National Corporate Innovation Index (NCII) - Observatory of Public Sector Innovation

National Corporate Innovation Index (NCII) is a comprehensive capacity building platform developed by the State Agency for developing innovators in the public sector. NCII means measuring the organization's innovation ability and success, and taking measures to build an innovation culture within the organization. With the creation of NCII, there is direct support for finding solutions to the difficulties and problems faced by state organizations in the implementation of their daily activities with more innovative approaches.

Innovation Summary

Innovation Overview

For the first time in the country, the Corporate Innovation Index methodology was developed in order to measure the innovation intelligence quotient of the employees working in government organizations, and to evaluate the creative and innovation-oriented activities, and it is being applied in the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Corporate Innovation Index means measuring the organization's innovation ability and success, and taking measures to build an innovation culture within the organization. The implementation of the Corporate Innovation Index will create the following opportunities:

Evaluation of innovation skills and performance of the organization
Determining the degree of application of efficiency mechanisms in the work of employees
Identification of factors supporting innovation
Studying the rate of adding creativity to the routine work of structural units
Comparing groups in the organization
Preparation of the innovation action plan and monitoring over time

The NCII training program consists of the following modules:

Evaluation
- Conducting an Innovation IQ survey
- Conducting interviews
- Physical and virtual requirements of the workplace, that is, innovative work
Innovation, increasing knowledge and skills
- Conducting trainings
Formation of innovation environment
- Creation of Idea Bank and other idea collection mechanisms
- Conducting competitions such as Idea Camp
- Other
Writing the Innovation Strategy
Evaluation of the innovation performance of government organization representatives is carried out in 4 separate forms.
- A test is conducted with the Innovation IQ designed to measure the innovative knowledge and skills of the organization's employees and the innovative environment in the organization in general. It was developed on the basis of Rao and Weintraub's methodology. 7 blocks (awareness, values, behaviors, environment, resources, processes, successes) are taken into account when calculating innovation IQ, each consisting of 3 factors. The calculation is based on 21 factors.
- Interviews will be held with top managers and executives. They are asked questions defined according to the requirements of the European Innovation Management standard.
- A meeting will be arranged with certain selected employees. During the meeting, how to approach the work and tasks performed in a more creative way, and for this, the expectations of the employee from the organization and the organization from the employees will be analyzed and suggestions will be presented.
- Monitoring of the office environment measures the extent to which the building, rooms, equipment, and surrounding noise support the innovative activities of employees.

During the monitoring of the workplace, an assessment will be made on the following points

Compatibility of the office environment with the company's activities (open, closed, etc.);
Effectiveness of internal rules of the company;
Compliance of the building with sanitary and safety regulations;
Location of interconnected departments within the building;
Dimensions and functionality of the rooms allocated for employees;
Size and functionality of public areas used by all departments;
Flexibility, usability and budget impact of used furniture;
Technology and use of electricity;
Noise management;
Others

Innovation KPIs for time, product, finance, management and other categories are determined and the pace of development in the field is measured over a certain period.
After the evaluation is completed, a national corporate innovation index score is produced for the organization. Based on the score, an innovation index program is prepared for the organization. The program includes increasing the knowledge and skills of government employees, forming an innovation environment in the organization, and writing an innovation strategy.

In order to manage innovation in the organization, a mechanism is established that will play the role of a bridge between management and colleagues. Through this mechanism, all the steps that each employee with an idea will take in the next stage in order to make their proposal or project more useful to the organization or to implement the proposal are clear in advance. For this purpose, intra-organizational idea contests, idea camps, and hackathons are held. At the end, an Innovation strategy is written taking into account the principles of internationally recognized innovation evaluation mechanisms to ensure the formation and sustainability of the innovation culture in the organization.

Innovation Description

What Makes Your Project Innovative?

Public sector innovation refers to innovations in the organization of services, processes and legislation that will positively change the living conditions of citizens and increase their well-being. The emergence of enterprises and innovators who will directly create innovation in the public sector will be ensured by the widespread use of NCII.

Public organizations will continue to improve their operations with new ideas and innovations, more confident and programmed, and at the same time open to all kinds of innovations, defining the path and vision they will take in the field of innovation. In the end, a satisfied worker, a satisfied organization, and a satisfied society will be formed.

What is the current status of your innovation?

The NCII program was developed and is being implemented in the State Agency for the first time. Employee Innovation IQ survey was conducted. The average of innovation IQ in different departments was calculated. A training program was prepared for each group of participants and trainings were held.

The innovation strategy covering the next 5 years of the organization is being prepared. In the innovation strategy, there is a way to ensure the participation of all employees, private organizations, non-governmental organizations, citizens and other related users in a systematic form, starting with the use of the design thinking model in the application of agile solutions, including innovation center, govtech, blockchain centers.

NCII is not just a program involving the State Agency. It will be applied to government organizations that wish to continuously increase the innovative knowledge and skills of employees and create an innovative environment. This process has been started.

Innovation Development

Collaborations & Partnerships

The concept was developed by the State Agency. The calculation of innovation IQ is carried out through a test posted on the page of the Asan Innovative Development Center of the "Innovations Center". Employees of the public sector register on the page and participate in the test, learn the results of the innovation IQ. Then special trainers operating in the field of innovation involved in the process of the State Agency provide different trainings to employees and managers.

Users, Stakeholders & Beneficiaries

With the implementation of the project, employees and organizations will learn the result of innovation IQ. Through trainings they learn how to approach the work they do every day in a more innovative way. They voice innovative ideas by participating in idea contests to approach challenges in a new method. Selected innovative employees are directly involved in the process of creating innovation in the public sector.

Innovation Reflections

Results, Outcomes & Impacts

Various methodologies, standards have been applied in developing the NCII project concept. Innovation maturity assessment is calculated based on Rao and Weintraub methodology and European Innovation Management standards during the preparation of the Innovation IQ survey and interview questions.

To measure the innovation potential of the office environment, an office assessment checklist was prepared based on the office space planning guidelines of the UN and other international organizations. First, 350 employees of 15 structural units of the State Agency participated in the Innovation IQ survey. 250 employees participated in hackathons. The presented and selected best projects are implemented with the participation of the authors of ideas winned in hackathons.

Challenges and Failures

The biggest challenge we faced and will face in the implementation of the NCII project is that different and more innovative approaches to the work of some employees in organizations whose services are organized within the framework of already defined standards may be difficult and time-consuming.

Conditions for Success

In a world ruled by disruption, one of the biggest challenges for public organizations is finding the right balance between regulation and innovation. The regulations are necessary to ensure that the "rules of engagement" and general standards are stable and predictable and encourage investment and prosperity in the regulated sector. Innovation, especially in times of disruption, is anything but plannable: the more that is done to implement new ideas, products and services without fear of failure, the better.

From an innovation perspective, public bodies can foster it by creating the right ecosystem and environment. The NCII was also developed for the purpose of creating an innovative environment in state organizations and developing creative and innovative thoughts in employees. In this regard, the NCII will be a success story for organizations with a mission to create any type of innovation that will create value in the public sector.

Replication

The national corporate innovation index is currently applied in the State Agency, and the innovation strategy is in the final stage of writing. Next, the Ministry of Culture and other state organizations will implement the NCII. Taking into account that the NCII program will be implemented in all state organizations in the near future, the next target is to organize separate idea competitions, idea camps for the selected best innovators of the public sector, and start the collection and implementation of public-important innovative projects.

Lessons Learned

Public sector innovation systems are dynamic and constantly evolving. Regardless of how innovation systems are developed and successful, there is always a need to critically consider the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities of innovation in the public sector. Governments need to innovate more than ever to meet new challenges and meet ambitious goals.

In this regard, state organizations should always be open and willing to develop. An innovative vision will ensure that organizations continuously provide better and improved service.