Great Ideas and Radical or Disruptive Innovation

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.

There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.

There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.

Great Ideas and Radical or Disruptive Innovation

We're all looking for great ideas right?

There are a few Creativity and Innovation principles that are relevant before we discuss practical application:

a) Franklin (2003) states that successful innovations tend to be moderately new to the market, based on tried and tested technology, save money, meet customers' needs and support existing practices. By contrast, the products that fail tend to be based on cutting-edge or untested technology, follow a "me-too" approach, or are created with no clearly defined solution in mind.

b) There is a perception that radical innovations break from the past and are resultant from disruptive leaps. While some radical innovations follow this pattern, the vast majority of radical innovations result from cumulative incremental changes. That is, continuous tinkering, toying, experimentation and improvement results in greater "originality" vastly more often than "waiting for the big idea." The Internet is a good example: though often perceived as a radical leap, it is actually the result of many years of incremental improvements traceable back to the solid-state transistor and beyond.

c) Ideas can be measured in many ways, but one of the most useful measures is to benchmark for feasibility along the S-curve. That is, what are the practical impediments? For example, a time machine is less likely to reach commercialisation as a whole host of technological impediments stand in the way, whereas an idea for a new flavour for soda does not have that degree of obstacle.

Taking the above into account, we will discuss some ideas that have had significant commercial success by applying (inadvertently) the above principles:

a) EasyJet or South West airlines. The no frills airline model has found success ? and can be defined as a radical shift ? by simply operating at vastly lower prices ? prices that previously would have been considered to be "outside the box." This business model obeys Franklins rule, is an incremental change and has low impediments.

b) GlassedDirect.co.uk ? a recent success story that follows the above principles to provide, would you believe it, cut price specs. This is similar, by the way, to Dell, as the business model has been successful combining the Internet and Mail Order.

c) IPod ? follows Franklins rule, is an incremental change and didn't have too many practical impediments.

So what is the lesson? To generate ideas that have a chance of commercial success, think outside the box but stick to the three rules above.

These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com.

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com

---

Innovation Problems and The flow of Thought

The most progressive Think Tanks, Brain Trusts, research facilities in companies and government, etc. do their best work by allowing free thought to flow. If the United States is to lead the world... Read More

Knowledge Gains in Innovation

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be... Read More

Owning Your Power

Owning your power, your power to be real, to be who you really are, is really about owning your freedom. Consider how your reasons for not being yourself may have been to get... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Value of Frameworks

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be... Read More

Business Innovation ? Radical and Disruptive Innovation

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be... Read More

Mother Of Invention Or Dummy? You Decide!

What would you say to yourself if when faced with a severe problem that could potentially devastate your lifestyle? What would happen if you "did" the first thing that came into your mind?... Read More

Howd They Do That?

"How'd they do that?" I asked myself time and time again in my youth.As a journalist and documentary filmmaker, I witnessed ordinary people performing extraordinary feats on countless occasions. I documented individuals in... Read More

Putting Your Ideas Into Action

Ideas are everywhere. Some are small and seemingly insignificant. Others are big giant ideas with the chance to change large portions of our lives. Each idea that we encounter, whether we create the... Read More

Business Ideas ? Need a New Idea? Try Changing Your Perspective

One definition of creativity states that creative people look at the same thing everyone else does, yet they see something no one else does.But even creative people (which includes all of you, of... Read More

Innovation Management ? Ideas From The Most Embarrassing Experiences Of Life

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be... Read More

Accelerate Your Learning

Although you may not currently be a student, learning is a life long process. Perhaps you need to learn something new for your job, or you would like to learn a new language... Read More

Great Ideas and Radical or Disruptive Innovation

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be... Read More

Innovation Management ? Famous Failures!

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly,... Read More

Discontinuous Innovation

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management ? Fast Feedback

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be... Read More

Innovation Management ? Isolating Problems and Implementing Solutions

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management - Teach, Coach, Learn

Coaching, training or learning about creativity and innovation involves mastery of at least 12 domains.These include:a) Creativity and Innovation differences and definitions.Often used interchangeably, they ought to be considered separate and distinct. Creativity... Read More

Why Do We Suppress Higher Thought?

Throughout History we have imprisoned our brightest stars and thinkers. In modern periods we force them into works of fiction and disallow those Thoughts, which make us question our perceived or created realities... Read More

Three Step Problem Solving

How do you like to solve your problems? Do you prefer to use the more creative problem solving techniques, or the systematic ones? You'll get the best of both with the add-subtract-change method.Add,... Read More

What Dreams Will Come!

As the pioneers of aviation took to the air (not skies), in their human powered mechanical contraptions, what must have been said and thought?Complicated pulleys and chain systems enclosing a lunatic, perhaps!Or overly... Read More

Process Innovation

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be... Read More

Become an Idea Collector

Have you ever gotten a really great idea ? one that you knew would solve a problem, but when you went to apply it, you couldn't remember the idea? Have you ever read... Read More

Improve Your Business Dealings with Improvisation

"Nothing is accidental ... use everything." -- Keith JohnstoneEven the best-laid plans, the proverb goes, go oft astray. And by learning how to improvise like actors or jazz musicians, corporate types can better... Read More

Befriend Your Budget, This Yuletide and Always

It is that time of year again. Yuletide?Christmas in the air. Nostalgia, goose pimples and casting off all financial discipline. It was originally meant to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. Joy to... Read More

Its A Quantum Thing

We don't need to understand quantum physics entirely in order to appreciate it. Even those who have devoted their lives to the study of the universe and its atomic structure will admit that... Read More

Creativity Management ? Theres Nothing New Under the Sun

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be... Read More

A New Pair of Shoes

Do the NewAn old pair of shoesDo you have a really comfortable pair of shoes? They may be slippers or tennis shoes. It doesn't matter what kind of shoes, just so comfortable that... Read More

Creativity Management and Good Ideas

Some ideas occur in the office and others occur away from the office.If you think of creativity as problem identification and idea generation, then it follows that problem identification and some of the... Read More

The Hidden Superpowers Of Your Mind

The mind is an infinite wonder. It has the fantastic ability to transmute your desires into their physical counterparts. You can do anything that your mind can conceive, as long as you have... Read More