Gaining Competitive

Advantage: What It
Takes To Be Innovative

Pak Tee NG MA, MBA, PhD

paktee.ng@nie.edu.sg
 Content
•What is Innovation? What is the
competitive advantage of innovation?

•Deep Learning and Leading Innovation

•Cultivating the ground for Strategic

Innovation
 What is an Innovation?
•New in the context of the organisation
•Generates new value

INNOVATION
 What is an Innovation?
•New in the context of the organisation
•Generates new value

Strength

INNOVATION

Strength
 What is an Innovation?
•New in the context of the organisation
•Generates new value

Value
Strength

INNOVATION

Strength
 What is an Innovation?
•New in the context of the organisation
•Generates new value

Value
Strength

Scalable
INNOVATION
Sustainable
Strength
 Learning and Changing

Learning

Practising
Reflecting

Changing
Improvement
Innovation
 Deep Learning

Learning and learning not to

be trapped by the learning.

(Ng Pak Tee)

 Teach Less, Learn More!
More teaching… more of the
same teaching… more of the
same teaching that did not
work… is not exactly the way
to inspire better learning.
(Ng Pak Tee)
Deep Learning and Innovating

Learning

Changing
Deep Learning and Innovating

Single
Learning Loop

Incremental
Improvement
Changing
Deep Learning and Innovating

Single
Learning Loop
Double
Loop

Incremental
Improvement
Changing Quantum
Leap
Deep Learning and Innovating

Single
Learning Loop
Double
Loop Triple
Loop

Incremental
Improvement
Changing Quantum
Leap

Innovation
Capacity
 Bringing about a Strategic Innovation

Ideas

Creativity

Culture
(Fertile Ground)
 Bringing about a Strategic Innovation
Robust
Processes

Ideas Innovation

Creativity

Culture
(Fertile Ground)
 Bringing about a Strategic Innovation
Robust
Processes

Ideas Innovation

Trans-
Creativity
formation

Culture Business
(Fertile Ground)
 Bringing about a Strategic Innovation
Robust
Processes

Ideas Innovation

Trans-
Creativity
formation

Culture Business
(Fertile Ground)

Cultivation
 Bringing about a Strategic Innovation
Robust
Processes

Ideas Innovation

Trans-
Creativity Strategy formation

Culture Business
(Fertile Ground)

(Ng Pak Tee) Cultivation

What is an Innovative Organisation?

Metaphorically, such an organistaion

has an engine of deep learning,
knowledge sharing and
experimentation, which fuels the
innovative process and renewal of the
organisation.

(Ng Pak Tee)

The Singapore Story
It is not about the
glory of international
test results, but about
the hard work,
tenacity and sacrifice
of a few generations
of educators… to
achieve success for
all.
Pak Tee Ng (2017)
The Singapore Story
Educators are nation
builders.

Education is the
human enterprise of
paying it forward…

By Pak Tee Ng