Group innovation

• Michel BRISSON
  Manager, in charge of the Innovation Project, Electricité de France (EDF)- Gaz de France (GDF) Services
  
• Général Alain BONAVITA
  Manager, in charge of the project for the development of 'participative' innovation, Ministry of Defence
  
• Hubert RICHARD
  Quality managing director, RATP (Régie autonome des Transports Parisiens : Paris public transport system)
  

Summary

The informal group or 'participative' innovation club enables both public and private companies to share their experiences regarding the benefits of innovation in the field. The need for participative innovation, in which each company employee is involved, is even greater now that leisure opportunities and the increased dissemination of information have resulted in an increase in the number of innovators, who previously were frustrated by large project structures. The main participants of this club are the Ministry of Defence, EDF-GDF and the RATP and they have put into place independent innovation projects in their respective companies. These are intended to bring to light innovative projects created by operators, to have them evaluated by specialists, to present them favourably to middle management (who in general are more concerned with respecting norms and company know-how), and finally to ensure that the innovators are truly recognised, something which is more than just financial rewards. Several years later, the dynamism which has been created is clear for all to see and some of the successes have been spectacular.

Summary translated from French by Rachel MARLIN.

• The entire article was written by Frédéric LEFEBVRE.

To obtain this article, you can :

• download it for free in French (PDF help) or contact ecopar@paris.ensmp.fr (Reference RT140499).