The Cave Model of Innovation
It is time to rethink the main drivers of innovation. The key activities for successful innovation are not just company research and participating in innovation systems. One activity that is just as important is skilful information search directed towards opportunities in the world outside the organizaton or innovation system. To understand this line of thinking, we introduce the cave model of innovation.
Taking Swedish Technology Transfer to a Higher Level
Throughout Europe, the number of individuals working professionally with knowledge and technology transfer is growing. However, in Sweden tech transfer professionals are not yet recognized as a profession. This is something that the new Swedish Network for Innovation and Technology Transfer Support, SNITTS, intends to change. SNITTS, a nonprofit organization, offers a platform for technology transfer professionals to share experiences and improve competence.
Creating actionable knowledge through close ties with industry
Sofia Börjesson is Director of the Center for Business Innovation (CBI) at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg. She is Associate Professor in Technology Management and has extensive experience in leading university-company research projects. Professor Börjesson’s university office is frequently unoccupied – she spends a great deal of time visiting companies and organizations in order to see at first hand and to understand how they are working with innovation. She brings with her the latest academic trends based on the work of her group at CBI and their research in the field, in order to help firms to become more innovative and more efficient. InnovationManagement.se asked her a few questions.
Understanding the value of a strategic innovation approach
For companies desiring organic growth and whose innovation efforts are not yielding the results demanded, using a Strategic Innovation approach using structured tools and methods will produce higher value products, services, systems, and environments that will resonate deeper with people to encourage them to become loyal customers. This approach delivers better solutions that are feasible to build, viable for profit, and desirable to the user.
Tips for finding success on open innovation websites
Putting yourself in the role of the supplier or customer is a key to clarity when posting your needs on an open innovation website.
Innovation partnerships: How to avoid Dante’s Inferno
Over the years, I have seen unsuccessful innovation partnerships that seemed to have come straight from Dante's Inferno.
Why management by consensus is killing innovation
One management issue that could be killing innovation efforts is an obsession by many managers that a decision can
Are you ready for open innovation?
How do you know if your company is ready for open innovation, and what does it take to get there? Michael Dalton explores one potential framework for assessing your organizational readiness.
How one company managed to kill creativity
A case history of a company that set out to encourage creativity and an analysis of why it didn't succeed.
What do you do if a key decision-maker doesn’t like your idea?
What? Somebody doesn't like my great idea? How can that be? But it will happen - and you need to be prepared to accept it. Here are some practical tips on how to do so.
3 key issues that can kill your innovation initiatives
Culture, Communication and Collaboration are the 3 C's that form the "soft-side" foundation of successful innovation. Without understanding your personnel "raw material" for innovation, the process may be difficult if not impossible to execute successfully.
Is there a wrong way to innovate?
There are indeed pitfalls, trapdoors and "worst practices" associated with innovation.
Strategies for innovating in an economic downturn
A few weeks ago, I asked you to share with me your strategies for maintaining or expanding their innovation initiatives in the current global economic downturn. Here's what you had to say.
Creativity and the performance paradox
According to Stephen Shapiro, sometimes the best solutions to a creative challenge are counter-intuitive and run against conventional wisdom. Here are four examples.
When to Kill an Idea
The problem most people and organizations have is that they tend to kill ideas at the wrong times, either too early or too late, and this is very detrimental to their innovation process. Jeffrey Baumgartner explains to how to establish common-sense criteria for killing an idea
Adopt and Adapt Ideas to Drive Innovation
What do Clarence Birdseye, Alexander Graham Bell and George de Mestral have in common? As Paul Sloane explains, it has to do with a unique way of looking at the world around them with a creative eye.
How to Avoid ‘Boomerang Innovation’
Boomerang innovation is never intended. It just happens. It's a tremendous waste of money and highly demotivating for all concerned. Read on to learn what boomerang innovation is, and how to avoid it.
Are you ready for open innovation?
How do you know if your company is ready for open innovation, and what does it take to get there? Michael Dalton explores one potential framework for assessing your organizational readiness.
How one company managed to kill creativity
A case history of a company that set out to encourage creativity and an analysis of why it didn't succeed.
What do you do if a key decision-maker doesn’t like your idea?
What? Somebody doesn't like my great idea? How can that be? But it will happen - and you need to be prepared to accept it. Here are some practical tips on how to do so.
3 key issues that can kill your innovation initiatives
Culture, Communication and Collaboration are the 3 C's that form the "soft-side" foundation of successful innovation. Without understanding your personnel "raw material" for innovation, the process may be difficult if not impossible to execute successfully.
Is there a wrong way to innovate?
There are indeed pitfalls, trapdoors and "worst practices" associated with innovation.
Strategies for innovating in an economic downturn
A few weeks ago, I asked you to share with me your strategies for maintaining or expanding their innovation initiatives in the current global economic downturn. Here's what you had to say.
Creativity and the performance paradox
According to Stephen Shapiro, sometimes the best solutions to a creative challenge are counter-intuitive and run against conventional wisdom. Here are four examples.
When to Kill an Idea
The problem most people and organizations have is that they tend to kill ideas at the wrong times, either too early or too late, and this is very detrimental to their innovation process. Jeffrey Baumgartner explains to how to establish common-sense criteria for killing an idea
Adopt and Adapt Ideas to Drive Innovation
What do Clarence Birdseye, Alexander Graham Bell and George de Mestral have in common? As Paul Sloane explains, it has to do with a unique way of looking at the world around them with a creative eye.
How to Avoid ‘Boomerang Innovation’
Boomerang innovation is never intended. It just happens. It's a tremendous waste of money and highly demotivating for all concerned. Read on to learn what boomerang innovation is, and how to avoid it.