Starting an Innovative Architectural Firm - Essay Example

Starting an Innovative Architectural Firm The concept of innovation remains important to the success or failure of any organization. It is critical to the survival or demise of any enterprise. It determines the growth or stagnation, decline or prosperity of a venture, the functional or dysfunctional nature of an entity. Innovation and related attributes thus remain very significant in an organization functioning. Organizations with high innovation orientation are likely to experience high growth rates, and high chances of survival even in a fierce competitive environment. On the hand, organizations with low or nil innovation orientation are normally associated with negative performance attributes, such as low quality of services, high wastages, constant complaints, grievances and conflicts with key stakeholders, low productivity, high redundancies, poor turnover, low flexibility and generally poor reactions from the key stakeholders (Koontz, 2009). In spite of the significance of innovation, founding an innovative architectural firm is not an easy process. It requires the understanding of a variety of environments, the application of best business practices and the adoption of current organizational development and management techniques, among other key issues. Adoption of current technological devices remains the key to the successful founding of an innovative firm. The computerized information technology with its related products in the forms of information systems, connectivity and telecommunications, the data base management syndrome, the artificial intelligence domain and effective security to information and other related products have shown tremendous success in the management of innovation. The computer technology works to capture, process, store and disseminate information in a more accurate, economical and simple manner. Additionally the organization has the potential to meet both far away and immediate stakeholders through the various telecommunication systems. Closely associated with the telecommunications is the nature of information processing and dissemination. Since innovation requires quick and accurate information flows, the application of the online system of information processing, as opposed to the all batch processing, has clearly worked to increased innovation in the many other fields. This ensures effective and faster flow of ideas, communication and information that will increase an organization’s ability to innovate. In this respect through such products like electronic calendaring, artificial intelligence, electronic meetings and electronic mail, the application of computer based information systems has greatly assisted in the innovation. Thus, based on the aids of the current computers and related technologies the foundations of innovative architectural firms have been achieved with great success. Starting an innovative architectural firm also requires high levels of knowledge, abilities and capacities, as well as the right attitudes and skills. The acquisition of these variables is undertaken through sustainable training and development efforts. Training and development equips the participants with the above variables required to operate the venture. In this respect, an innovative architectural firm needs to establish training and development programs that are both comprehensive and flexible. This provides the participant with the needed innovation and related skills, attitude, knowledge and abilities. Senge advocates for the learning organization concept as a means of instituting innovative firms. His model of training and development denotes an organization that is constantly training and developing its resources while at the same time, being involved in serious analysis of its training and development programs. This analysis reflects the current and future needs of the firm with the ultimate objective of developing a strategic perspective. The learning organizations concept is synonymous with high levels of organizational flexibility, openness, freedom, independence, interaction and information sharing. The presence of these variables signals the movement towards high levels of quality, creativity, customer relationships, better communication systems and more motivation, better commitment and positive reaction towards the goals and objectives as well as the strategies of the firm. Additionally, the training and development programs tailored along the precincts of the learning organization advocates for continuous, constant, but flexible learning which are positive for the innovation process. Based on Senge’s analysis learning organization theory, taking a more strategic perspective towards the development of an architectural firm foundation while continuously examining the objectives of the development will increase the firm’s capacity and ability to innovate further. By and large the staring of an innovative firm requires high level but continuous training and development, which is not only strategic but also flexible in nature. Another prerequisite for the starting of an innovative firm is the development of a business culture that promotes creativity, entrepreneurial mindset, risk taking, openness, respect for others and a participative approach to organizational functioning. The same supportive culture should recognize team working systems but simultaneously underlie individual circumstances and engineer friendly, cooperative and collaborative relationships within the working class in an organization. Thus, the development of such a kind of culture that allows for employee freedom, autonomy and independence, organizational development and continuous human resources empowerment has the history to inspire innovation. Additionally the prospect of organizational openness and encouragement of conflict resolutions has high chances of increasing organizational innovation. Equally, a closed organizational culture that does not allow such has the opposite function of reducing innovation. The total quality management of organizational functioning that recognizes continuous but systematic improvement while at the same time encouraging initiative and a participative approach is highly synonymous with high levels of creativity and innovation. It is instructive to note that a more innovative organization is one that encourages initiative, risk taking, participation, personal development, and constant but continuous learning. In this respect starting a more innovative architectural firm means the development of a business culture that encourages the same but appealing to employee empathy and human circumstances. A recent development in the field of human resources management that inspires innovation is the adoption of an appropriate reward system that is not only economic in nature but also non financial in outlook. Drucker in his management by objectives philosophy recommends a more participative approach in the setting of goals, objectives and missions. He supports the view that a participative environment recognizes individual achievements thereby creating an environment potential for innovation. In such an environment, superiors and subordinates jointly set goals, review the progress and collectively examine the flaws before providing feedback. This allows effective growth and development through group and individual empowerment, clear organizational career planning and development programs, which is both lateral and vertical in nature, thereby encouraging innovation. Innovation refers to the process of turning creative ideas into products of value and utility. Understanding innovation and the contents of the process radically determine the nature and pace of innovation. Providing and continuously developing goods and services that satisfy the wants and needs of the market signals a complete line of innovation. This understanding and knowledge of the innovation process needs a comprehensive communication process loaded with respect, clarity, simplicity, economy and ability to create a sound relationship among the stakeholders in the innovation process. Thus, the communication process and other innovation perspectives should be as decentralized as possible with all layers in the organization being involved in the execution of the creative ideas. Thus, the starting of an innovative architecture firm requires the laying down of a well documented communication process with the ability to offer meaningful message as to the purpose and reliability of the innovation process. The same process should instill the senses of order, equity, equality, validity and reliability about the whole process of creativity and innovation (Mullins 2009). An organization’s operations and structure determines whether it will be innovative or not. In this respect, developing an organic organization that allows among other things, the free flow of information, constant and continuous empowerment, participative and democratic organizational functioning with minimum or no controls greatly engineer innovation. On the contrary, a mechanistic organization structure working on rule based approaches, high senses of control, autocratic leadership orientations and a restricted flow of communication, limits the innovation function. The organic structure creates a friendly, happy, supportive, cooperative and collaborative work ethics that signify positively for the development of an innovative firm. A mechanistic work atmosphere leads to the development a hostile work environment with little chances of effecting changes needed for organizations survival, prosperity, growth, expansion and high levels of investments. According to Robbins (2010), high innovation in a business and other organizational set-up is highly possible in a more organic work set-up than the mechanistic one. Conclusion The process of innovation remains very critical and significant in the managing and administering of organizations. It determines the competitive, performance, growth and development as well as the investment levels in an organizational set up. Innovation is currently the norm in many organizations and is practiced in virtually all organizations both public and private. Innovation involves the key activities such as development of creative ideas (creativity) and turning the creative ideas into goods and services that are of value and utility to the consumers’ (innovation). The end product of innovation is high growth and development, superior performance, better competitive levels and high levels of investments. Starting an innovative firm requires an organization to develop certain salient characteristics that are not only strategic but also enterprising and flexible. Such characteristics include, the development of an organization technological system that provides adequate up to date information of the happening; a friendly and more comprehensive reward systems for the participants; an all round communication system that provided an up to date and immediate knowledge of results; a participative, supportive collaborative and cooperative culture; a comprehensive training and development programs and the adoption among other organizational work practices. Works Cited Senge, M. P. The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. Doubleday/Currency, 2006. Print. Drucker, F. P. The Management Practice. Harper Collins: New York, 1954. Print. Robbins, P.S., and A.T. Judge. Essentials of Organizational Behavior. Prentice Hall: New Jersey, 2000. Print. Mullins, J., and R. Komisar. Getting to Plan B: Breaking Through to a Better Business Model. Harvard Business Press: Harvard, 2009. Print. Read More