We take companies delivering excellent business results and screen to see which of these focus on innovation. Then we examine the finalists on-site and in detail to see how they do it. As examiners we scrutinize what is working to find learning examples. We look for good stories to tell our membership. In general we learn that judgment matters a lot.
Metrics help, but sometimes they cause harm.
It's the same with process. Still, wise investors look at the track records of funds before they commit money. Looking at past OCI awards teaches a similar lesson. Though most winners have prospered, a few have not. This year we had two winners from very different industries with very different stories to tell us as they accepted their awards.