OUR STORY
The Center for Service Industry Innovation and Growth (CSIIG) was founded by Jim Vatalaro, the current Center Director. As a global Senior Management Consultant for over 25 years, Jim observed several troubling patterns relating to Innovation and Strategy in service industry clients.
These included:
-
The default business strategy paradigm was “Bottom-line & Cost-out" in nature
-
The initial context for Innovation was Outcomes. Innovation as Inputs and Processes was usually a new conversation
-
The available sources of innovation-related education, e.g. books, articles, and courses, focused on specific innovation methods or techniques. Completely lacking was an educational source that presented Innovation as several connected, easy to use processes, operating as System and melded into the fabric of organizational culture.
Collectively, these observations fueled Jim's passion to change the status quo. In November of 2020, The Center was founded. We are based in the Charleston, South Carolina area.
RESEARCH-DRIVEN,
PRACTITIONER-CENTRIC
We have been researching and implementing Innovation Processes for decades.
As a result, The Center has:
-
Created a Comprehensive Knowledge Management System from which our many offerings are directly developed, and
-
Discovered a Proven Reliable step-by-step approach to building an Innovation System that any Service Organization can follow.
THE CENTERS PRECEPTS
All of the The Centers offerings are built on a foundation of five core beliefs. We refer to these as the "Five Precepts."
- Service Organizations have the right to contextualize the Meaning of “Innovation" and “Strategy."
- Innovation and Strategy processes must be developed as internal Core Competencies in Service Organizations.
- All Service Organizations can apply streamline, easy to use and proven Innovation processes.
- Strong Innovation and Strategy processes can be Institutionalized and Sustained in any service organization.
- The only certain Risk regarding Innovation and Strategy processes is the inevitable painful consequences of not mastering them.
WE BELIEVE IN YOUR INNOVATION
"BILL OF RIGHTS"
Professional Growth in a way that supports your personal goals.
Experience the Satisfaction and thrill of meaningfully participating with Innovation activities and projects.
Create entirely New and Differentiated Career Opportunities.
Affordable Access to proven Innovation & Strategy capability-building programs.
Feel the Excitement that accompanies working for an increasingly profitable organization.
THE CENTER BELIEVES YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO:
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
We Recycle 100%.
We are Carbon Neutral.
We generate Zero Landfill.
JIM VATALARO
THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER
Jim is a senior leadership advisor, researcher, author and instructor. He has a quarter of a century of global experience in building growth capabilities in Fortune 1000 organizations.
Jim studied under Japanese Innovation and Strategy thought-leaders for over six years. He led a multi- year research effort centered on Innovation and Strategy best practices applied in dozens of exemplar organizations. He has extensive experience in adult learning theory, educational curriculum design and instruction.
Jim's passion is building upon and sharing the body of knowledge that relates to the science and art of Innovation and Strategy.
Jim is regularly invited to teach Innovation, Strategy and Growth methodologies to senior business leaders at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business.
