Bridging the gap between leadership and innovation to maximise return on investment
Abstract
A wide gap exists between leadership and innovation, which ultimately affects a company’s return on investment (ROI) potential. Research shows that organisational structures and processes alone are not the solution. This paper explains how a hybrid organisational structure combined with the cultivation of an innovative environment and upskilling employees with domain knowledge and technical skills can bridge the gap between leadership and innovation to maximise the ROI. By providing a step-by-step framework, companies can use this paper as a guide for large business transformations. Additionally, the paper highlights the importance for leaders to shift mindsets to cultivate an innovative environment, because the previous culture set in place was built for an entirely different structure. The selection of team leaders at the business unit level is just as important as selecting the right software applications and processes. The paper concludes by stating the importance of domain knowledge and technical skills focused on team leads who possess both to bridge the gap between leadership and innovation.
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Author's Biography
Ben Gonzalez began his career at Worley Consulting (formerly Pace Consultants) as a market analyst covering the global petroleum coke market. After spending six years at Worley Consulting, Ben decided to take his talents to S&P Global Commodity Insights (formerly Platts) to serve as a petrochemicals analyst covering the global olefin market. After nearly two years at SPGI, Ben was recruited to join the newly formed global market analysis team at Phillips 66, which was soon moved to the Office of the Chief Economist. For nearly seven years he worked in various roles at Phillips 66 including Energy Economist (Chief Economist Office), Market Intelligence Specialist (Procurement) and Technical Analytics Coach (Data Science and Analytics). At the end of 2022, Ben left Phillips 66 to briefly serve as the Director of Research and Analysis for the Americas at Chemical Market Analytics (CMA) by OPIS, covering the North American ethylene markets. Ben currently serves as the Head of Data and Analytics at Poten & Partners, where he leads a team working on new data and analytics initiatives for the Business Intelligence group with a focus on the global LNG and shipping markets. Outside of work, Ben serves as the President of the Association of Industry Analytics (AIA), and on the advisory board for the Technology, Leadership and Innovation Management (TLIM) programme at the University of Houston main campus. He has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, a Master’s in Education Management, and a Master’s in Business Administration with a focus on International Business.
Citation
Gonzalez, Ben (2024, December 1). Bridging the gap between leadership and innovation to maximise return on investment. In the Journal of Supply Chain Management, Logistics and Procurement, Volume 7, Issue 2. https://doi.org/10.69554/JGRJ1171.
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