Cognition
: Innovation : Definitions Dictionaries view innovation as novelty, originality, newness etc. In the business sense, Innovation covers a whole process that starts with the idea and ends with the product or service. The dictionary style definitions are relevant to the whole business view of innovation including evaluating ideas into innovative ones and others. Businesses often take this much further and look for innovative ways to take the idea forward. In the business sense, an idea that does not get anywhere is not really an innovation.
There has been some discussion as to which types of organisation need to innovate and for instance whether sub-contractors need to innovate at all. Our conclusion is that all organsiations need to innovate within the context of their own business.
The biggest changes in business may come from naive sources; those who's thoughts are not constrained by current working practice may come up with groundbreaking ideas
In most cases it requires knowledge of process and practice to encourage the incubation of small but innovative ideas. Also see the definition of knowledge.
Large changes resulting from good ideas that have a significant impact on company working practice tend to occur only infrequently.
Occasionallly a good idea can have a significant impact on the company's work. The large changes suggested by these ideas may require some brave pioneering to get them implemented.
Good, but simple, ideas and improvements, can be encoraged on a regular and frequent basis.
Regular innovation leading to many small improvements can have a significant impact on the company's work. These small scale innovations should not be overlooked.
Existing custom and practice can impose constraints on the formulation of innovative ideas. Innovation is a challenge to existing custom and practice.
It is often necessary for someone to take the initiative while others are still pondering the ramifications.
Innovation involves several sub-processes but the starting point for innovation is the generation of creative ideas.
Ideas that do not need to change may be of little use. For innovation to suceed, the ideas must be properly exploited.
Innovators see opportunities where others see problems.
Things that are seen as innovation in one context or environment may be seen as stupid ideas in another context. Innovation is ttherfore a relative term.