Wouldn’t it be nice to bridge the gap between effective collaboration and co-production through building a model utilizing innovative tools and techniques, to enable active co-creation with communities facing “wicked challenges” (e.g., COVID economic recovery, vaccine passports, housing shortage, immigration policies)?
Humber’s Office of Research & Innovation (ORI) is applying for a New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) Exploration Grant to develop a new model of collaboration. The goal of the Exploration stream is to inspire high-risk, high reward and interdisciplinary research. ORI’s goal is to weave faculty from four areas of focus: business, arts, not-for-profits, government affairs, to begin building bridges between these four disciplines to support government initiatives.
The research focus will build on the co-creation, co-production, co-responsibility model of knowledge creation where governing bodies are not solely responsible for the outcome of an initiative.
Our Research Philosophy: Collaboration without trust is difficult. We believe building trust requires transparency, equity, and tactical empathy. This can be difficult to do between sectors when there is a perceived risk (perhaps from vulnerability) due to loss of control and lack of understanding of others’ perspectives. This can lead to dis-trust. The success of an initiative requires risk to be reduced in order to navigate through uncomfortable issues and challenges that can derail a project. Trust is a necessary component to reducing the risk.
Emerging Research Question: “How Might We develop a roadmap for Co-Creation, Co-Production, Co-Responsibility as an effective and efficient collaboration model by utilizing innovative tools and techniques to foster/encourage community building?”
Potential Research Outcomes: Creation of a new Co-Creation/Co-Production/Co-Responsibility Model; empowering communities to be active co-creators of their own creative change; building transparency, equity, fairness, openness to build trust; navigating polarizing perspectives; development of a new eclectic, values-based, model for leadership and followership.
Research Team:
Raeshelle Morris, Innovation Program Manager: Raeshelle Morris holds a Master’s in Leadership from the University of Guelph, a double major honors Bachelor’s Degree in Management and Organizational Studies from the University of Western Ontario. She is also a certified project manager (PMP). In addition, she is trained in Creative Problem Solving, Values-Based Innovation through Values-Perspectives, Design Thinking, Change Management and Human-Centred Design. She has also obtained her Green Belt in Innovation Strategy Management through Innovation 360.
Debra Pickfield, Innovation Specialist: Debra Pickfield holds an MBA in Leadership from Royal Roads University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences (Economics) her passion is committed to creativity and innovation. Creating ThinkSpot Burlington in 2009 as a vehicle to bring people together and connect and co-create on a deeper level, Debra witnesses the power of human connection in a biophilic environment. The outcome is stronger trust and relationships, empowering teams to move forward through opportunities and challenges. Debra is a licensed practitioner in Simplexity Creative Problem-Solving, Lego® Strategic Play®, Values-Based Innovation through Values-Perspectives, and Green Belt in Innovation Strategy Management through Innovation 360.
Dianna Dinevski, Research Specialist: Dianna Dinevski is a PhD Candidate in Management and is currently working on her doctoral dissertation from Walden University. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration (2005) from the University of London, England, a Master’s of Philosophy in Management (2020) from Walden University, USA. She is also trained in Creative Problem Solving, Values-Based Innovation through Values-Perspectives and has obtained her Green Belt in Innovation Strategy Management through Innovation 360.
Darren Levine, Grant Writer/Leadership Educator: Darren Levine holds a Doctorate and Master's in Education from the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, a Graduate Certificate in Values-Based Leadership from Royal Roads University, a Leadership for the 21st Century Executive Education Certificate from the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, and experience and training leading and facilitating Human-Centred Design innovation and intrapreneurship processes. Darren is also Associate Faculty in the Graduate School of Leadership at Royal Roads University.
If you would like to take this journey with us, please contact me, Raeshelle Morris at raeshelle.morris@humber.ca.
