Resolving Global Concerns With Open Innovation

Scientific
technologies and internet advancements had made it easier for reputed
brands to attain success in terms of better revenues, marketing,
branding and product development. With great success comes greater
responsibilities. The responsibility of making the world a better place
to live. Corporations and institutions officially term this act as
“corporate social responsibility” where they give back to the society
whose resources have been used by them to achieve their objectives. In
addition to that, there are certain organizations that addresses
critical environmental and health concerns and resolve them. When it
comes to working things out, records have proven that open innovation is
the appropriate option.

Imagine
H2O, a non-profit organization in the United States have been carrying
on multiple open innovation practices to gather innovative ideas for
tricky water issues. One of them had been the 2010 Water Energy Nexus
Competition that declared a winning amount of $100,000 for
companies/individuals whose ideas can help to minimize the amount of
energy needed to treat and move water and wastewater. The open idea
capture campaign has attracted more than 50 teams from regions such as
Canada, Australia, Netherlands and Singapore with revolutionary ideas
that resolved the concern with ease and precision. Furthermore, the
ideas also had suggestions that can be used for other allied water and
wastewater treatment issues.

It has been observed that when a
company crowdsources for an agenda, it gathers a huge pool of opinions,
inputs and viewpoints that carry potential solutions for other poignant
issues that the company might encounter sooner or later. Crowdsourcing
allows a company to present its concern or objective to the mass at
large, enabling the ideas and solutions to be a perfect blend of quality
and quantity.

University
of Washington, United States made use of crowdsourcing while announcing
its crowdsource computer game Foldit to arrive at solutions for health
issues. This game was set up to assist scientists to come up with
innovative ways to combat ailments by working on the proteins in the
body. Proteins are the building blocks of life and can play a vital role
in curing chronic diseases. This online game achieved revolutionary
ideas, such as creating an 18-fold active version of the enzyme for
catalyzation and many more.

Efficient idea management tactics is
not merely a process,it is a practice or more aptly a way of life that
facilitates health, healing and a better environment for the world.
Furthermore, it creates a culture of knowledge sharing, where every
individual can make a difference with his/her input and idea for the
social welfare and benefit.