what's the problem with innovations in big company?

Well of course, it's a big company - people are coming in such companies to be safe and in a mass. They are not keen to make something disrupting.

Of course, some employees would be happy to achieve a success with their innovation, but it's not easy at all - because it's a big company...

Big companies have rules and the hierachy (birocracy), so it's not easy that the right idea would be heard from right people.

Right way is surely building of innovation climate in every department and assuring the continues presence of innovation news to employees.

Next issue is, that's not easy to spot an innovator in large firms - because they would be in a mass where most of people aren't innovative.

Essential thing is that in big companies, not everyone will be closely connected with the customer. Thatswhy this part of manpower will have less opportunity for ideas, or to even know for which kind of ideas are his/her company looking for? Here the solution is to link customer-connected employees with at least innovation manager, who can propagate the customer wishes to innovative power of every company - it's employees.

cultural map of the world

Inglehart-Welzel Cultural Map of the World marks the nations by 2 main factors. First is importance of religion (traditional/secular-rational values), and second factor is transition from industrial to post-industrial society (Survival/self -expression values).

Countries are positioned in a way you can see the difference between certain parts of world, but what more interesting - also beetwen certain parts of Europe. Ex-communist Europe is still glued together, with Chech Rep. and Slovenia (maybe also Croatia) looking good.

This Map shows that most innovative countries in the world (also in EIS - European Innovation Scoreboard) are at the top right corner: Japan & Sweden).

link&map

world's most innovative companies

It's always fun to see the list of the world's most innovative companies. It's exciting and very inspiring to see which companies made to the top 50. My personal favorites are #1 Google, #3 Facebook & #5 IDEO.

link

slide show

energy islands

Hexagonal artificial energy islands which could produce energy is a ney concept which will bid for Virgin Earth Prize (searching for idea which will dramatically impact global warming). Each island is on flating platform with a plant at the center which converts the heat from the sea into electricity or drinking water. Below the deck, marine turbined will use the energy of underwater currents. Each island complex could produce 250MW. More info: link

european inno-scoreboard 2007

The 2007 European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) was published today. Inno-leaders are Sweden, Finland, Germany, UK, USA... Inno-followers include Austria, France, Ireland... Moderate innovators are Czech republic, Italy, Slovenia... And finally catching-up countries Bulgaria, Croatia (!), Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia...
What's most interesting is to see how it's determined, so here'sthe list of Innovation indicators:
1.1 S&E graduates
1.2 Population w ith tertiary education
1.3 Broadband penetration rate
1.4 Participation in life-long learning
1.5 Youth education attainment level
2.1 Public R&D expenditures
2.2 Business R&D expenditures
2.3 Share of medium-high/high-tech R&D
2.4 Enterprises receiving public funding for innovation
3.1 SMEs innovating in-house
3.2 Innovative SMEs co-operating w ith others
3.3 Innovation expenditures
3.4 Early-stage venture capital
3.5 ICT expenditures
3.6 SMEs using organizational innovation
4.1 Employment in high-tech services
4.2 Exports of high technology products
4.3 Sales of new -to-market products
4.4 Sales of new -to-firm products
4.5 Employment in medium-high/high-tech manufacturing
5.1 EPO patents per million population
5.2 USPTO patents per million population
5.3 Triad patents per million population
5.4 Community trademarks per million population
5.5 Community industrial designs per million population

posters for sticking chewing gums

Artistic way to solve a problem which have all cities in the world - chewing gums on the streets. In this way everyone can stick their chewing gum to poster on wallboard on streets which has coluor palette identified with numbers like in children books. This is idea from Sydney and it's really more creative then Singapore's way to solve problem of chewing gums on the streets - by banning chewing gums.
(spotted in trendhunter)

the art of creative thinking

Useful book from John Adair, for everyone who wants to start its creative engine. What makes this book really fun to read are many examples of ideas/inventions, and the big number of inspirational quotes. The chapters are sorted as useful advices, so it can be viewed as an user manual for creativity :)

open the roadside toilet with sms

New idea for security of roadside toilets in Finland. The system will open the door of the toilet only in case, when SMS is sent to specific number which is displayed at the door. So, opening will cost just like a normal SMS and all you have to do is to send text "OPEN". The call is directed to modem which will sound a buzzer and open the door.
This should prevent vandalism, because people will be identified with their mobile phone number. Link

squash tournament in railway station

What a nice way to stage a sports tournament. The Bear Sterns Tournament of Champions, the largest professional squash event in North America was placed in one of halls of Grand Central (New York). Duration of tournament was a week with 64 players.
Glass-enclosed court looks fantastic adn I can only imagine how many passengers take a look on the game while waiting on their train.

instant make-up applicators

I spotted one idea through 'spingwise.com'. It's an idea for which everyone could say "how could anyone ever before haven't invented this!". This is very interesting for women, it's ColorOn Professional - Instant Makeup Applicators. This product was patented in 1992. from Irina Iolosilevich, who was wondering how to cut the time of make-up and how to allow to every woman, to have the same quality of make-up like when the visit professional make-up artist. With the help of her husband and brother, she came up with this product after a decade long experiments in her kitchen. So, this is a single use applicator for eye make-up. For more info visit: http://www.coloronpro.com
(my wife, just sad: "nice!")

innovative leader

I've yesterday run in to a book 'Innovative Leader' from Paul Sloane. I've read it in a three hour trip on the train from Zagreb to Osijek. This describes how fluently it is written, and how interesting it was. Ok, I knew a bunch of techniques and examples shown in this book, but some things were really new to me. This is really a welcoming book to every new innovation manager or leader.
More about Paul Sloane on his website: http://www.destination-innovation.com

skysails

Take a look at this 'green' innovation which will save much money&fuel.

A newly built cargo vessel was towed by the innovative wind propulsion of the Hamburg-based company SkySails on the North Sea near Bremerhaven, Germany for the first time. The 160m2 SkySails supported the main engine of the 132m long Multi Purpose Heavy Lift Carrier MS “Beluga SkySails” of the Bremen-based Beluga Shipping with approx. five tons tractive force at low wind.

The shipping company and the manufacturer calculate that by using the towing kite system, a ship’s average annual fuel costs can be reduced by 10 to 35%, depending on the prevailing wind conditions. Under optimal wind conditions, SkySails estimates that fuel consumption can temporarily be cut by up to 50%. The first results are to be expected in the next few months.

link

radiohead makes everything different

Radiohead announced a small gig at Sunday morning in east London, and it was posted only on their web-site:

So, we’ve got a small gig tonight.

It’s in London at the Rough Trade East shop on Brick Lane, and we’re planning to play a short set of in rainbows material. It’s very limited free entry, first come first served. Also, as it might be a little uncomfortable for anyone queuing early, they’re planning a numbering system so people at the front of any queue can get snacks and toilet breaks in the store. Good bagels round there. But dress warm…doors won’t open until 7, and we’ll play at about 8.

For those who can’t get in - and it’s pretty small in there - we’ll have some screens and speakers outside, if we’re allowed. I think we are. And we’ll also webcast it. I’ll put the link up here, as well as any other info, later today.

Hope you can make it - should be….interesting. Us being us, we’re taking far too many instruments…..

But, this causes massive interest, so the concert has to relocated to bigger club, and at the end 1500 fans was enjoying the music (they assumed only 200). Because of that, the whole album was played at the end, not only a few songs as planned.

Just to mention that they are my favourite bend! They innovation in selling of their last album is astonishing, and they will maybe kick the music industry from it's place. They was givving their album for free (the fans was able to decide how much they'll paye for album). Album was generating 9,6 mil $ with 1,2 mil downloads.

unleashing eco-patents

First-of-its-kind effort to help the environment, unleashing dozens of innovative, environmentally responsible patents to the public domain. - Energy conservation or improved energy or fuel efficiency
- Pollution prevention (source reduction, waste reduction)
- Use of environmentally preferable materials or substances
- Water or materials use reduction
- Increased recycling opportunity
Link

roller buggy

Baby carriage that can be transformed into scooter with special attention on security. So, it has a belt for a child and the hydraulic brake system with two disks for parent.
This is specially designed for fathers. I surely want one.
This product is idea of Valentin Vodev from Pixstudio - Vienna-Sofia creative team.
link