In the decision-making of corporate technological innovation, it is unwise to ignore the opinions of a few team members on the research and development of environmentally friendly materials, even if their views currently seem to be “non-mainstream”. Here are a few key reasons and their suggestions： ### 1. **Long-term value and risk aversion** -**Strategic layout**: Popular smart technology products in the market may have significant short-term benefits, but competition is fierce and technology iteration is fast. Although the initial investment in the research and development of environmentally friendly materials is large, it may be in line with global sustainable development trends (such as carbon neutrality and ESG policies), and may become mandatory by law or differentiated competitive advantages in the future. -**Policy and regulatory risks**: Ignoring the direction of environmental protection may expose companies to future policy sanctions (such as EU carbon tariffs) or consumer boycotts, and early layout can reduce such risks. ### 2. **The importance of innovation diversity** -**Avoid group thinking**: Relying entirely on mainstream opinions can lead to blind spots in decision-making. Minority opinions often provide key insights, such as the possibility of opening up new markets for environmentally friendly materials (such as green buildings and electric vehicle supply chains). -Resource balance strategy**: A “dual-track system” can be used to allocate resources, for example, 80% of the investment in mainstream projects guarantees short-term benefits, and 20% explores the direction of environmental protection (similar to Google's “70-20-10” innovation model). ### 3. **Internal collaboration and talent retention** -**Impact on team morale**: Ignoring minority opinions may cause a brain drain, especially experts in the field of environmental protection. Allow small-scale pilot projects (such as internal incubators) to retain the vitality of innovation. - **Cross-disciplinary collaboration opportunities**: There may be combination points between intelligent technology and environmentally friendly materials (such as using AI to optimize the research and development of biodegradable materials), and cross-team collaboration to tap synergistic effects. ### 4. **Market and brand revenue** -**Changes in consumer preferences**: The younger generation (such as Generation Z) is more willing to pay for sustainable products, and stockpiling green technologies in advance helps brand premiums. -**Investor relations**: Companies with high ESG ratings are more likely to be favored by long-term capital, and environmental protection research and development can increase company valuations. ### Suggestions for action： -**Establish an evaluation mechanism**: Use SWOT to analyze and compare the technical feasibility, market potential and policy compliance of the two types of projects. -**Small-scale verification**: Conduct rapid prototype testing of environmentally friendly materials and use data to prove their value (such as cost reduction curves or B-side customer intentions). -**Introduce an external perspective**: Consult industry experts or conduct consumer research to verify the potential value of “non-mainstream” opinions. Many disruptive innovations in history (such as Tesla's early bet on electric vehicles) have stemmed from its insistence on “non-mainstream” directions. Enterprises should make decisions in dynamic balance, rather than simply choosing one from the other.