big potential for establishing innovation climate

Have you heard your friend, father or uncle how he make fun of his bosses or to management in his factory because they are doing something „stupid“, and when you ask him „why won't you propose a solution?“, the answer is: „they wouldn't listen to me, they don't care for my thoughts“ or „let them do whatever they want!“.

This barrier between employee and the firm, or call it 'learned helplessness' is the spirit when the employee don't need to think and it's the example which kind of culture should be completely changed. This kind of examples can be heard in many places and you can imagine how many space is left for improvement,

Inovative climate could be incorporated to many organizations which are not aware of their current state.

There are many negative sentences which can be heard:

X This already exist!

X We are doing it on the same way for years, why we should change it now?

X This is not the problem!

X This will not work in real world.

X Who will buy this?

X This kind of idea is not posible to realise, maybe in a ten years from now...

X We don't have time for that.

X This is not in our area of work.

ideas campaign started in ireland

Open Innovation in Ireland, just read following:
"The Ideas Campaign is calling on you, the people of Ireland, to propose solutions that will help rebuild the economy. It’s a grassroots, independent campaign for citizens, by citizens."
Nice way to get new ideas to boost economy (if only my country would do te same)!
Many ideas are already out there and I will enjoy whole month to read(campain will finish at end of March).
Its great that this concept of open innovation campaign can be spread to entire nation. Well done Ireland!
link

singapore no.1 on inno-report

Newest innovation climate study done by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and The Manufacturing Institute (MI), listed 110 countries according to their Innovation Inputs and Innovation Performance score. This Internation Innovation Index is buid from 6 categories: Fiscal & Other policies, Innovation environment, R&D results, Business performance and Public impact of innovation. Link to study
Singapore is ranked 1st, U.S.A. 8th, Japan 9th, while European leadinng innovation states: Sweden, U.K., Austria & Germany are 10th,15th,17th and 19th.
Central Europe countries are near each other on the list: Hungary, Czech Rep. and Slovenia are on places 31-33 and Slovakia is on 36th place, while Croatia is 48th as the first country with negative score.
Link

great definition of innovation

I've just read the interview with Guy Kawasaki. Inside, there is a great definition of innovation:
"Innovation is creating something before people know they need it. The process involves building upon the work of others-a.k.a., "copying," grinding it out, and deleting what doesn't work to jump to the next curve.

Innovation isn't a lightning bolt of inspiration in the middle of a muse. More often than not, it's a process of grinding, cogitating, and doubting. There truly is no shortcut to innovation. Over the course of a career, you come up with dozens, if not hundreds of ideas, and reject most, try some, and you are lucky if handful succeed."

And another great quote:
"...one assumption that companies should not make is that money equals innovation. That is, two guys/gals in the lab might create the great innovation. It doesn't have to be the $10 million budget line item for R and D. I could make the case that money can't buy innovation-if it did, then large companies would get larger and startups would never innovate."

link

wipo patent filings 2008

For the first tiime on chinese company(Huawei) is on top of the list of patent applicants, while Panasonic & Philips are others on top 3.
Other companies in top 10 are: Toyota, Robert Bosch, Siemens, Nokia, LG, Ericsson and Fujitsu.

Looking among countries USA, Japan & Germany are followed by Korea, France and China.
Countries from Central Europe have following number of patent applications: Slovenia 108, Czech Republic 155, Poland 129, Slovakia 40, Hungary 173 and Croatia 56.
Croatia is sadly, only country where number of patent applications is decsreased (from 79 to 56).

link

ford's process & product innovation

When I was a school-boy I watched TV-series about Henry Ford with my father. He was really enjoying it, specially when they show how he made the new manufacturing system or process - the same one on which my mum was working for many years. Brilliant process innovation in the beginning of 20th century.

But the thing which was most impresing to us in this days - it was mid of 80's/last century - was that he made the car that many can buy. I'm not sure how to classify this innovation - it fits the best to product innovation.

However, Ford model "T" was cheap, easy to drive and easy & cheap to repair --> what an innovation!

eu inno scoreboard 2008

Innovation Scoreboard for 2008 is published. As stated in this publication, Innovation leaders are: Sweden, Finland, Germany, Denmark and UK. Above EU average are Austria and France and below are Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal and all "new" members.
Fast growers in catching-ip countries are Bulgaria & Romania. Croatia and Lithuania are ranked as slow growers :(
It is noted that EU is decreasing it's innovation gap with US and Japan, have a look: link

local idea hero in organization

Main roles for the person selected as innovation-driver in organization:

1. well-known in organization as innovation-driver and open for any kind of questions

2. running innovation system and improving it

3. be sure that everyone knows about idea process(how to submit idea)

4. taking care for ideas that waits for any decision for long time

5. knows about each submitted idea and keep an eye on innovation metrics, such as no. of submitted ideas, no. of realized ideas and other metrics + creating new inno.metrics if needed

Other roles such as connecting intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs with innovators, can be the part of innovation system and be managed by other persons.

creativity moment

I saw interesting article in newspapers about time for creativity.

The creativity peak is on 10pm and the least creative time is on 4:30pm. The most creativity place in house of course, is bathroom.

So, the best thing to do for creativity is to take a shower :)

More then half people will forgot their ideas if they don't write them down immediately.

10 things you shouldn't forget

1. write-down your ideas!

Every idea has to be written, because it will wipe out from your head :)

Later you can give to the written facts new features.

2. don't be afraid to submit your idea

If your company has innovation system, the idea should be submitted through norm innovation process. In a case that you company doesn't have inno-system, you should inform yourself how your idea can be proposed to someone who can help you to realize it.

3. read

Inform yourself everyday with the news from your interests, but also from the topics you never thought about

4. talk with creative people

Talk about your ideas frequently. Talk with creative people can be very inspiring.

5. don't let that failure dispirits you

In the world of innovations failures often happens.

6. inovation attitude is important!

You must be assured in your idea and push it.

7. do you have the customer for your idea?

Does the possible customer for your idea exist? The answer on this question is very important for future of your idea.

8. is your idea new?

Does similar product exist on the market as the one you want to develop?

9. is your idea technically feasible solution?

Can the prototype be made? Can it be done inside your organization? Will the prototype be very expensive or it can be easily done for small costs?

10. make good marketing for your idea

It is very important to well present your idea, innovator must sometimes act as a presenter.

dog power! ;)

Nice idea for including your dog to a ride in park. On this link you can find out more... As I saw on that link, this is invented and produced by same person. Good story for startup job --> this is going all the way from invention to successful innovation.

ibm's next 5 in 5

IBM has released the video with predictions of 5 innovtions that will come in next 5 years. This includes:
- solar technology,
- health crystal ball,
- web talk,
- digital shopping assistance and
- smart appliances for help to remember things.

mousehunt

I'm addicted to the facebook application = game Mousehunt. This is one of the best applications on facebook and it's very popular.
The firm who launch it is canadian Hitgrab. It's interesting to see following sentence on their web-site:
"I woke up from a dream-like state and had the image of a mousetrap-type game for facebook", says co-founder of HitGrab Inc, Bryan Freeman.
--> It looks like a classical innovation story!

moleskine owner

Legendary 'moleskine' notebook is finally in my pocket. There are already some ideas inside, and I'll try to fill it quickly.

This concept of 'notebook in pocket' is well-known tool for generating ideas and thoughts. This was widely used by many great inventors and innovators.

I was using some word documents for description of ideas, but this was always extended with every paper I can get when I have idea in bed or when I'm on vacation. This notebook will solve that problem :)

Limits to software & business methods patents in USA?

I must share a link. It's the text about changes in patentibility of software and business methods in USA.
Link