Toyota Recall Highlights: Innovation gone too far?

Once upon a time, to start your Toyota Camry, you placed a key in the ignition and turned until the electrical connection was made and engine started. To accelerate, you pressed the gas pedal, which pulled a cable attached to a mechanical throttle. Assuming the shift had been manually placed into gear – the car moved. Today, electronics and computers have replaced... Read more »

Innovation Trend Spotting: Shepherding a Team of Opportunists

When an entrepreneur creates a new product or company, the result usually is borne by spotting an emerging trend, conceptualizing an innovation, or seizing an opportunity unmet or consumer behavior emerging in the marketplace. But what happens once the company opens its doors or the product hits the market? Whose responsibility is it to spot the next trend or... Read more »

The World’s Most Innovative Companies 2010

Even in these tough times, surprising and extraordinary efforts are under way in businesses across the globe. From politics to technology, energy, and transportation; from marketing to retail, health care, and design, each company on the following pages illustrates the power and potential of innovative ideas and creative execution. Click here to see the list Read More →

Building an Innovation Culture

For innovation to flourish, executives must be committed, patient and ready to lead by example. By Josh Cable Like many manufacturers, Eaton, Ohio-based Henny Penny Corp. was founded on innovation. Seeking a better way to cook chicken, restaurant owner Chester Wagner developed a deep-fat pressure fryer and filed for a patent in 1954. Three years later (patent... Read more »

Why Results Require Rewards: Encouraging Action With Incentive

Imagine a company that has taken the time to consider the role of Innovation in the corporate mission. Employees were encouraged to be part of the innovation process but their reward was compensation linked strictly to output. Does that encourage value-added thought process? In my mind, it encourages work, which should need no encouragement at all. Now, what... Read more »

Invitation to participate

Successful innovation comes when a holistic or “Total Innovation” approach is applied. Often individual imperatives are missing or in place but lack or miss others. What are your barriers to Innovation, what is missing, lacking or weakest area? Click to participate: http://innovationcoach.brightidea.com/ideas Read More →

Observe & Measure: When Validating Innovation, ‘What’s Measured Is Treasured’

Innovation may be vital to creating competitive advantage. But how costly is ineffective innovation? That is, if a company sets out on a new product or service development initiative – and that effort fails along the way for whatever reason – what has been lost? Investments in time, effort, capital – even reputation? What if the company set in place a practice... Read more »

Value Creation: The Ultimate Goal of Innovation

Why innovate? Some would argue that companies innovate to achieve a heightened competitive advantage, streamline the organization, or create intellectual property – including patents, trademarks and other protected property – that create value in the portfolio. Many reason and rationales can be argued for the pursuit of innovation. Yet no purpose for or... Read more »