In the wake of the pandemic there is understandably much debate over what workplaces will look like in the years to come. For many, there is a straight split between continuing to work from home, at least some of the time, and heading back to the office, again, at least some of the time. But increasingly there is interest in places that are somewhere between the two — locations outside city centres that enable workers to get out of the house and to meet colleagues and other people without having to travel too far, either on public transport or via car. True, such places — in the form of serviced offices or shared workplaces in cafes and the like — predate the virus. But, with even those keen to reunite with colleagues wary of trains and buses and crowded city centres, they could become especially popular.
A particular variety of the format is the Innovation District. In recent years, the concept has grown in popularity, appearing in places as varied as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Stockholm, Rotterdam, Hiroshima and Manchester as well as Cambridge, Massachusetts, home of the perhaps best-known example, in Kendall Square. According to a just-published article in the latest edition of Prism, the magazine of management consultants Arthur D Little, about the future of the idea, they usually involve “a dense geographical area of supportive economic activity focused on innovation, which is near to one or more institutes of higher education, often in an urban environment that is ripe for regeneration.” The authors say they are distinguishable from traditional science or business parks by the fact that, rather than just being workplaces, innovation districts create places where people can live and socialise as well as work. This could make them especially attractive in a world adjusting to life after the pandemic. Even if there is an increase in virtual working, people could be drawn to them by the additional attractions and facilities besides a workplace. At the same time, businesses could continue to benefit from having different businesses and organizations involved in particular industries, such as healthcare, working side by side, thus creating the serendipitous meetings innovators crave.
This is not to say that they will inevitably succeed. The authors — management consultants at Arthur D Little working with Simon Pringle, director at Steer Economic Development, another consultancy — list various factors that must be in place if innovation districts are to be distinguishable from science and business parks. On top of this, business executives, university leaders and representatives of local government need to concentrate on various issues.
For government and university leaders, these are:
- Having a clear focus on a core subject area that will enable the district to attract the right mix of start-ups and larger corporates required to foster innovation;
- Offering a world-class proposition through being founded on renowned and differentiated research from an internationally respected institution;
- Using the greater involvement of municipalities in business caused by the pandemic to ease regulation, re-zone land and provide other support as required;
- Going beyond buildings to create opportunities for people and ideas to mix;
- Bringing together disparate stakeholders to spark off new and innovative thinking and uniting them behind a long-term plan; and
- Making it simple for business by setting up a one-stop shop for tenants of all sizes.
For business leaders the challenges include:
- Ensuring that the USP of the district chosen matches their own innovation aims rather than being solely guided by geographical factors;
- Ensuring the teams located in the districts understand their open nature and immerse themselves fully in what is going on;
- Locating the right people there. Instead of moving the HQ team there send a relevant group from with the innovation/R&D units that might benefit from the opportunity; and
- Taking an active part in setting the direction of the district. “Everyone involved in the district is responsible for its success — use your skills and knowledge to help the ecosystem develop, but without seeking to dominate, and contribute to shaping its vision,” says the article.
social experiment by Livio Acerbo #greengroundit #live https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogertrapp/2021/07/31/how-leaders-can-help-innovation-districts-to-thrive-after-the-crisis/