It is undeniable that in the history of our country, unions have played a decisive role in the development of the national economy, their exports and the well-being of the communities where they are present.
Although the responsibilities they have are many and varied, their most recognized roles have been defending the common interests of the companies they are members of and ensuring their good image.
However, changing market conditions and its international guidelines (especially during the last 20 years) have given them a leading role in what has been defined as business innovation, a challenge to which they must respond more than correctly.
Currently, innovating is part of the strategic plans of the vast majority of private companies, from SMEs to multinationals. On many occasions, regardless of their size, companies associate it exclusively with the knowledge and acquisition of new technologies at the service of their administrative, production and sales processes… nothing more wrong.
Although technology is very important when it comes to business innovation, it must be said that it is not the only thing to pay attention to in this regard. It is here where the contribution and dimension of trade union action becomes fundamental.
The unions are the ones mainly called upon to explain to the companies that, as the “G-20 Research and Innovation Initiative” (RIIG) said 5 days ago, in the city of Bombay, “Innovation is also determined to a large extent for his ability to advance research and build an equal world.”
In the first place, the guilds must help to change the perspective of the “foreign and specialized sector” that many businessmen have regarding research.
They should promote it as a fundamental tool for the development of organizations and the human being. It requires driving it from within and sharing the new knowledge acquired to prove its worth in identifying advantages and disadvantages, maximizing sales, staying ahead from any sector and, perhaps most importantly, contributing to the growth of individuals and society.
Research in companies, according to their activities, can be carried out from three different spheres, but with equal importance: the scientific one, that which is perceived as very complex and is related to laboratories, lab coats and the scientific method; the business, that full of data, target audiences and statistical sampling; and the social, little known, but currently highly demanded and recognized.
Research, from the first two perspectives, helps to find practical and concrete solutions to develop answers to specific problems.
For example, the scientist helps to find new bio-inputs in the agricultural sector or less polluting fuels in the transport sector. On the other hand, the business allows obtaining information to know trends and peculiarities of the markets in sectors such as communications or construction. Both are crucial to grow, sustain themselves in an increasingly competitive world and contribute to some extent to the development of people.
However, new market trends and so-called conscious consumers increasingly demand that business innovation be directly related to human and community well-being.
This is where a new type of research that must be integrated into business innovation becomes important: social research. This refers to processes to find products, services, models, markets and processes that cover a social need more effectively than the existing ones, at the same time that it generates new or improved capacities and relationships, and an efficient use of resources.
In this sense, companies must forge alliances that allow the exchange of knowledge with local governments, civil society organizations and community groups to, from research, generate entrepreneurship and new capacities in the populations where they carry out their activities.
According to the renowned University of Vern, a member institution of the United Nations Academic Impact initiative, “Social innovations are an effective way of creating new values, which drive the economy and the competitiveness of society.”
Thus, the unions have a great job to do in the country to change the behaviors and beliefs that some company leaders and their teams have regarding innovation.
True business innovation is, from research, creating new solutions to collective problems, developed by humans who interrelate and rely on technology, which have an impact on the well-being of the community.
That has to be developed, taught and shared by the guilds.