[caption id="attachment_3659" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Mark and Ravi Kant, who collected the award"]
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Some great projects were honoured at The Economist’s Eighth Annual Innovation Awards Ceremony recently, held in London in the Flight Gallery of the Science Museum.
It's a unique event, focusing on the interface between innovation and business, and of course, projects are at the heart of a lot of business change and innovation.
The event was sponsored by PMI (who invited me as their guest), and Mark Langley, PMI's executive vice president and COO, awarded the prize for Business Process Innovation to Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group. Unfortunately, Mr Tata couldn't be there, so Ravi Kant collected the award on his behalf.
"Innovative ideas are everywhere,” said Mark. "What we salute with the Business Process Award is rarer: the implementation, through effective projects and programs that translates ideas into lasting change. Tata Motors’ Nano challenges the way automobiles have been made and marketed for a hundred years. The application of project management is testimony to Tata Group’s record of refining its processes, from boardroom to manufacturing floor, and promises transformation of an industry facing a billion new customers over the next generation.”
It was a really interesting evening, and we learned about projects to improve water quality in developing countries, to develop sustainable energy sources, and of course the work at Tata that led to them winning their award. Tata were honoured - with Mr Tata at the helm - for forging a company that is shaping businesses across the globe and changing the way Indian companies conduct business. The company is also responsible for inventing the Tata Nano, the world’s lowest-cost car. Innovative methods through which the car is designed and manufactured enable Tata Motors to offer a more affordable, safe and efficient form of mobility to families in emerging markets.