Tesla triumphs

From left:   NHH Professor Tor W. Andreassen and Yngvar Ugland, head of DNB NewTechLab. Photo: Siv Dolmen
THE NORWEGIAN INNOVATION INDEX 2022: Tesla tops the Commercial Innovation Index and the Social Innovation Index, and is number four on the Digital Innovation Index. IKEA has lost the top position on the Commercial Innovation Index, which it has held for the past six years. From left: NHH Professor Tor W. Andreassen and Yngvar Ugland, head of DNB NewTechLab. Photo: Siv Dolmen
NHH By Ingrid Aarseth Johannessen

10 February 2023 08:41

Tesla triumphs

The electric car giant excels in the Norwegian Innovation Index 2022. ‘Tesla has turned the car industry upside down,’ says NHH Professor Tor W. Andreassen.

The Norwegian Innovation Index 2022 was presented on Wednesday 8 February in partnership with BEKK Consulting at NHH's campus in Oslo. The index measures how innovative Norwegian companies are – as seen from the customers' perspective.

Tesla stand out from the rest: the American car brand tops the Commercial Innovation Index and the Social Innovation Index, and is number four on the Digital Innovation Index. IKEA has lost the top position on the Commercial Innovation Index, which it has held for the past six years, and drops to third place.

Others who are in the top three-lists are Sbanken, Stormberg, Vipps, Airbnb, Netflix and Toyota.

RESULTS: NORWEGIAN INNOVATION INDEX 2022

Tor W. Andreassen explains Tesla's progress as follows:

‘A Tesla is almost like an iPad on wheels with its advanced software solutions. The company has transformed the electric car market and turned the car industry and its business model upside down. In the process, they have contributed greatly to environmental improvements - and the Norwegian consumers like that! This moves Tesla to the top on several of the indices we measure.’

SMALL CHANGES OVERALL

The indices measure approximately 100 companies in 20 industries. Interestingly, the results from 2022 show no significant change in the consumers' perception of how innovative Norwegian companies are, compared to measurements in recent years.

‘This is reassuring, but the numbers are still low. Many companies have faced big challenges in the last three years and innovations have not been prioritized,’ says Andreassen.

All photos: Siv Dolmen

Embla Belsvik at BEKK Consulting.
Embla Belsvik at BEKK Consulting.
Director NHH Executive Tore Hillestad and Professor Tor W. Andreassen.
Director NHH Executive Tore Hillestad and Professor Tor W. Andreassen.
Eva Camerer at Innovation Norway.
Eva Camerer at Innovation Norway.
Associate Professor Eirik Sjåholm Knudsen.
Associate Professor Eirik Sjåholm Knudsen at NHH.
Director Harald Krogh at BEKK Consulting.
Director Harald Krogh at BEKK Consulting.
Vegard Jansen Hagen at TV 2.
Vegard Jansen Hagen at TV 2.

TV 2 COMMENTED ON THE CRITICISM

A number of companies that are represented in the indices took part in the event, including TV 2. Sports editor Vegar Jansen presented the channel's major sports initiative "Hjemmebanen".

‘“Hjemmebanen” gives us a unique opportunity to present Norwegian sports on all levels and is something that the world has never seen before. We want to take a step away from the elite sports that we usually spend so much time on.’

Recently, the TV 2 initiative has received negative publicity in the media, particularly related to live streaming of young athletes. Jansen was open about the criticism they have received:

‘Innovating and thinking big means making mistakes - even a media organization can be surprised by criticism and negative media attention.’

INTERNATIONAL FOOTPRINT

The Norwegian Innovation Index was developed at NHH and was launched in 2016. It has been adopted in almost 10 countries, and several countries in Asia are showing interest in the index.

The Norwegian Innovation Index distinguishes between three indices:

  • The commercial innovation index measures the customers' total assessment of the business's innovative capacity.
  • Social innovation index measures customers' experiences of the company's innovations in social and societal areas.
  • Digital innovation index measures customers' experiences of the business's digital innovations directly related to consumers.

BOOK LAUNCH

Professor Tor W. Andreassen's new book Modern Value Creation was launched on the same day as the index was presented. It is about changes in the external environment – technological, sustainable and economic – that affect everyone. Those who succeed through innovation will experience real growth and increased company value, believes Andreassen.

The book presents several case companies such as Bergen municipality, Bulder, Telenor, Gjensidige and Posten.