Economic Recovery Inspires Innovation and Frustration

As innovation revives, companies struggle to make it boost profitable growth. GE, Tata Motors, Marvel, and Virgin Galactic offer diverse models

BusinessWeek, November 16, 2009 — While they continue to slog through the longest economic downturn in decades, companies are no longer making cost-cutting their primary focus. Innovation is now front and center on the corporate agenda, according to a global survey we recently conducted with 65 senior executives from diverse industries. Executives are adding more breakthrough innovations and business model changes to their portfolio to fuel the growth engine for the recovery.

Yet our survey reveals that companies by and large are having trouble making innovation efforts work

Using Design to Drive Innovation

Designers must deliver the orchestration of the total experience with a brand, product, or service or face irrelevancy

BusinessWeek, June 29, 2009 — In a previous era, all the talk was of strategy, strategy, strategy. More recently, it's been innovation, innovation, innovation. As design thinking seems poised to sweep away some of today's celebrated innovation practices, we must be wondering what new provocation is on the horizon. Relax, I'm not planning to conjure one up.

How Hard Times Can Drive Innovation†

Wall Street Journal, December 15, 2008 — Sure, the economy's bad. But it's a good time to innovate, according to Clayton M. Christensen, a Harvard Business School professor who focuses on innovation.

He is the author or co-author of a number of books on the subject, from "The Innovator's Dilemma" to a book due out next month on health care, "The Innovator's Prescription."

Dr. Christensen spoke with MIT Sloan Management Review senior editor Martha E. Mangelsdorf for Business Insight.

It's All About Experience

Companies that try to create holistic experiences by emotionally engaging their consumers are flourishing

BusinessWeek, April 11, 2008 — Advances in manufacturing technology and the global reach of the Internet have leveled the playing field in the product marketplace. It wasn't long ago that time-to-market was two years, then 18 months, and then 12 months. Now, a competitor can knock off your "innovation" in six months or less. Many businesses understand that being "new" or "different" is no longer a differentiator. Countless companies are elbowing their way to the top with designs that are also "feature-rich" or "patent pending." Innovation in product design has lost its meaning and, therefore, its value.

There is still one frontier that remains wide open: experience innovation. This is the only type of business innovation that is not imitable, nor can it be commoditized, because it is... continue reading

One-on-One with Carole France

Consulting Magazine, January 16, 2008 — Oliver Wyman’s latest report in its Global Leadership Imperative series takes a look at innovation’s relationship with leadership. According to the research, 65 percent of executives still don’t have an innovation strategy in place

Think Big†

To win market share, don't try to influence what brand of product people buy. Change how they use the product in the first place

Wall Street Journal, September 15, 2007 — In today's fast-moving marketplace, companies typically compete by improving their products in small ways. They make them visually more attractive, or more reliable, or less costly. Maybe they tinker with the marketing.

The result is predictable: Competitors make a countermove — and in the end, market share moves slightly, if at all.

In thinking small, though, companies miss out on the chance to win big. Instead of trying to influence what brand people buy, they should be focusing on what people buy.

Together We Innovate†

How can companies come up with new ideas? By getting employees working with one another.

Wall Street Journal, September 15, 2007 — When it comes to innovation, the myth of the lone genius dies hard.

Most companies continue to assume that innovation comes from that individual genius, or, at best, small, sequestered teams that vanish from sight and then return with big ideas. But the truth is most innovations are created through networks — groups of people working in concert.