Dutch innovation survey

For the fourth year in a row, PwC researched the innovation climate in the Netherlands. What are the latest trends? Who are the favourite partners to collaborate with? What are the biggest challenges?

Major ambitions and practical challenges

We have identified five archetypes in digital business models. These five levels gradually increase in complexity from technology-enabled to open digital.

Most respondents of the Innovation Survey would place themselves in one of the first three levels. Half of them consider themselves as technology-enabled and are thus at the beginning of their digital transformation. A handful of companies consider themselves as solution-oriented or open digital, which are the two final phases.

Innovation process, methods and the importance of core values

Participants in the Innovation Survey Netherlands 2018 say the first and third phases of the innovation process, namely ideation and development, are both well developed. Respondents feel a lot of improvement is still possible in the commercialization phase, although they already spend a lot of time and energy on it.

However, respondents say the selection process can also be improved. This sounds familiar to Ilja Linnemeijer: User-centric design where customer needs serve as the starting point is more effective.Toch is ook de selectiefase voor verbetering vatbaar, zeggen de respondenten. Ilja Linnemeijer herkent dit. User centric design werkt beter, waarin de klantbehoefte het startpunt is.

Human aspects are the biggest challenge

The human aspect still needs to be improved because culture and leadership are the main challenges when trying to be innovative.

The main obstacles that respondents face in the culture and leadership of their organisation are rather sizeable. In terms of culture, collaboration is not sufficiently promoted; people are not very willing to take risks and are given little encouragement to be innovative. And while managers are open to innovation, they do not take risks and shy away from experimentation. A quarter of all respondents also said they are afraid to deviate from existing performance norms.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a logical continuation of data analysis

Data analysis is a clear front-runner among the new technologies mentioned by the survey respondents and is also the most established. Just about all respondents said this technique was important and most of them already use it for organisational processes, products and services. Artificial intelligence (AI) is in second place, followed by Intelligent Things and Robots.

Collaboration is the norm when being innovative

Most participants in the Innovation Survey Netherlands 2018 primarily collaborate with external partners when trying to be innovative.

The most common form of collaboration involves technology companies. This should come as no surprise in this era of digitalisation. Many innovations have a digital component, which is often developed with help from technology companies or is based on the technology they offer.