It is perfectly logical for anyone considering the value of participating in the finfish aquaculture innovation project to ask the question “what do the organisers contribute?” It is also legitimate to seek a clear understanding of the degree of rigour and credibility the individuals behind the project will bring to the exercise.
The contribution to the project by the organisers consists mainly of four different types of commitment:
- focus
- information
- conectivity
- project resources
Focus
As organisers, the project initiators have set the focus of the project. Focus is important because if it is too broad then it will be difficult to get traction with practical business development objectives to produce real outcomes. If it is too narrow then the ambitious goals set for the project are not likely to be achieved.
The focus for the project is defined from several perspectives. Each of the perspectives must be considered together for the integrity of the project to be maintained.
First, this project is about aquaculture, but not just any aquaculture. The project relates specifically to finfish aquaculture. But again, it is more specific than this since the project is about the sustainable production of high quality table fish for the world’s most discerning markets. If your interests relate to the culture of species other than finfish (for example: moluscs, crustaceans, plant species) then this project is unlikely to fit precisely with your interests. Alternatively if your interests are mainly related to the production of fish as a component of feed products or low value fish for human consumption then you may not find that your needs are at the core of the conversations that take place on this site. Similarly, if your interest is to produce masses of fish while disregarding ecological or societal costs then your needs are unlikely to be fully met.
Second, this project is about producing industrial quantities of fin fish. By industrial quantities we mean amounts of fish relevant to achieving the goal of at least filling the global fish production gap of 37 million tonnes per annum by the year 2030. The focus of this project will therefore be about creating the multiple capabilities across the entire aquaculture value system required to deliver against this objective. If your interests are in tune with creating this type of capability then you will occupy the core opportunity space covered by this project. If, however, your interests are more closely aligned with smaller scale endeavours then you may find that your needs are outside the interests of the majority of participants in this project.
Third, the heart of this project is about significant innovation. To achieve its objectives this project must lead to or catalyse the development of several truely productivity-transforming innovations across the activities that make up the aquaculture value chain. While we fully expect that a number of incremental innovations with be identified through this project, we will be entirely dissatisfied with its outcomes unless there are several innovations that transforms the ability of the aquaculture industry to meet the projected fish supply gap.
Fourth, the project is about delivering high quality table fish to the world’s most discerning markets. This is a world scale problem that will require insights and contributions from around the globe in order to assemble the innovation components into a cohesive world class solution. Therefore, the participants of the project will assemble from various global locations. This web connect platform has the ability to scale to support thousands or indeed tens of thousands of users in their participation in this project.
We do not want to dissuade anyone who believes that they may have insights to gain or contribute from participating but we are absolutely committed to maintaining the focus that we have set for this project.
Information
The second type of contribution is information. The information provided will be that which is most influential in promoting the ability to define significant and productivity transforming innovations for sustainable industrial scale finfish aquaculture. To assist people to organise their thought processes in a coherent fashion we will offer some logic frameworks. The initial frameworks will include a finfish aquaculture value system and a manufacturing paradigm for aquaculture. The organisers will also contribute a study of larger scale aquaculture producers that helps identify the Key Success Factors that have enabled these businesses to grow their production to the present scale. We will also assemble information on innovation priorities in the form of a Finfish Aquaculture Technology Roadmap. The Roadmap will draw on insights from the broad community of participants to identify the most influential changes impacting on the industry, the positioning of major players in the market, the emergence of important new technologies and capabilities that could influence aquaculture as well as capability gaps and performance metrics that need to be met. We expect that the innovation roadmap will assist participants to identify where the productivity transforming innovations are most likely to be derived.
Connectivity
The organisers will play a catalytic role in encouraging people and organisations to participate. This will be achieved by providing a leading edge communication platform that supports the quality of communication and collaboration to enable planning and action on innovation projects. The organisers will also propose a set of guidelines that will act as rules to foster appropriate collaborative innovation practices and outcomes. This will be the subject of a future posting.
This web connect platform has the ability to support a variety of forms of digital communication. We are confident that these forms will support the introduction of people and organisations to one another, encourage rich conversations and the exchange of views and provide support for the creation and performance of cross disciplinary teams.
We are not yet willing to claim that the rich communication experience of direct person to person interaction that facilitates the exchange of tacit knowledge in an innovation project work context will be achieved solely through the communication avenues provided by this site. What we are will ing to posit however, is that as the scale of opportunity is made clear people will find a way to get together one on one or in teams so that innovation rich communication and work can take place.
Project Resources
The organisers are contributing significant resources in cash and in kind to make this project happen. It is anticipated that there is likely to be a number of projects defined as a result of the finfish aquaculture innovation roadmap and that resources will need to be assembled in order to allow these proceed.
The leadership shown by the organisers in developing this project and throwing it open to the aquaculture industry and other innovators world wide demonstrates their commitment to the open innovation model and their conviction that collaborative innovation is required in order to create the quality of innovation to meet the fish production gap.