Working - Learning - Development of Competencies. Innovativeness in a Modern Working Environment

When our notion of innovation becomes too technology-centric – which even today still occasionally happens in the public debate – we tend to forget the fact that there can be no innovation without people who through their research work develop findings, translate existing knowledge into products or processes, and produce, buy or use new products. In other words: The "human side of innovation" is neglected far too often. Wherever people are involved, social processes are also at play. Inventions by themselves are not innovations.

This is particularly evident in the working world because innovation dynamics are driven by the interplay between technological/technical developments and socio-economic conditions. For example, companies can implement new production processes successfully only when their employees have the motivation and competence needed for acquiring new skills and performing new tasks. Corporate culture and work engineering play a decisive role in this.

The programme's central theme – "strengthening innovation capability by linking work development with personnel development" – shows that its focus will continue to be on the linking of employee interests with company interests or, in other words: The focus will continue to be just as much on individuals as on organisations or (increasingly) networks. The following fields of action provide the starting point for the funding activities that began in 2006:

• Value-added partnerships: relations between businesses and their customers,
• Innovation partnerships: the networking of small and medium-sized enterprises,
• The ability to change: the balance between flexibility and stability,
• Innovators: people in the innovation process,
• The balance between new modes of work and education and training structures.

further information
Information from the project management agency (only German)
(URL: http://pt-ad.pt-dlr.de/de/502.php)