When an organisation
has the awesome responsibility of ensuring Singapore’s
continued economic success, it leaves nothing
to chance. Every effort is made to create and
sustain a work environment where innovation thrives
and service shines.
The Economic Development Board (EDB), which has
been in business for 45 years, shares how it promotes
innovation and consistently achieves outstanding
results.
Launched in 2005, Ignite! provides a platform
for any EDB officer to present any big idea to
top management at a corporate meeting of his choice.
Such ideas could, for example, enhance Singapore’s
competitiveness and/or add value to our economy,
and often involve multiple EDB divisions. Officers
surface their “ideas-in-progress”
in an open and friendly environment, without having
to submit detailed proposals.
Three ideas have been given the go-ahead. These
include an idea proposal by Senior Officer (Asia
Pacific) Louis Kay to establish a network to connect
with officers who had left the Board. His idea
can help to build the EDB brand and open doors
for future investments into Singapore.
Said Mr Terence Gan, a member of EDB’s PS21
ExCEL Committee: “The fact that management
is willing to spend time to listen to the proposals
is very great motivation for officers to come
forward with ideas.”
For three years running, EDB has been holding
the title of Suggestions Champion among the agencies
of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). In
2005, EDB staff contributed an average of 11 suggestions,
of which 70% were implemented.
EDB’s Staff Suggestion Scheme continues
to encourage quality suggestions from its officers.
(Read about three top contributors in these story:
They keep
going...)
The officers can directly input their suggestions
into an ideas portal, which routs them to the
relevant division directors for evaluation. More
than 15,000 ideas have been captured since the
portal was launched
in 2003.
“Every idea, big and small that can make
a difference will be crucial for us,” said
EDB Chairman Teo Ming Kian. “Suggestions
that can provide incremental improvements. Ideas
that could bring about breakthroughs. None will
be too mundane or too radical for us to consider.”
The EDB Innovation Awards recognise officers’
innovation efforts. Every year, more than 30 implemented
projects that have yielded results for EDB and
Singapore are considered by the judging panel.
One winning idea is Bouquets@EDB, which promotes
the sharing of best service practices in EDB (find
out more in this story: Wooing
the world with delightful service).
Innovation Project Teams are formed when there
is a need for a group of officers to tackle particular
challenges. For example, the Utility Innovations
Project Team sought to help start-ups bring their
innovation ideas to market (read this story: Paving
the way for innovators). Many of the project
teams have won external awards, including the
PS21 ExCEL Convention Award and POWER Suggestions
Awards.
EDB’s core values — “Dare to
Dream, Dare to Do” and “For our Nation”
— embrace the innovation culture. And leaders
at every level are committed to inspiring, enabling,
leading and encouraging officers to innovate.
The Board’s PS21 ExCEL Committee, which
is concerned with sustaining the innovation drive,
appreciates management’s drive in “thinking
rigour” and allowing flexibility in the
way EDB’s Innovation Project Teams organise
and communicate their projects.
Said Mr Gan: “The bosses don’t demand
that we present using fixed frameworks. Like an
artist with a blank canvas, we are free to express
ourselves, and this helps to spur innovation.”
Added Assistant Head, EDB PS21, Ms Oei Min: “Once
an idea is good for EDB and Singapore, our directors
and managers are willing to support our officers’
pursuit.”
With the wide-ranging initiatives and positive
work environment that breeds innovation, all officers
are geared to play their part in ensuring EDB’s
and ultimately Singapore’s success. |
