The future’s bright
“Emerging economies’ share of Fortune Global 500
companies will… jump to more than 45% by 2025, up
from just 5%in 2000. Many of these businesses,
having been nurtured in difficult operating
environments, are not only more agile than their
counterparts from advanced economies but also
prepared to invest for the long term, even if this cuts
earnings in the next few quarters.”
McKinsey & Company, 2013
We have some of the world’s most inventive,
resourceful people
We have been involved in developing
some of the world’s most useful and
transformative technologies
R&D Spend in US$ Billions

450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0

Sources:
- Battelle
- National Bureau of Statistics of Chine
- Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
R&D Spend as proportion of GDP

4.00%
3.50%
3.00%
2.50%
2.00%
1.50%
1.00%
0.50%
0.00%
80% of all employment in Sub-Saharan Africa takes
place in the informal sector
Mo Ibrahim Foundation, 2012
We’ve inherited a
culture of authority
We’re scared
And we’re thinking about
market attractiveness
all wrong
How can we overcome these barriers?

• Get to know your customers
• Flatten your structures
• Think outside the pie
How can you grow the pie?
Or transform it?
SHAREHOLDER
VALUE

CUSTOMER
VALUE

MARKET
VALUE

DIRECT
EMPLOYMENT
VALUE

LONG-TERM
SOCIETAL
VALUE

Benefits:
Better
Revenue
and profit

Better
Growing
New employment
Education,
value for existing categories,
and
healthcare
customers
developing new entrepreneurial infrastructure and
categories
opportunities
sustainable
and unlocking
natural
new markets
resources
Shareholder
Value
Getting Customer Innovation Right
•

Define the problem
Be clear about what you need to achieve or fix

•

Understand your customer better than anyone else
Authentic ethnography

•

Get Lateral
Speak to experts from unrelated fields, include diverse participants, keep
your eyes and ears open

•

Take the time
You’re not going to solve it in single brainstorm

•

Get the attitude right
Build, don’t break
“The most important characteristic of
industry-changing innovators is the ability to
spot consumer trends before the rest. Very
often, those trends are already evident in
other, seemingly unrelated, industries.”
Peter Schoeman, Divisional Director Sales & Marketing,
City Lodge Hotel Group
Key techniques for innovation that grow markets:

• Ditch the unnecessary conventions
• Turn pirates into partners
• Identify behaviour shifts
in other categories
BUSINESS CHAIN
CORE BUSINESS

INPUTS

DESIGN

MANUFACTURING

Opportunities for entrepreneurial innovation?

DISTRIBUTION

MARKETING

AFTER-SALES
SERVICE
Key techniques for innovation that
creates employment value:

• Focus on your core
• Innovate for people
• Piggyback on existing distribution
networks and skills
YOUR BUSINESS’
PURPOSE
(eg. Bringing books to
more people)

SOCIAL NEEDS
OF YOUR
MARKET
(eg. Education)
Key techniques for innovation that
creates societal value.

• Define your purpose
• Understand the pressing societal needs
faced by your market
• Focus on innovations that leverage your
practical strengths
Unintended benefits
“An aspect of FNB’s success is an entrenched
culture of giving back. The culture is nurtured by
our volunteer programme which has a very high
level of staff participation.
The simple act of giving back helps you
understand your markets better and enables
you to solve the problems they face.”
Hema Morar & Seth Maanda, FNB
It’s too expensive
• Crunch the numbers
Most innovations don’t get beyond the idea stage
because there’s no clear financial picture of what
success looks like
We’re too frantic
• Crunch the numbers
Most innovations don’t get beyond the idea stage
because there’s no clear financial picture of what
success looks like
• Build an innovation lab
A subdivision enables you to step out of the rat
race to explore, trial, and develop new
innovations
We’re doing fine
We don’t need it.
• Crunch the numbers
Most innovations don’t get beyond the idea stage
because there’s no clear financial picture of what
success looks like
• Build an innovation lab
A subdivision enables you to step out of the rat
race to explore, trial, and develop new
innovations
• Make it about survival
Make it a KPI that at least 20% of revenue must
come from transformative innovation
Thank you
Get in touch:
info@ywood.co.za
www.ywood.co.za
JHB: 011 268 5211
CT: 021 425 0344
@askYellowwood

Transformative Innovation: An African Path to Success

  • 2.
  • 3.
    “Emerging economies’ shareof Fortune Global 500 companies will… jump to more than 45% by 2025, up from just 5%in 2000. Many of these businesses, having been nurtured in difficult operating environments, are not only more agile than their counterparts from advanced economies but also prepared to invest for the long term, even if this cuts earnings in the next few quarters.” McKinsey & Company, 2013
  • 4.
    We have someof the world’s most inventive, resourceful people
  • 5.
    We have beeninvolved in developing some of the world’s most useful and transformative technologies
  • 6.
    R&D Spend inUS$ Billions 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Sources: - Battelle - National Bureau of Statistics of Chine - Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
  • 7.
    R&D Spend asproportion of GDP 4.00% 3.50% 3.00% 2.50% 2.00% 1.50% 1.00% 0.50% 0.00%
  • 10.
    80% of allemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa takes place in the informal sector Mo Ibrahim Foundation, 2012
  • 12.
  • 13.
  • 14.
    And we’re thinkingabout market attractiveness all wrong
  • 15.
    How can weovercome these barriers? • Get to know your customers • Flatten your structures • Think outside the pie
  • 16.
    How can yougrow the pie? Or transform it?
  • 19.
    SHAREHOLDER VALUE CUSTOMER VALUE MARKET VALUE DIRECT EMPLOYMENT VALUE LONG-TERM SOCIETAL VALUE Benefits: Better Revenue and profit Better Growing New employment Education, valuefor existing categories, and healthcare customers developing new entrepreneurial infrastructure and categories opportunities sustainable and unlocking natural new markets resources
  • 21.
  • 23.
    Getting Customer InnovationRight • Define the problem Be clear about what you need to achieve or fix • Understand your customer better than anyone else Authentic ethnography • Get Lateral Speak to experts from unrelated fields, include diverse participants, keep your eyes and ears open • Take the time You’re not going to solve it in single brainstorm • Get the attitude right Build, don’t break
  • 30.
    “The most importantcharacteristic of industry-changing innovators is the ability to spot consumer trends before the rest. Very often, those trends are already evident in other, seemingly unrelated, industries.” Peter Schoeman, Divisional Director Sales & Marketing, City Lodge Hotel Group
  • 32.
    Key techniques forinnovation that grow markets: • Ditch the unnecessary conventions • Turn pirates into partners • Identify behaviour shifts in other categories
  • 36.
    BUSINESS CHAIN CORE BUSINESS INPUTS DESIGN MANUFACTURING Opportunitiesfor entrepreneurial innovation? DISTRIBUTION MARKETING AFTER-SALES SERVICE
  • 42.
    Key techniques forinnovation that creates employment value: • Focus on your core • Innovate for people • Piggyback on existing distribution networks and skills
  • 44.
    YOUR BUSINESS’ PURPOSE (eg. Bringingbooks to more people) SOCIAL NEEDS OF YOUR MARKET (eg. Education)
  • 45.
    Key techniques forinnovation that creates societal value. • Define your purpose • Understand the pressing societal needs faced by your market • Focus on innovations that leverage your practical strengths
  • 46.
    Unintended benefits “An aspectof FNB’s success is an entrenched culture of giving back. The culture is nurtured by our volunteer programme which has a very high level of staff participation. The simple act of giving back helps you understand your markets better and enables you to solve the problems they face.” Hema Morar & Seth Maanda, FNB
  • 48.
  • 49.
    • Crunch thenumbers Most innovations don’t get beyond the idea stage because there’s no clear financial picture of what success looks like
  • 50.
  • 51.
    • Crunch thenumbers Most innovations don’t get beyond the idea stage because there’s no clear financial picture of what success looks like • Build an innovation lab A subdivision enables you to step out of the rat race to explore, trial, and develop new innovations
  • 52.
    We’re doing fine Wedon’t need it.
  • 53.
    • Crunch thenumbers Most innovations don’t get beyond the idea stage because there’s no clear financial picture of what success looks like • Build an innovation lab A subdivision enables you to step out of the rat race to explore, trial, and develop new innovations • Make it about survival Make it a KPI that at least 20% of revenue must come from transformative innovation
  • 56.
    Thank you Get intouch: info@ywood.co.za www.ywood.co.za JHB: 011 268 5211 CT: 021 425 0344 @askYellowwood