The Vietnam National Productivity Institute (VNPI) benefited from face-to-face (F2F) APO Technical Expert Services (TES) on Advanced Innovation Management, 6–10 June. The onsite services marked the restart of F2F APO activities after a two-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Training in and disseminating standards of innovation management systems are an effective way to help enterprises recover from pandemic-related restrictions and stagnation. Traditional F2F training has the advantage of providing personalized guidance for businesses.

Innovation management is a key driver for organizations to create value from new products, services, processes, or business models. However, they need to be managed systematically. The purpose of a business continuity management system is to prepare for, provide, and maintain controls and capabilities for managing an organization’s overall ability to continue operations during disruptions.

APO Resource Person Azim Pawanchik, Innovation Strategist, Alpha Catalyst Consulting Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia, transferred knowledge, explained the innovative mindset, and helped develop innovation plans for 16 participants from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Support Center and SMEs during the TES project in Vietnam. The sessions were delivered interactively to demonstrate the use of digital software and apps in managing innovation in organizations. Topics covered included innovation management, essence of tactical innovation, the innovation ecosystem in Vietnam, essence of strategic innovation management, and ISO 56002:2019. Examples of developing an innovation management strategy were introduced along with case studies on successful innovation in organizations.