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Hello! is noticeable
that something is happening in the former Totschek department store on Steinstraße in Görlitz  Since the end of last year, the department store is called “Kaufhaus der Innovations”. Suddenly the lettering "Grantiro" is emblazoned on the shop windows, and behind them two experts, the enterprising innovation manager Christoph Scholze and Dr.
Johannes Sauerwein everyone who wants to talk about new ideas for the district of Görlitz.

And the two extend invitations: you can leave your basic willingness to participate in the process. Or you express your ideas (also possible digitally ) that you have been carrying around with you for a long time. But you can also register for “Creativity Interviews” . A large digital innovation workshop is also planned, which will take place on February 28th. and on 1.3. takes place - modern formats of citizen participation for everyone, carried out on behalf of the district of Görlitz - to which anyone and everyone who is interested can register .
All who sign up will be kept informed of developments!

The considerations of the two always run under the sign: how can we tackle the coal phase-out together in order to keep the district (not only from) 2038 (or even as early as 2030) fit for the future, "suitable for grandchildren", i.e. - worth living in and also economically interesting? Christoph's colleague Johannes is significantly involved in the whole process. Today we present the Neu-Görlitzer from a merchant family from the Tanus (he himself comes from Heidelberg).  

dr Johannes Sauerwein studied business administration and philosophy at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz and at the SRH University in Heidelberg and received his doctorate at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. Since 2015 he has worked as an economist on social issues in transformation processes.
He spends his free time with Florcross in the Flora Sports Center (NSAC e. V. Görlitz) , with family, friends and dogs and likes to read. He is also involved in social projects. He thinks the people in the district of Görlitz are great because they are honest and helpful, explains Johannes.

Johannes, since the end of November 2021 you and Christoph Scholze, among others, have been seen in the new shop office on Steinstraße in Görlitz.
Some have now come to know the office as a focal point for Alstom's site preservation campaign . However, you are to come to Görlitz for Grantiro to “think the district entrepreneurially”. Can you briefly outline what it is about?

We live in the age of disruptive technologies , the "Fourth Industrial Revolution". What worries and worries the citizens of the district of Görlitz today is the phase-out of coal and the associated threat to thousands of jobs. Today, in the flow of disruption, a “New Normal” (digitalization, globalization, carbon neutrality, etc.) has emerged . I am convinced that new socio-ecological megatrends and technologies also promise opportunities for changes in the district. And thus also for the people here. To do this, we have to think of the district as a whole in an entrepreneurial way.

How can we (re)combine the existing industrial and scientific competence, the countless key competences, the expertise and the commitment of the people, the uniqueness of the three-country corner in such a way that progress is made for everyone? 

That's what I mean by "entrepreneurial": involving all citizens and ideas, not overlooking any opportunities, providing answers today to tomorrow's questions, the joy of creating. Creativity is what I use when I don't know beforehand what the result will be.
We need this creativity of the citizens, this creative commitment from the district. To this end, we are conducting an innovation process in the district of Görlitz. This is a new and somewhat different form of citizen participation: we are looking for creative citizens in the district of Görlitz, people in the district with special social skills, with special hobbies and special commitment; simply all people who want to get involved, who will shape the future of the district of Görlitz.

Is there a breed of people that is particularly suited to this process? Not everyone studied...  

My experience from innovation processes in the past has taught me: Creativity is not related to education, level of education and work position - creative thinking is wildly distributed. And it is the experiences and ideas of the people affected that bring about innovations. And it is respect for the life achievements of the people affected that is needed to create trust in a transformation.

Does that mean that every citizen is welcome to use targeted techniques to develop the so much desired "new ideas" for the district of Görlitz? Can you just walk in on you - or can you also be specifically trained in order to really participate in the innovation at a professional level?   

Everyone is welcome, our door is always open to everyone. Among other things, we have developed a special creativity interview that is scientifically based (based on psychological studies and procedures) and tested in practice and asks about creative thinking skills and special personality traits. The creativity interview is our ticket to the innovation workshops. The most creative citizens work on ideas, but we need all people to develop, evaluate and finally implement the ideas. Depending on the project phase, we train people in creativity techniques. But also in the creation of business plans, in the validation of concepts, in the implementation of tests (surveys, prototypes, etc.) and in presentation techniques. You see - we need all committed people for our innovation process. Because it is their homeland that is being designed for the future!

The innovation or transformation of a region can only function in the long term if it is accepted by all sides. Not only the economic feasibility, but also the social acceptance is a necessary condition. The innovative spark of a region ignites from the biographies of its citizens.

Can you explain to us what happened on 28.2. and on 1.3. will happen? And what happens to ideas that you classify as useful, worthy of implementation or even excellent?    

Unfortunately, the innovation workshop #2 has to be carried out digitally due to the corona. That's why we got creative to surprise the participants - the innovation workshop will also contain the unexpected, so I can only give a brief overview at this point. The creative citizens are playfully trained in innovation techniques together with initiators (from various fields of knowledge, such as theology, architecture, social media, etc.). The aim is for every participant to let their ideas flow at all times.  

These ideas are in turn further developed using techniques such as design thinking and thought through in rearranged sequences.
In this way, within two days we will develop a number of well-formulated top ideas from a three-digit number of ideas. The best ideas (the participants make the final assessment) will be processed after the innovation workshop and transferred to the face-to-face workshop from spring. Then the participants will be able to put the ideas into concrete terms and test them to such an extent that, with the support of our partners (including Deloitte Germany ), validated business plans are created so that the ideas can finally be turned into reality.

We're excited - and we're taking part.

And you? This email address is being protected from spam bots! To display JavaScript must be turned on. ! And how your visit to the Totschek department store, with Johannes and Christoph was!

Best regards -

your

Yasna