Organizational Innovation in Higher Education

Introduction

Various organizations are encouraged to do their best to implement and manage innovation because this phenomenon can lead to essential advantages. One should explain that businesses should make an effort and follow a specific model to cope with the task. According to Goffin and Mitchell (2017), there is the Development Funnel that describes the typical phases of innovation. Organizations should ensure that new ideas are generated in a sufficient and stable manner (Goffin & Mitchell, 2017). Among them, the best ideas are only selected and become subject to implementation. When all the required steps have been taken, and the specific innovation is in place, the business deals with a new product, service, or process (Goffin & Mitchell, 2017). This model is practical for all organizations, and those from the higher education sector are no exception. This task focuses on the University of Oxford and demonstrates that this entity professionally and effectively approaches innovation management, which promotes growth and helps gain a competitive advantage.

The present task focuses on the University of Oxford, and sufficient evidence supports this decision. According to the available information, this organization is among the most innovative higher education institutions in the United Kingdom. In particular, this university impresses with an average of 1.13 patents per 1,000 students (Market Inspector, 2022). Simultaneously, this organization has witnessed almost 350 startups over the last five years, and the average capital raised was over £13,500,000 per startup (Market Inspector, 2022). These figures demonstrate that the University of Oxford draws much attention to innovation. That is why it is reasonable to analyze this issue in detail to identify what actions the organization takes to succeed in this activity.

Organisational Innovation in the Higher Education Sector

The University of Oxford understands the importance of innovation, and an individual business entity is responsible for this activity. This statement refers to Oxford University Innovation (OUI), which is the organization’s subsidiary that deals with consulting services and technology transfer. The latter issue is important because new technologies can contribute to an evolution in various spheres, and the University of Oxford is expected to invest in this sphere (Alunni, 2019). Furthermore, OUI “applies for and manages intellectual property on behalf of Oxford University and its researchers” (Garrison, 2020, p. 1). This subsidiary performs significant functions because it can provide the entire organization with new and advanced processes and activities that can create value for society. That is why it is reasonable to analyze whether the innovation implementation process at the University of Oxford is aligned with the Development Funnel and what outcomes this approach brings for the organization.

Firstly, it is worth acknowledging that the University of Oxford students and staff members are encouraged to innovate. In particular, Oxford University Innovation (OUI, n.d.b) provides individuals with numerous services and advantages, including licensing opportunities, consultancy services, and investments. When people offer good programs or effective plans, they can be granted patents to implement these projects (Oxford University Innovation [OUI], n.d.b). All this information demonstrates that students and staff members are sufficiently motivated to reach this subsidiary with innovative ideas. There are no significant limitations as to what these ideas should discuss because OUI addresses numerous areas. In other words, the subsidiary has created an innovation-friendly environment that makes the stakeholders bring unique and open innovative ideas. This strategy results in the fact that the University of Oxford faces a constant influx of new ideas regarding how to improve organizational processes or create value for society.

Secondly, in OUI, sufficient attention is devoted to analyzing the presented ideas and choosing the best variants. This step is significant because it ensures that the most effective and practical offerings only receive support. That is why OUI employs professional experts who are sufficiently knowledgeable to guess whether a particular idea can lead to positive outcomes. Since the organization welcomes innovation in various areas, these experts represent business, medical, industrial, and other sectors (Oxford University Innovation [OUI], n.d.a). In addition to that, the subsidiary employees closely cooperate with current researchers because it can be useful to consult scholars regarding a particular idea. This information explicitly indicates that the selected organization does its best to analyze the provided innovative ideas and filter them to find the most promising options. Various steps and processes help OUI eliminate weak suggestions and focus on the ideas that are likely to make a difference.

Thirdly, once effective and practical ideas are identified, appropriate processes and actions are in place to start implementing projects. It has already been mentioned that OUI can provide individuals with various opportunities and services, including consultancy, investment, and other forms of assistance. The cooperation with researchers and other stakeholders indicates that the implementation process is effective and professional. One should additionally highlight that the selected organization promotes knowledge exchange with society (Oxford University Innovation [OUI], n.d.a). This statement denotes that if the implementation of a particular idea results in beneficial outcomes, they are shared with society members. Thus, the implementation step is effective and important because it ensures that ideas are turned into action, which finally leads to practical results.

The previous information demonstrates that the University of Oxford utilizes an effective approach to the management of its innovations. The organization has an independent subsidiary, OUI, that is responsible for this activity. Thus, the identified evidence reveals that innovation management is performed according to the Development Funnel by Goffin and Mitchell (2017). Students and staff members are encouraged to present their innovative ideas regarding how to achieve better outcomes in various spheres or how to address specific challenges. Professional experts are then expected to analyze these suggestions to eliminate worthless suggestions and highlight the most promising ones. Then, OUI provides the best ideas with various kinds of assistance, including consulting, financial, and organizational support. This strategy increases the probability that the ideas will be implemented and create positive outcomes for the organization and society.

There is no doubt that the state of affairs above significantly contributes to the organization’s competitive advantage, sustainability, and growth. Since the University of Oxford incorporates innovation into its culture, the educational establishment witnesses a constant influx of creative ideas that are supposed to present value for the organization and society. Not all competitors of the University of Oxford can impress with the same approach, which denotes that people who understand the importance of innovation are likely to cooperate with this organization. Furthermore, creative ideas are only implemented if they are expected to bring improvement. That is why innovations should carefully use available resources to ensure that the latter are not wasted. This strategy guarantees that the University of Oxford promotes sustainability and relies on the rational use of available resources. If these two aspects are achieved, the organization has favorable conditions to develop and grow. This information demonstrates that it is no coincidence that the University of Oxford is considered one of the most innovative educational establishments in the UK.

Conclusion

In conclusion, sufficient and credible evidence demonstrates that the University of Oxford draws much attention to innovation management. The organization has created a specific subsidiary, Oxford University Innovation, that is responsible for attracting, analyzing, and implementing ideas. This approach to innovation management is aligned with the existing framework, which increases the probability that the best creative ideas will be found and introduced. Credible evidence from appropriate and professional sources supports the presented ideas. One should acknowledge that the organization’s approach to innovation is beneficial for various stakeholders. Individuals obtain an opportunity to implement their creative ideas and make a difference. If this task is successfully performed, society receives significant value and improvement because creative ideas are likely to bring positive changes. As a result, the University of Oxford has developed an image of an innovation-friendly organization that attracts the most experienced and talented individuals. These facts ensure that the given educational establishment benefits from competitive advantage, sustainability, and growth.

References

Alunni, A. (2019). Innovation finance and technology transfer: Funding proof-of-concept. Routledge.

Garrison, C. (2020). How the ‘Oxford’Covid-19 vaccine became the ‘AstraZeneca’Covid-19 vaccine. Medicines Law & Policy, 1-18.

Goffin, K., & Mitchell, R. (2017). Innovation management: Effective strategy and implementation (3^rd ed.). Bloomsbury Publishing.

Market Inspector. (2022). Top 21 innovative universities UK: Universities of today for the leaders of tomorrow. Web.

Oxford University Innovation. (n.d.a). For university members. Web.

Oxford University Innovation. (n.d.b). OUI central. Web.