Track D – A glimpse of the future

The presentations must be understood and kept as part of AAL Forum 2014 and accessible to users without any change or alteration of any kind

The world faces major challenges across three major domains. Economic challenges arise from uncertainty and turmoil that affect regional and markets across the globe. Environmentally our world is being affected by conditions that threaten lives and economies. Societies and economies are being reshaped and re-defined by demographic change. These challenges are creating global market opportunities and all are using the principle of innovation and the process of innovation to provide benefit for economies, societies and individuals across the globe.
This track aims to underline innovation as a key driver for projects and market success. It will focus on aspects of innovation eg, models and processes, as well as cultures and pathways. It sets out to inform, educate, advise and motivate participants at the AAL Forum 2014 to make the right choices for market success. In every AAL member state, region, sector, business and home, there are innovators. They are just waiting for the knowledge and opportunity to be unleashed.

These issues will be discussed in 4 different sessions:
D1. A glimpse of the future
D2. Models of innovation
D3. Pathways to innovation
D4. Innovation Cultures
D5. Innovative public procurement

D1 – A glimpse of the future

Session Chair: Maja Arnestad, Arnestad Assistance, Norway
Session Responsible: Jackie Marshall-Cyrus, TSB, United Kingdom, Geja Langerveld, ZoomnW, The Netherlands, Claus F Nielsen, Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation, Denmark

It is difficult to predict anything, especially the future. Future studies (also called futurology and futurism) is the study of postulating possible, probable, and preferable futures and the worldviews and myths that underlie them. In the same way that history studies the past, futures studies considers the future. Futurology seeks to understand what is likely to continue and what could plausibly change.

This session aims to provide the AAL Community with an exciting and challenging insight into how this relatively new area of study is driving and supporting innovation. It seeks to bring the AAL Community a view of the future; a future that is evolving today, and will provoke participants to consider “Are we thinking the right way and doing the right things?”

Invited Speaker:
Jonathan Mitchener, Technology Strategy Board, United Kingdom

D2 – Models of innovation

Session Chair: Maja Arnestad, Arnestad Assistance, Norway
Session Responsible: Jackie Marshall-Cyrus, TSB, United Kingdom

With the digital revolution in full swing, there is no room for companies and projects that cling on to traditional and uninformed approaches to developing products, systems and services for the societal challenge of demographic change. Innovation is accelerating every day, driven by commercial opportunities among large, medium-sized, small and micro industries.

This session will focus on what constitutes innovation – disruptive, open and challenge-led. It will explore the various concepts around innovation, its definitions, its approaches and the evolving dynamics of the concept. Participants can expect to gain exciting insights into the way that innovation, innovative thinking and processes are paving the way for successful exploitation of products, systems and services across Europe.

Invited Speakers:
Diana Arsovic Hareskov Nielsen, Health Innovation Centre, Denmark –download presentation
Jackie Marshall-Cyrus, TSB, United Kingdom – download presentation

D3 – Pathways to innovation

Session Responsible: Jackie Marshall-Cyrus, TSB, United Kingdom, Geja Langerveld, ZoomnW, The Netherlands, Claus F Nielsen, Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation, Denmark

In business and economics, innovation is the catalyst to growth. The boundaries between industries and sectors are stretching and changing beyond recognition and good innovators must be closely connected to the societies and contexts of which they are a part. The pathways to innovation usually involve identifying needs, developing competences, and finding financial support. Businesses have to make the right choices in this fast paced and ever changing scenario.
This session will explore the pathways that lead to innovative thinking, processes and dissemination with the aim of giving participants an edge with regard to the most proficient and impactful platforms that currently exist. Participants will gain an insight into the ways that innovation is driving and is being driven by design, social media and big data.

Invited Speakers:
Karen Blincoe, International Centre for Creativity, Innovation and Sustainability, Denmark
Lech Rzedzicki, Technology Strategy Board, United Kingdom – download presentation

D4 – Innovation Cultures

Session Chair:
Session Responsible: Jackie Marshall-Cyrus, TSB, United Kingdom, Geja Langerveld, ZoomnW, The Netherlands, Claus F Nielsen, Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation, Denmark
Successful innovation is a question of culture – not just corporate culture but lifestyle. In the both the organizational context and SME contexts, innovation may be linked to positive changes in efficiency, productivity, quality, competitiveness, market share, and others. Recent research findings have highlighted the complementary role of an innovation culture in enabling organizations and SMEs to translate innovative activity into tangible performance improvements.

This session will support participants in understanding the advantages and challenges to creating and sustaining an innovation culture within organisations and their own businesses. It will challenge the myth that only large conglomerates can create and benefit from cultures of innovation. Innovation is vital for business growth, large or small.

Invited Speaker:
Asser Kallsboel, Delta, Denmark – download presentation
Darrell Mann, Systematic Innovation, United Kingdom – download presentation

D5 – Innovative public procurement

Session Responsible: Jackie Marshall-Cyrus, TSB, United Kingdom, Geja Langerveld, ZoomnW, The Netherlands, Claus F Nielsen, Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation, Denmark

Innovation in the public services is essential to meet the economic and social challenges of the 21st century. For the public sector innovation is all about effectiveness and value for money. The purchasing power of government is a powerful incentive to drive businesses to develop innovative products, processes and services.
This session will explore the ways in which European countries are using innovative public procurement strategies to find and procure innovation solutions, to capture innovation, and the ways in which they are driving innovation in the business community through public procurement.

Invited Speaker:
Mats Rundkvist, Vateras, Sweden – download presentation
Silvio Pagliara Centro per l’Autonomia Ausilioteca Campana, Italy – download presentation
Christopher Brennan, Wragge, Lawrence, Graham & Co, United Kingdom – download presentation