What if innovation were not a mysterious creative gift but a measurable engineering discipline? That is exactly the argument Professor David Cropley of the University of Adelaide makes — and he has the diagnostic framework to back it up.

In this episode of Arkaro Insights, Mark Blackwell talks with David about why most organisations are failing at innovation, where precisely the failure occurs, and what leaders can do about it.

David introduces the Innovation Phase Model, a 42-cell diagnostic matrix that maps seven stages of innovation against six psychosocial dimensions. Administered as a survey across teams and organisations, it pinpoints exactly where the roadblocks are — and consistently reveals the same pattern: most organisations are competent at implementation but struggle badly at the front end, where problems need to be identified and ideas generated before anything can be built.

They also discuss why AI is being deployed the wrong way in most organisations — treated as a product innovation when it is fundamentally a process innovation — and David shares the mathematical proof that large language models are capped at roughly average human creativity. Useful, but not the innovation engine many believe it to be.

The Smith Corona story brings it home: a world-class innovator that went bankrupt because it could only think incrementally when disruption arrived.

In this episode:

• The Innovation Phase Model and the 42-cell diagnostic
• Why structure determines behaviour, and most people are rewarded for exploiting not exploring
• AI as a process innovation being treated as a product — and why that matters
• The mathematical ceiling on large language model creativity
• Three things a new CEO or VP should do first to build a genuine innovation culture

Guest: Professor David Cropley, University of Adelaide Author of The Psychology of Innovation in Organizations (Cambridge University Press)

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidcropley

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What if sustainability weren't a cost of doing business, but its central engine? That is exactly the transformation Juan Aguiriano, Group Head of Sustainability at Kerry, has helped to architect over the past seven years.

In this episode, Juan traces Kerry's journey from its roots as an Irish dairy cooperative to its emergence as what the company calls an impact company, with an audacious mission to reach over two billion people with sustainable nutrition solutions by 2030.

We explore how Kerry's Beyond the Horizon strategy moved sustainability from implicit good practice to an explicit business choice, reshaping the company's portfolio, investment decisions and innovation pipeline. Juan explains the "and equation" at the heart of Kerry's approach: making food that is healthy, affordable, tasty and sustainable, all at once.

The conversation covers:

• How Kerry built its purpose, "inspiring food, nourishing life," through dialogue with tens of thousands of employees worldwide
• The five strategic impact themes driving Kerry's sustainability agenda, from nutrition and climate to responsible sourcing and social impact
• The Evolve programme: how Kerry worked with 3,000 Irish dairy farmers and Bord Bia to create what became the world's most sustainably verified dairy supply chain
• Why extending shelf life through natural fermentation and biotechnology is one of the most cost-effective tools in the fight against food waste
• How the Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute (KHNI) is advancing the science of sustainable nutrition
• The role of digital tools and AI in scaling and accelerating impact

Juan brings the perspective of a realistic optimist: the physical risks facing the global food system are accelerating, yet the cultural shift inside Kerry, where sustainability has become everyone's business, gives genuine cause for confidence.

A compelling case study in how doing good and doing well are not in conflict, but increasingly inseparable.

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Audio Podcast: https://arkaroinsights.buzzsprout.com

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What does the science of creativity actually tell us about working with AI? And where does human judgement remain irreplaceable?

Mark Blackwell speaks with Dr Todd Lubart, Professor of Psychology at Université Paris Cité, about his research on Cyber-Creativity and the future of human-AI collaboration in innovation.

Todd has spent his career building rigorous frameworks for understanding and measuring creative potential. In this conversation he brings that evidence base to bear on the questions business leaders are wrestling with right now.

In this episode:

• Why AI excels at divergent thinking but struggles with genuine originality
• Where the quickest wins are in the creative process, and where the pitfalls lie
• The Pick and Mix approach to prompting multiple AI systems for better results
• Why problem definition remains a distinctly human advantage
• The four scenarios from the Manifesto for Human-AI Creativity, including Plagiarism 3.0 and Shutdown
• How rigorous benchmarking transforms the quality of idea evaluation
• The hidden cost of slop, and what to do about it

Essential listening for business leaders in innovation-intensive sectors who want to engage with AI on the basis of evidence, not headlines.

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🔗 Follow us on LinkedIn:
Arkaro Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkaro
Mark Blackwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrblackwell/
Newsletter - Arkaro Insights: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/arkaro-insights-6924308904973631488/

🌐 Visit our website: www.arkaro.com

📺 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@arkaro

Audio Podcast: https://arkaroinsights.buzzsprout.com

📧 For business enquiries: mark@arkaro.com