BEST PRACTICES
- Land Award Application -
Application Instructions:
(feel free to print out this application form)
Application Package Includes:
1 Confidential Application (2 pages)
1 Confidential Customer Recommendation Form (1 page)
1 Confidential Supplier Recommendation Form (1 page)
Application Steps:
A. Make 3 copies of the Customer & Supplier application forms.
Enter your organization's name on the form and give it to three
customers and three suppliers. Try to get a cross-section of each.
These forms are returned directly to the Innovation Network.
B. Complete the Confidential Application form.
C. Assemble any write-ups or materials describing your organization's
innovation initiatives, including mission statements, initiative
descriptions, etc.
D. Return application, materials and fee to the Innovation Network,
451 E. 58th Ave., #4625, Box 468,
Denver, CO 80216.
All forms must be returned by January 31, 2000
Confidential Application
(Please return promptly - must be received by December 31, 1999)
Applicant Organization: _________________________________
Contact Name: _______________________________________
Title:________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________
City, State, Zip: _________________________________________
Phone: ________________________________________________
FAX: __________________________________________________
The following questions are designed to create a picture of the innovation
environment and efforts in your organization. There are no "right" answers.
Please respond to these questions briefly in a paragraph or two, providing an
overview of your environment rather than a detailed description.
1. How do you define innovation?
2. What are the biggest organizational barriers to innovation?
What has your organization done to reduce or eliminate those barriers?
3. Is "innovation" part of your mission statement?
If so, please attach a copy of the statement.
4. Do you have specific innovation goals for the organization?
For individuals?
5. How do you encourage innovation?
6. How do you recognize and reward innovation?
7. What skills do you think are most critical to your innovation efforts?
8. What training efforts are directed toward teaching innovation skills?
9. What percentage of your employees participate in innovation activities?
10. How do you stimulate communication and the transfer of information
within your organization?
11. How open is your organization in sharing information? Please give specific examples.
12. How do you encourage risk-taking? Give examples.
13. What percentage of your employees have participated in non-technical
training in the past year?
14. How many hours per year of training is budgeted for each employee?
15. Do you have cross-functional team projects?
If so, how are they managed?
16. Can an employee initiate and spend time on a pet project?
What approvals are necessary to do so?
17. What is it about your environment that stimulates innovation?
18. Do you have a formal process for processing ideas and
suggestions from employees? If so, please describe it.
19. How do you provide time for innovation and idea generation?
20. What behavior dealing with innovation in your organization
would be punished if not corrected?
21. What specific results have been achieved through your innovation efforts?
If the above questions have not addressed an aspect of your organization's innovative
efforts, please add additional comments as needed.
Continue
to the next page
for the Customer and Supplier Recommendation Forms.