the odds and made things happen.”

Roy Marcus, chairman of The DaVinci Institute, says: “We have collaborated with Accenture to design the first of its kind in the world — an innovation index capable of helping organisations identify how and where innovation should take place.”

The index questionnaire will guide participants through elements across the business spectrum. This will include not only the innovation process itself, but elements contributing to that process, says Mr Marcus.

Every organisation that completes and applies the questionnaire will be given a “performance dashboard” providing them with key metrics indicating how they shape up on innovation — and on a confidential basis — how the top players in their particular industry sector are faring.

“They will be able to identify the elements within their organisations that need attention, in order to bring them up to speed with their peers.

“It’s not about entering a competition — it’s about learning how one should measure innovation, as well as its results,” says Mr Marcus.

South Africans are generally “inventive but not necessarily innovative”, he argues.

“We have incredibly good ideas but our ability to commercialise those ideas is among the worst in the world. This singular lack of ability to capitalise on good ideas is one of our key drivers. The challenge is to convert good ideas into an economic, environmental or social benefit,” says Mr Marcus.

“Companies under financial pressure need to realise that’s it only through innovation that they are going to survive. While they are trying to do business as usual, their competition is getting smarter … so they need to become even more creative in reinventing the way they do business.

“South African companies should enter this innovation index process with the full knowledge that they are going to go through a positive learning experience.”

Insights: Accenture Innovation Index