Creating and Growing a Business Culture of Innovation

This is a summary of Philip Atkinson's new article published in the Journal of the Chartered Institute of Management Services Summer Journal 2026

​Creating a Culture of Innovation

• Few organisations successfully embed innovation; many only experiment without full commitment.
• Key principles include establishing foundational attitudes and mindsets that permeate all levels.
• Interventions from manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors highlight the importance of leadership, strategic milestones, and consistent messaging.
• Innovation issues to consider involve threats, opportunities, organisational meaning, flow of innovation, metrics, strategic integration, and communication.

Continuous Improvement and Creativity

• Innovation spans approaches like Kaizen, Rapid Improvement, and CANI, emphasising error-free implementation.
• High-performing projects, such as GE’s Workout process, focus on simplifying processes, boosting morale, and speeding responses.
• Developing internal change agents and cross-functional teams supports quality, cost reduction, and cultural shifts.
• Re-designing roles into change agents and fostering customer-focused strategies drive operational excellence.

Problem Ownership and Implementation

• Ownership is critical; without it, change efforts often fail.
• Top-down approaches frequently lack genuine commitment; problems tend to be addressed temporarily or by the most affected individuals.
• Shared ownership across functions is rare but essential for permanent solutions.
• Problems often recur because root causes remain unaddressed, especially when control over variables is limited.

Corrective vs Preventive Action

• Corrective actions are tactical, short-term fixes that address symptoms.
• Preventative actions are strategic, long-term, and aim to solve problems permanently by addressing root causes.
• Many organisations focus on fixing issues after they occur, leading to rework and ongoing problems.
• A shift to a preventative culture reduces firefighting and promotes cross-functional problem-solving.

Firefighting Culture and Problem Repetition

• Organisations reacting to symptoms rather than causes risk escalating problems and damaging competitiveness.
• Problems tend to re-emerge when big issues are not permanently fixed.
• Control over variables influences the ability to solve problems; shared control across functions is often lacking.
• Effective problem solving requires clear ownership and responsibility, which is often absent due to blame and fuzzy demarcation.

Case Studies and Practical Applications

• A catering equipment company faced severe cash flow and delivery issues due to reactive, short-term decisions.
• Cultural change initiatives, like GE’s Workout, fostered confidence, simplicity, and speed, leading to performance improvements.
• A major agricultural equipment firm implemented cross-functional projects and developed change agents to embed quality and cultural change.
• Internal audit and risk teams in a UK insurance company learned behavioural skills to influence commercial teams and ensure compliance.

Behavioural and Personal Change

• Training emphasises authentic self-confidence, influence, and communication skills.
• Modules focus on body language, persuasion, handling objections, and creating a strong personal image.
• Role plays and tailored exercises help professionals influence others effectively, especially in challenging environments.
• The approach draws on research in psychology and behavioral sciences to enhance interpersonal influence.

Learning Styles and Problem-Solving

• The Kolb learning style emphasises experiential, reflective, conceptual, and active approaches.
• Recognising individual preferences helps develop more effective problem-solving strategies.
• Increased awareness of diverse styles prevents over-reliance on one method and promotes balanced approaches.

Author and Expertise

Philip Atkinson specialises in strategic cultural and behavioural change with over 30 years of experience.
His work spans industries including pharmaceuticals, automotive, finance, NHS, and local government.
He has authored seven books and offers workshops, consulting, and research-based training to support organisational transformation.

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