Successfully managing sustainable and artistic innovations (SUSTain)

Centre of Expertise Digital Operations & Finance

Collaboration between entrepreneurs and artists seems to be the recipe for creating a new economy. A resilient, socially equitable and environmentally sustainable economy. In theory, the business qualities of entrepreneurs and the quality of artists to think beyond existing systems could complement each other and result in impactful initiatives. However, in reality collaboration often proves to be difficult. Intermediaries, so-called innovation brokers, could bring these worlds together and steer projects in the right direction. The Change Management research group is investigating which knowledge and competencies are required.

A preliminary study shows that while there are many different innovation brokers, the core of their activities always revolves around effectively bringing different realms together. Different innovation realms each bring in their own language, knowledge, networks, priorities and interests. The innovation broker's task is to shape the sought-after synergy between these spheres.

Expected results

Through its research, the team is developing a Brokers Knowledge Canvas for and with stakeholders. This internationally oriented canvas describes the issues encountered in collaborations between artists and entrepreneurs, and how innovation brokers can make those issues productive.

The team fills the canvas during the research with their progress, but also adds tools, methods and interventions they develop to manage collaborations between entrepreneurs and artists.