While it may seem intuitive that technology should enable innovation, Cisco’s State of Global Innovation research suggests that the reverse is often the case. Indeed, only just over half of respondents said that their technology investments were providing a return, with many arguing that the tools were inadequate to fulfill their goals.

The general lackluster experience isn’t dampening enthusiasm for innovation, however, with nearly all respondents saying they plan to increase their spending in the coming years. It does suggest that technology teams need to do a better job in supporting innovation, however.

Showing potential

Interestingly, while most respondents thought that technology was inhibiting their innovation, they were also adamant that technology was vital in enabling innovation to occur. For instance, this is especially so in areas such as providing the right platform for innovation to thrive by helping to simplify processes and operations.

This was one of four key elements that technology can help with that will help to drive innovation. Indeed, 85% of respondents said that simplification was a key element in driving innovation, especially from a technology perspective. Respondents also thought that a simplified IT environment would help with everything from employee retention to customer satisfaction.

The need for IT to be central to the organization was also something that attracted almost universal agreement. Respondents argued that IT should be helping to drive change in areas such as infrastructure and digital experience.

The suggestion that IT should drive innovation is perhaps of no great surprise in a survey conducted by a technology company, but perhaps the most interesting aspect was the general trend toward sustainability-related innovations. Indeed, respondents thought the development of a more sustainable business was the number one driver for innovation today.