Successful Innovation

Successful innovation is crucial to a business's competitive edge, even its survival, but study after study reveals that many organisations are failing to tap the potential of their staff. This book pinpoints and describes the processes and capabilities required by organisations to foster creative thinking and, equally important, to capture and shape the resulting output. Its findings are based on original research conducted by the authors and work done by leading business professors in America, Europe and Asia. Companies and organisations featured in the book include Kvaerner, British Airways, BMW, software design firm Integrysis, Glaxo-Wellcome, the National Theatre, Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido, French hotel and catering group Accor and Chinese software firm Oticon. Chapters look at: what inspires and informs original ideas; the role of champions and teams in getting ideas off the ground; the importance of continuous evaluation and testing of ideas throughout their development, together with the free flow of information; the roles of consultants and specialists and the crucial factor of leadership.

This book places a central question: why are some regions in the world more successful in innovation than others? It aims to increase readers ́ understanding of how innovation processes are accelerated or hindered by regional characteristics. A deep dive into differences of innovation ecosystems across global regions will provide a detailed mosaic of strengths and weaknesses. The audience will also learn to assess the resources and elements of regional innovation systems and to compare and contrast structures and processes in innovation management in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The speciality of the book lies in its focus on the patterns that are behind the development of many successful innovation regions and it defines the ingredients for right planning and policy development.

Innovation is about ideas that make life better. But what does it really take to deliver innovative propositions? And what separates companies that drive their industries forward from those that simply talk the talk? This book takes you inside the minds of the world’s most effective innovators to answer these questions and more. In real stories from industries as diverse as healthcare, finance, technology, and telecommunications, business leaders reveal what it takes to bring new products and services to life. They weigh in on the big debates: how to design an innovative organization of diverse voices, how to protect and grow ideas so they succeed, and how to tune corporate radar to inspiration and turn the signals received into new value. An essential resource for leaders, aspiring leaders and students of entrepreneurship, business management, HRM, technology and innovation management, and design thinking, the book enables the reader to: Hear from leaders with direct responsibility for innovating in a wide range of industries and learn how they do it See how to structure for innovation, gain momentum inside an organization and use ideas to shift companies and industries Gain insight into what innovators look for when they sense the environment and learn to avoid common pitfalls and misconceptions that stop great ideas coming to life Approach innovation in a more balanced way with the 6 Building Blocks helping you prioritize execution and value delivery from inspiration to implementation

Success in Innovation tackles its subject from a novel perspective: instead of focusing on factors for success, it specifically examines the factors for failure. Similar books often attempt to stimulate more effort on innovation with success stories and methods. But innovation is risky business and most innovative ideas fail. By understanding the typical pitfalls and hurdles in the process, and how to avoid or manage them, readers can significantly improve their chances of success. Success in Innovation is broad in scope and useful to managers, consultants, entrepreneurs, tech start-ups — anyone with a stake in new and powerful ideas, products, businesses, or methods. This book helps readers work smarter, not simply more. Provides guidelines for assessing innovative ideas Includes methods for valuing innovation Discusses the danger points in the innovation process Explains the planning and development processes Includes innovation models Discusses the methods for risk assessment

Two experts show that innovation is a skill that can be learned and describe eight essential practices for achieving success. Innovation is the ruling buzzword in business today. Technology companies invest billions in developing new gadgets; business leaders see innovation as the key to a competitive edge; policymakers craft regulations to foster a climate of innovation. And yet businesses report a success rate of only four percent for innovation initiatives. Can we significantly increase our odds of success? In The Innovator's Way, innovation experts Peter Denning and Robert Dunham reply with an emphatic yes. Innovation, they write, is not simply an invention, a policy, or a process to be managed. It is a personal skill that can be learned, developed through practice, and extended into organizations. Denning and Dunham identify and describe eight personal practices that all successful innovators perform: sensing, envisioning, offering, adopting, sustaining, executing, leading, and embodying. Together, these practices can boost a fledgling innovator to success. Weakness in any of these practices, they show, blocks innovation. Denning and Dunham chart the path to innovation mastery, from individual practices to teams and social networks.

Innovation may be the hottest discipline around today, in business circles and beyond. And for good reason. Innovation transforms companies and markets. It is the key to solving vexing social problems. And it makes or breaks professional careers. For all the enthusiasm the topic inspires, however, the practice of innovation remains stubbornly impenetrable. No longer. In this book the author draws on stories from his research and field work with companies like Procter & Gamble to demystify innovation. He presents a simple definition of innovation, breaks down the essential differences between types of innovation, and illuminates innovation's vital role in organizational success and personal growth. This unique hybrid of professional memoir and business guidebook also provides a powerful 28-day program for mastering innovation's key steps: (1) Finding insight, (2) Generating ideas, (3) Building businesses, and (4) Strengthening innovation prowess in workforces and organizations. Using several illustrative case studies and vignettes from a range of companies around the globe, this playbook teaches people how to turn themselves or their companies into true innovation powerhouses.

A key reading for leaders that outlines how to effectively innovate for the future and boost growth, while running the core business. - Alex Osterwalder, Co-author of Business Model Generation. Winner of the 2018 CMI Management Book of the Year Award for Innovation and Entrepeneurship The Corporate Startup is a practical guide for established companies that aspire to develop and sustain their innovation capabilities. * The world around us is changing rapidly. There is now more pressure on established companies to innovate. * The challenge most companies face is how to develop new products for new markets, while managing their core business at the same time. * The principles and practices outlined in this book provide companies with a blueprint of how to manage innovation while they execute on their core business. * The Corporate Startup provides frameworks, visualizations, templates, tools and methods that can be easily applied to develop new products and business models. This book helps organisations of all sizes to manage innovation. This playbook uses illustrated step-by- step guides to lead the reader through the processes to create an ecosystem that nurtures innovation at every level in a business. - Jury CMI Management Book of the Year. Big companies need to innovate or die. The question is how. Companies need a playbook; a process by which they can start the process of transforming their organizations into innovation engines. The Corporate Startup is that playbook. It provides a proven methodology --applying Lean Startup principles and more-- for building a culture of innovation. - Ben Yoskovitz, Co-Author of Lean Analytics and Founding Partner at Highline BETA.

Keep ahead of your competitors! New Product Development will help you and your company overcome an expensive and common weakness: the lack of adequate new product development. This vital book examines the requirements of new product development in detail as well as in the context of corporate strategy. Packed with practical information that can immediately be put into effect, New Product Development can help you keep your company on the leading edge, no matter what type of industry you’re in! This uniquely insightful volume will help you become a successful innovator by showing you how to plan and execute strategies for developing a continuous flow of new products and services to help you stay ahead of the competition. It demonstrates how innovation, far from being a staff function, is a dynamic line management task. It calls for the same aggressive thrust as marketing and sales, and every officer of the company, from the president on down, has a share in this responsibility. Medium size, small, and even large companies constantly face a mass of problems in achieving successful innovation. New Product Development will help you deal with issues including: inaccurate budgeting costs exceeding budgets faulty market and technical research findings flaws in design inadequately durable materials unforeseen consumer rejection caused by the lack of proper consumer trials leakage of plans to competition failure by outside suppliers missed opportunities for cooperation with outside specialists poorly coordinated development staff ineffective leadership and much more! Beginning with an “executive summary” that will guide you quickly to the chapters most relevant to your business, this well-organized book should be on the shelf of every company officer who wants to see his firm prosper, innovate, and create new products that sell-now and for years to come!