Joyce,
Read Drucker's Innovation and Entrepreneurship, written 13 years ago, more
contemporary than most of the books published today.
Here's a bit of what he says about innovation:
"Classical economics optimizes what already exists, as does mainstream
economic theory to this day, including the Keynesians, the Friedmanites, and
the Supply-siders. It focuses on getting the most out of existing resources
and aims at establishing equilibrium." p.26
" ... the entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and
exploits it as an opportunity." p.28
"Systematic innovation therefore consists in the purposeful and organized
search for changes , and in the systematic analysis of the opportunities such
changes might offer for economic or social innovation." p.35
One last bit to chew on...
"Specifically, systematic innovation means monitoring seven sources for
innovative opportunity....
The unexpected- the unexpected success, the unexpected failure, the unexpected
outside event;
The incongruity- between reality as it actually is and reality as it is
assumed to be or as it "ought to be";
Innovation based on process need;
Changes in industry structure or market structure that catch everyone
unawares....
Demographics (population changes);
Changes in perception, mood, and meaning;
New knowledge, both scientific and nonscientific." p.35
Now the question remains can a person or company or industry succeed in
the future without being an innovator in Drucker's sense? Can you work to
maintain equilibrium, whatever that is, and still grow the company or the
industry? If you read someone like Gary Hamel, or Tom Peters, the only
people who get out alive are those who practice "creative destruction."
Can one practice innovation incrementally, or is it an all or nothing
commitment to the opportunities which change brings?
I look at Drucker's list, and I'd say that the past dozen to fifteen years
have seen a tremendous amount of change in all seven areas, both
personally and nationally/globally. And if he is correct, then how do I
practice "systematic innovation" as an individual, and how do we practice
this as a society. It seems that the corporate world has a better handle
on this than most. Or do they?
Thanks for bringing up a great topic.
Ed Brenegar
Leadership Resources
brenegar@circle.net
--"Edwin R. Brenegar III" <EdB3@msn.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>