By Prof Benjamin Anderson, Co-Founder & Executive Director
In attending the recent South African Innovation Summit (SAIS: Cape Town) this past week, I found myself reflecting, like Jean-Jacques Rousseau, on the connection between language and mode of life.
The word ‘ideology’ came to mind.
There are two common features in the use of the term ideology. First, it usually designates a system of beliefs held by a group of people. Second, it typically implies that these beliefs should be assessed, especially by the practical effects or social interests they tend to promote.
The term ideology was first coined during the French Revolution by Destutt de Tracy. Ideology, therefore, is the name de Tracy gave to a method proposed as universally applicable, aimed at transforming the mundane into knowledge.
The first ideology I wish to highlight is conservatism. Proponents of conservatism have a tendency to use and enjoy what is available rather than seek out something else or something new.
Or, as Michael Oakeshott would say, “to delight in what is present rather than what may be.”
Now, I am interested in how being conservative could impact innovation or the development of an innovation management system.
Being conservative implies that you will find small changes more tolerable than large and sudden ones and that you will value continuity. In general, you will accommodate changes that do not offend expectations.
Though innovation assumes a certain loss and possible gain, as a conservative, you would consequently prefer small and limited innovations as opposed to large, open, and breakthrough innovations.
In Oakeshott’s understanding, the disposition to be conservative means being warm and positive in terms of enjoyment while being correspondingly critical with respect to innovation.
From a conservative ideology, there is no magic in co-creating or being lost and bewildered by the multiple prompts from reality. Rather, it involves adopting a disposition to enjoy rather than exploit.
The point I want to make is that we, as social actors within the innovation management system, need to acknowledge the unintended and, in some instances, intended consequences of our conservative ideological disposition.
In my next reflection, I look forward to pondering liberalism as a second ideology that could impact the development of our South African innovation management system.
The above reflections were adapted from a LinkedIn post by Professor Benjamin Anderson in September 2024. The views and opinions expressed in this opinion piece are those of the writer and are made in a personal capacity. These views do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of DaVinci Business School.
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