Introduction
Singapore has emerged strong from the recession last year and has expanded 17.9% in the first half this year. While the business community continue to enjoy growth, it is critical to focus on the need to improve productivity to ensure sustainable growth. The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) is privileged to partner The Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) to launch the Innovation Improvement Initiatives (i3) Programme. This initiative offers Singapore companies practical trainings and hands-on projects to identify business operation gaps, redesign business processes and enhance productivity. This objective is aligned with the recent Economic Strategies Committee’s recommendation to achieve productivity growth of 2 to 3 percents per year over the next decade.

Through this conference, SBF and WDA will launch the first series of productivity initiative with Motorola University. The programme aims to coach companies on Business Process Improvement (BPI) methodology and assist application to case-studies at work. At the end of a 5-days course and projects completion, companies can expect work processes to be of higher quality and efficiency.

In addition, we are proud to present a rare opportunity for all to learn how to create new ideas and innovation at work from Joel Barker, a globally well-known futurist who popularized the concept of Paradigm Shifts. SBF members and non-members are strongly encouraged to attend this event to be inspired by this World Renowned Innovation Guru. Do not miss this rare opportunity. The fees are highly subsidized; register now as seats are limited!

Program Agenda

Time	Programme
8.30am	Registration
Launch of i3 – An Innovation Improvement Initative by SBF and WDA
9.00am	Welcome Address By Mr Tony Chew, Chairman, Singapore Business Federation
9.10am	Opening Address By Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Manpower
9.20am	MOU Signing between SBF and WDA
9.40am	Introduction to Innovation Improvement Initiative (i3) - Your Gateway to Innovative Productivity By Mr Victor Tay, Chief Operating Officer, Singapore Business Federation
10.00am	Insights to Enhancing Productivity by Business Process Improvement (BPI) Methodology By Mr Kamaldin Nordin, Director of Motorola University, Asia Pacific and the Middle East
10.20am	Refreshment
Leading Innovation Conference- Be inspired to innovate and improve by Joel Barker
10:50am	Overview of presentation - To understand the forces that improve innovation and inhibit innovation - To examine a relatively unexplored area of innovation (accompanied with an exercise to test    the idea) - To learn 10 guidelines for introducing innovation to resistant users - To explore the relationship between diversity and innovation - To overview two thinking tools to assess an innovation’s long term consequence - To take a quick tour of the next 10 years to see where innovations are already emerging that    will have significant consequences "Wealth, Innovation and Diversity: How Are They Connected and What Does it Mean for Your Organisation": This Presentation sets the stage for the rest of the day by showing how these three elements are related and how human resources can make all the difference.
11.20am	Innovation at the Verge This presentation and exercise will illuminate an area of innovation that is rarely explored and utilized. There is much “low hanging fruit” that is waiting to be exploited. The concept will be described and then illustrated with more than a dozen examples of successful application across many industries. The exercise will ask audience to apply the Verge principles to their own organizations.
12.50am	Networking Lunch
2.00pm	Tools for Assessing Innovations and their Impact - An overview of the Implication Wheel® as a new way of doing risk assessment and discovering long term consequences. - Tactics of Innovation: 10 Guidelines for Reducing Resistance to New Ideas: This will be an interactive presentation with the audience applying each of the guidelines immediately to an idea they are working on. - T.I.P.S. Teams: How to set up teams to monitor the global environment for new innovations and triggers for innovation.
3.00pm	A Short Look at the Long View: 2010- 2020 Based on Joel’s most recent research, this presentation will take the audience on a fast-paced tour of recent innovations that he believes will be important for the next 10 years The Power of Vision and its Role for Innovation Culture Joel will conclude with an update of his vision work and connect the importance of innovation and the importance of positive vision
4.30pm	Questions and Answers
4.45pm	End of Programme

ABOUT JOEL A. BARKER – Futurist, Author, Innovation Guru

Joel A. Barker is one of the best known futurists in the world. His extraordinary videos on the future have been translated into 20 languages and have been seen by more than 100 million people. They have been international best sellers for more than a decade. He was the first person to popularize the concept of paradigm shifts and he is known around the world as the “Paradigm Man”. His book on paradigms, Future Edge, published in 1992, was listed as one of the most influential business books of that year. It has been used for more than a decade.

Joel Barker has worked with both profit and non-profit organizations all over the world, including Singapore, Venezuela, Canada, Mexico and Peru. Some of his clients include Agilent, IBM, Motorola, Herman Miller, Wyeth Pharmacemeuticals, Inc., US Dept. of Labor, US Army Special Forces and etc.

His current focus is on two topics: "innovation at the verge" – a new place for finding the big ideas for the 21st century; and the importance of understanding and identifying the long term implications of change. His videos have been called by Industry Week Magazine, "one of the most influential series of programs in the business world". He has received numerous awards including two honorary doctorates.

In 2008, he was identified as one of the “Top 100 Thought Leaders in Personal Leadership and Organizational Leadership” by Executive Excellence Publications. Formerly director of the Future Studies Department of the Science Museum of Minnesota, he has since spoken to more than one million people in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

His two most quoted phrases: "You can and should shape your own future: because if you don’t someone else surely will." And for leaders, "No one will thank you for taking care of present if you have neglected the future.