[Sigia-l] (event) Workshop: "The Taming of the New - Larry Keeley on Innovation" Tuesday, Sept. 18, Seattle

[prady]

Ziya Oz <listera at earthlink.net> wrote:

> Can innovation be differentiated from 'doing one's job'?

Successful and established firm do it all the time. They protect their
"Cash Cows", and feed the "Stars". Look at this picture --
http://www.netmba.com/strategy/matrix/bcg/

This needs defferentiating their acts on managing vs. innovating. GE
is one great example. They have survived because they know what to
manage (Cash Cows), how to innovate (Stars) new lines of business, and
what to retire (Dogs).

> What if you 'innovated' (retrospectively recognized) but didn't know it
> (while doing it)?

Innovation is a process and many experts have defined it as similar as
hockey stick, maturity model. Most of the innovators at their early
stage don't know "what" they are innovating. They focus on "how", by
establishing lean and open organizations; they use motivated and
creative people, because those are the key ingreadiants for
innovation.

The real problem happens when the same firms fail to realize that they
have made some significant achievent on their path to innovation.
Examples, IBM, Xerox, AT&T, HP.

But few have better luck -- Post-it is famous example. 3M realized it
and made it big. The success was grabbing the apportunity by taking
risk (essential for maturing innovation). The problem is when firms
deny even after the fact.

> If innovation can be so readily measured, can it then be duplicated?

Yep! my favorite example is Steve Jobs. And time and again he has
transformed his leadership, Apple as a company, product offerings, and
venture outside his core business areas. Macs, iPod, iTunes, iTv,
iPhones, Pixar; and you fill rest of it.

Here's the point --
1. Innovation is always essential for some companies. Apple will die
if they don't innovate.
2. Innovation is not inventions -- Apple is to "innovation" as
HP/Xerox is to "invention". HP invented Jukebox, Apple innovated iPod.
3. Innovation is not a sure path to success but it is the only path
for few (e.g. Apple).

If you have to find one example of who doesn't need innovation, who
will that be?
(Other that Government)

Prady