المملكة: Specialists told “Al-Youm”: Innovation is a strategic driver for sustainable development and a pillar of the knowledge economy

Specialists confirmed that Innovationbegins with a mind that thinks outside the box and grows in environments that allow for experimentation and acceptance of error, pointing out that integrating a culture of creativity into the daily strategies of organizations ensures their continuity and ability to compete.

They explained in their interview with “Al-Youm” on the occasion of World Day of Innovation and Creativity, that the real challenge lies in enabling ideas to reach reality by bridging the gap between technical vision and commercial feasibility, stressing that senior leadership support for stimulating work environments and transforming the employee from a “task executor” to a “solution partner” is the real key to building a competitive and sustainable future.

The digital transformation and governance advisor, Dr. Maha Al-Juhani, explained that innovation begins with a mind that thinks outside the box, grows in an environment that allows, and continues to be led by

supports, stressing that it is no longer an option but rather a necessity to confront the accelerating challenges.

She indicated that the educational environment and workplaces play a eradicating role; The more a safe environment allows for experimentation and acceptance of error, the greater the chances for unconventional ideas to emerge and talent to be embraced, stressing the need to empower students from the early stages to think and experiment.

Al-Juhani revealed that in work environments, it is not enough to demand innovation from individuals, but rather senior management must support innovation as an integrated system that is translated into policies and work methods, to become a sustainable culture.

She pointed out that the success of institutions requires that innovation be part of daily work, by enabling The difference and linking ideas to real impact, stressing that the challenge is not in generating ideas, but in enabling them to reach reality.

The Director General of the General Administration of Research and Studies at the General Corporation for Technical and Vocational Training, Dr. Tarad Mutair Al-Balawi, stated that innovation and creativity represent an element

In order to confront economic and social challenges by developing sustainable solutions that increase performance efficiency and diversity Sources of income.

He explained that the technical and vocational training system works to empower national competencies through stimulating environments, as the training environment is the main enabler of innovation to build a culture that supports experimentation and development.

Al-Balawi stressed the institutions’ keenness to establish a culture of innovation within their operational strategies by adopting flexible work models and linking innovation outcomes to performance indicators.

He pointed out that the most prominent challenges are limited resources. And the gap between technical vision, commercial feasibility and resistance to change, which requires enhancing integration between organizational and financing capabilities.

In his message, he stressed that innovation is a strategic necessity to build a competitive future in light of the support given by the Kingdom’s government to strengthen the innovation system.

The Artificial Intelligence and Data Governance Consultant, Engineer Araa Al-Hamzani, revealed that innovation contributes to reformulating challenges as investment opportunities by employing data and advanced technologies, as big data analysis allows for raising the efficiency of resource use and improving the quality of decisions. It explained that Environments

Educational and practical build a sustainable culture of innovation by providing safe spaces that encourage experimentation and empower individuals with the necessary tools.

Al-Hamzani indicated that integrating innovation requires aligning it with strategic goals and enhancing the role of data as a pivotal asset, while adopting flexible “Agile” business models. She indicated that the most prominent challenges lie in resistance to change, the absence of clear governance frameworks, and the digital skills gap.

In her message, she stressed that artificial intelligence constitutes a lever for innovation that contributes to accelerating the goals of Vision 2030, stressing that “creativity innovates, innovation builds, and intelligence enhances.”

The education and talent development consultant, Dr. Taghreed Al-Sarraj, explained that

Innovation in a rapidly changing world has become a real way to deal with challenges in a smarter and more sustainable way, as different thinking allows for simpler and more impactful solutions. She indicated that the educational environment and workplaces must be spaces that encourage experimentation and embrace new ideas without fear of error.

Al-Sarraj stressed the importance of making innovation part of the daily culture of institutions by supporting ideas, motivating teams, and giving them space for development to ensure the ability to compete.

She pointed out that innovators face challenges such as lack of support or difficulty in turning ideas into reality, stressing in her message that every small idea may make a big difference if there is someone who believes in it and works on it. Developed.

The Saudi inventor, Amira Al-Qabaa, confirmed that innovation today is an executive tool for treating

Challenges and raising efficiency, as the educational and work environments play a pivotal role in enabling individuals to build real products and test their ideas in applied environments related to the market.

She explained that consolidating a culture of innovation requires redefining the role of the talented employee from a “task executor” to a “partner in developing solutions and driving products.”

Al-Qabaa revealed that limiting competencies to specific tasks without room for initiative leads to a decline. Passion and wasted energies, noting that the most prominent challenges are the difficulty of transforming ideas into applicable projects as a result of limited resources or weak executive support.

At the conclusion of her speech, she stressed that empowering innovators and linking them to vital sectors is an essential pillar for achieving the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and building a knowledge-based economy.