IBM: Creating a Culture of Innovation

By Elizabeth Macanufo 

January 2010

In 2007, IBM received 3,125 U.S. patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This number allowed IBM to continue its trend of receiving more U.S. patents than any other company in the world for the 15th consecutive year. From the InnovationJam to the Next Five in Five, IBM leadership puts programs in place to ensure that company keeps innovation a priority.

“Innovation is our bread and butter,” explains Jamila Petite, IBM North America diversity talent acquisition strategist. “Innovation is everything to everyone.” Each IBM employee, regardless of his or her position or department, has the ability to approach the job creatively. To ensure this happens, IBM implemented Think Fridays five years ago. Petite describes, “we like to give half a day per week as think time. Our employees consider how you make your life, the clients’ life or the world easier.” Employees across the globe take advantage of the opportunity: in China, a team uses the time to learn English; in Raleigh, N.C., a technology group conducts seminars with topics ranging from learning Chinese to the Linux operating system.

According to Bill Lawrence, senior diversity staffing program manager, “we remove the obstacles that inhibit creative thinking.” Global teams, by definition, necessitate an innovative approach to work. IBM’s 386,000 employees live in 170 countries occupying every time zone. Says Lawrence, “clients don’t care if an idea comes from the U.S., U.K. or Africa.” The company uses their global work force to their advantage. Says Lawrence, “because of our international employees, we have diversity of thought and perspective. This leads to innovation.”

IBM pairs working across time zones with, as Lawrence describes, “giving people freedom to work smart and work the way that works for them.” Offering flexible schedule and the opportunity to work from home, Lawrence encourages employees to take advantage of these offerings, so that they feel comfortable in their work environments, and therefore more creative.