Bridging Worlds: Product Management as Innovation Across Cultures and Companies

How global product leaders (Alibaba, Grab, ByteDance, and more) have succeeded by adapting- not copying, practices to local realities. The diversity of product management cultures, even within “product native” companies and across industries (from startups to corporates and non-profits). How organizations can navigate the hype and reality of innovation practices, using the Gartner Hype Cycle for Innovation Practices 2024 as a practical lens. I’ll introduce key concepts from the Hype Cycle - such as hackathons (now mainstream), design sprints (emerging), and new approaches like Minimum Viable Innovation Systems and inclusive innovation, explaining what they mean and how they fit different organizational cultures. Real examples from Southeast Asia, China, and beyond, plus lessons from NUS-ISS’s own journey teaching product mindsets to both product managers and business leaders.