Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Jay Klagge
July 2014
LEADING INNOVATION 2
Table of Contents
Research Questions . . . . . . . . . 3
Innovation Defined . . . . . . . . . 4
Ideation Tools . . . . . . . . . . 5
Summary . . . . . . . . . . 11
References . . . . . . . . . . 12
The globalization of enterprise has extended the lifecycle of businesses as new markets
have been created for existing products and services. Efficiencies have been gained as cheaper
sources of labor and materials have been found and utilized through comparative advantages.
Changes in technology have also boosted efficiency and broadened effectiveness within many
industries. However, the sustainability of the efficiency of existing factors of production and
technologies and the longevity of the effectiveness of existing products and service alternatives
is in question (Christensen, 2011). How long companies can continue to sustain trade at its
current levels is in question which raises the need for leaders who can develop organizations
Leadership.” I am also aware that little of the content has addressed either innovative leadership
or the leadership of innovation. In several classes my colleagues and I have discussed the misfit
between the title of the degree program and its content. Therefore I know far too little at this
juncture regarding the very topic which attracted me to enroll in this program. However, in this
course and in this assignment I am given the opportunity to explore the phenomena associated
with the art and science of innovation and the art and science of leading innovation.
Research Questions
This paper addresses the development of leaders who can lead organizational innovations
as one way of meeting the need for sustainable organizations in domestic and global markets. It
is written from an ethnocentric view and intentionally avoids covering how the leadership of
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innovations may differ among countries and cultures other than the country and culture of the
4. What unique leadership knowledge, skills and abilities are required in order to bring
Given the required brevity for this paper the research questions will be answered in a succinct,
cookbook style. One primary reference will be given under each section. Additional references
Innovation Defined
The primary reference for defining innovation is Shaver (2014). In his online site he
presents 25 definitions of innovation. There are two major benefits of his lengthy list: (1)
everyone can find a definition with which they resonate, and (2) he provides the reference
citations for each definition. A complete listing of his definitions is included as Appendix A.
One of the most complete definitions on his list is the one espoused by Baregheh, Rowley &
advance, compete and differentiate themselves successfully in their marketplace” (p. 1334).
Costello & Prohaska (2013) provide another view of innovation that is worthy of consideration.
improvement, and invention. Innovation is derived from the Latin verb ‘innovare’ or ‘in
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Novus’ - “into new.” In its simplest form, innovation refers to doing something different.
Improvement, on the other hand, is doing something better, while invention is the act of
understand what the definition includes, what it excludes, what its nuances are, and how the
Ideation Tools
Without a doubt the primary reference for this section is the book by Silverstein, Samuel
& DeCarlo (2012). These authors have provided an exhaustive set of tools and techniques for
sustaining organic growth through innovation. The book is broken down into four sections: (1)
how to define business opportunities, (2) how to discover ideas about how to take advantage of
those opportunities, (3) how to design, develop, and refine the ideas, and (4) how to demonstrate
the value of the innovation. The authors do provide more fifty specific techniques for creating
predictable, sustainable, organic growth with an organization regardless of its size. This book
may well be the Bible for any person or organization than that is serious about innovating. The
title, “The Innovator’s Toolkit,” is not an overstatement but correctly identifies the purpose and
There are three references that provide the big picture tasks associated with innovation.
They are Drucker (1985) who is never easy to read but always way ahead of his time. This book
following: (1) the unexpected, (2) incongruities, (3) process needs, (4) industry and market
structures, (5) demographics, (6) changes in perception, and (7) new knowledge.
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Brown (2009) who is the CEO of the famous design firm named IDEO. In this book he
has written from his design experience using the design process within a team-based
organization to elicit and produce innovations. One of the key concepts in the book is to find the
convergence of desirability, viability, and feasibility. In that convergence is where the author
suggests that human needs meet potential innovations. Figuring out how to innovate to meet
those human needs is presented in the book along with how to implement and market the final
product or service. This book provides a good “road map” for creating and implementing
innovations.
Berkum (2010) discusses 10 myths about innovation. Those myths are that: (1)
inventions arise from epiphanies, (2) we understand the history of innovation, (3) there is a
method for creating innovations, (4) people love new innovations, (5) inventors are normally
lone rangers, (6) good ideas are hard to find, (7) your boss knows more about innovation that you
do, (8) the best ideas win, (9) solutions solve problems, and (10) innovations are always good.
The author goes on to give advice as how one can do creative thinking, pitch and idea, and stay
On the very practical and personal side of innovating behavior is the book by Anthony
(2012) which is an easy-reading primer presenting a 28-day plan for how common leaders can
innovate. The book is prescriptive and action-based. It does not deal with research but with
recommended processes and procedures to effectively discover new opportunities, refining those
ideas, testing those ideas, and implementing those ideas that pass the test. It is a “must read” for
leaders who want to be innovative leaders regardless of their sector, industry, company, or
position.
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The literature in response to this question focuses more on the scanning processes and
collaborative structures that leaders need to establish and maintain in order to lead those in the
organization toward innovation and creativity. Kanter (2006) is the primary reference for this
section. In her article she says that leaders need to establish an innovation strategy that is a
pyramid. At the base of the pyramid should be a host of small innovations, improvements, and
inventions. At the pinnacle of the pyramid should be a couple of large major innovations
targeted at new products and/or a new business model. The process she recommends is one that
has loose controls and flexible goals. Innovation dies where tight controls and target deadlines
are in play. The structure leaders should build needs to be fluid and focused on establishing
strong interpersonal connections across the existing organizational divisions and capabilities.
Bartlett & Beamish (2011) clarify the differences between centralized, localized, and
transnational approaches to innovation. Their keys to unlocking each level of innovation are
empowering the people, developing multiple linkages, understanding market needs, creating
structures for transferring and integrating innovations, and achieving interdependent coordination
Regarding the scanning process additional insights are provided by Govindarajan &
Trimble (2012). These authors support the notion that the greatest opportunities to innovate are
found in foreign lands and can be uncovered by a process they call reverse innovation. They
give the following five “gaps” that signal the opportunity to conduct reverse innovation: (1)
performance gap, (2) infrastructure gap, (3) sustainability gap, (4) regulatory gap, and (5)
preferences gap. The authors add input as to the need to change the corporate mindset and
management model in order to take full advantage of reverse innovation. The final chapters of
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the book provide excellent examples of companies that have profited by using the reverse
innovation approach.
Osterwalder & Pigneur (2010) add to the scanning process a focus on generating new
business models creating innovative ways of doing business. The authors suggest that there are
nine specific areas to scan in order to construct a new business model. Those nine areas are: (1)
customer segments, (2) value propositions, (3) channels of communication and distribution, (4)
customer relationships, (5) revenue streams, (6) key resources, (7) key activities, (8) key
Christensen, Anthony & Roth (2004) present how to predict where products and
industries and how to stay on the leading edge of innovation. The authors set forth the following
are provided for each theory. Uses of these theories to predict industry changes are nested in
understanding the signals of change, competitive battles that signal change, and strategic choices
that dictate change. Additional topics of non-market factors that bring about change and macro-
Birkinshaw, Bessant & Delbridge (2007) set forth many useful ideas about how to create
networks to facilitate innovation. The first step presented was to engage with those companies
that are ready, willing, and able to be engaged and that are located in the same geographic area.
The second step was to create networks with those willing companies who are in more distant
areas. The third step was to create networks with those companies that are not so willing to
engage but are unusual partners where exchanges could be beneficial to both companies. The
fourth and final step presented was to engage with those companies that are not so willing and
may be hard to find but could yield amazing results. The authors conclude by encouraging
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companies to create innovation networks and to move those participating in the networks into
partners in pursuit of new product and service ideas that can be brought to market.
Kuemmerle (1997) presented his findings from researching the experience of several
large multinational firms that pursued a global approach to R&D. In the article he set forth how
R&D can and should involve domestic and foreign exchanges of ideas and experiments. He
senior managers who have technical and organizational knowledge to lead the global R&D
initiatives. The author also gave guidance as to how to choose sites in regional clusters of
scientific excellence, how to choose the site leader, and determining the optimal size of the R&D
facility. Advice was added on how to start-up a new site and how to make sure every site
Huston & Sakkab (2006) added details about the specific experience of Procter &
Gamble as the company built a new model for innovation. The authors recounted the early
experience of P&G with R&D as a “silo and solo” function. P&G’s new model moved from
Research & Development (R&D) to Connect & Develop (C&D). The new innovation cycle
started with customer needs and desires and moved into the creation of promising ideas to serve
those needs and desires. P&G vetted the promising ideas through input and feedback from
R&D, marketing, manufacturing, and purchasing. When P&G came full-cycle the company
engaged in outside think tanks, open networks, and intellectual property exchanges. At that
point P&G’s focus moved to taking viable innovations quicker, better, and cheaper than other
competitors. The authors pointed out that P&G underwent a required change in the company
culture. P&G executives reinforced the belief that only two options were innovate or die.
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Friedrich, Mumford, Vessey, Beeler & Eubanks (2010) provided the primary reference
for this section. Their research yielded findings regarding the leadership skills required for
various types of projects. The innovation projects they studied were classified as product-related
or process-related and simple or complex. They identified a basic set of leadership skills
required to lead innovation. Among those skills were organizational expertise, creative problem-
Dyer, Gregersen, & Christensen (2011) focused on the five skills that appear to be
common among those who lead and sustain innovative processes. Those skills, no in any order,
are associating, questioning, observing, networking, and experimenting. If these five skills are
used simultaneously and circularly ideas for potential innovations are bound to emerge. After
dealing with the individual innovator the authors move on to the innovative organization. In the
organizational section they deal with having the right people, the correct processes, and an
leadership skills to sustain innovation provided by Keathley, Merrill, Owens, Meggarrey, &
Keathley, Merrill, Owens, Meggarrey, & Posey (2013) offered several specific leadership
skills for sustaining innovation. They stated that leaders need skills in enabling innovation,
understanding the innovation process, ensuring the flow of information, picking the right people,
respecting creative genius, giving creativity time to blossom, and being there when the going
gets tough.
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Deschamps (2005) stated that the leadership skills of process creativity coupled with
process discipline were important. The author also states that leaders of innovation need to
accept the risk of failure but demand learning from mistakes. They must have the courage to
start projects and the courage to pull the plug. Talent in building winning teams by attracting
innovators was also a skill mentioned. The author noted that leaders of innovation must remain
open to new ideas and willingly experiment. Possessing a personal passion for innovation and
ability to transmit that passion to others was considered by Deschamps (2005) to be a key trait of
Kanter (2006) sums up the topic by noting that leaders of sustained innovation need to be
strong leaders. She also believes leaders of innovation must posses great relational and
collaboration.
Summary
This paper addressed the definition of innovation, the tools for ideation, the process of
leading others to be innovative and creative, and the skills required of leaders who seek to
sustain organizational innovation. Developing leaders who can lead organizational innovations
is one way of meeting the need for sustainable organizations in domestic and global markets. It
should be remembered that the primary delimitation of this paper is that it was written from an
ethnocentric view and intentionally avoided how the leadership of innovations may differ among
countries and cultures other than the country and culture of the researcher.
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References
Anthony, S. D. (2012). The little black book of innovation: How it works, how to do it. Boston,
Berkum, S. (2010). The myths of innovation. Sebastopol, Canada: O’Reilly Media, Inc.
Birkinshaw, J., Bessant, J. & Delbridge, R. (2007). Finding, forming, and performing: Creating
Transnational management: Text, cases, and readings in cross border management, 6th
Christensen, C. M. (2011). The innovator’s dilemma. New York, NY: Harper Business.
Christensen, C. M., Anthony, S. D. & Roth, E. A. (2004). Seeing what’s next: Using the
theories of innovation to predict industry change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School
Press.
org/csdl/mags/it/2013/03/mit2013030064.pdf.
Deschamps, J-P. (2005). Different leadership skills for different innovation strategies. Strategy
library.com/.
Drucker, P. F. (1985). Innovation and entrepreneurship. New York, NY: Harper & Row
Publishers, Inc.
LEADING INNOVATION 13
Dyer, J., Gregersen, H. & Christensen, C. M. (2011). The innovator’s DNA: Mastering the five
Friedrich, T. L., Mumford, M. D., Vessey, B., Beeler, C. K. & Eubanks, D. L. (2010). Leading
Type and Complexity. International Studies of Management & Organization, 40(2). 6-9.
Govindarajan. V. & Trimble, C. (2012). Reverse innovation: Create far from home, win
Huston, L. & Sakkab, N. (2006). Connect and develop: Inside Procter & Gamble’s new model
management:
Text, cases, and readings in cross border management, 6th ed. (pp. 487-495), New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Kanter, R. M. (2006). Innovation: The classic traps. HBRs 10 must reads: On innovation.
Hbr.org/books.
Keathley, J., Merrill, P., Owens, T., Meggarrey, I. & Posey, K. (2013). Leading innovation.
The Journal for Quality and Participation, 36(3), 23-28. Retrieved from http://search.
proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/1460175303?pq-origsite=summon.
Osterwalder, A. & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business model generation: A handbook for visionaries,
game changers, and challengers. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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ericshaver.com/the-many-definitions-of-innovation/.
Silverstein, D., Samuel, P. & DeCarlo, N. (2012). The innovator’s toolkit: 50+ techniques for
predictable and sustainable organic growth, 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons,
Inc.
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Appendix A
Other Definitions of Leadership
“Innovation represents the core renewal process in any organization. Unless it changes
what it offers the world (product/service innovation) and the ways in which it creates and
delivers those offerings (process innovation) it risks its survival and growth prospects.”
(Bessant, Lamming, Noke, & Phillips, 2005, p. 1366)
“…the development and intentional introduction of new and useful ideas by individuals,
teams, and organizations…” (Bledow, et al., 2009, p. 305)
“…innovation is the process that turns an idea into value for the customer and results in
sustainable profit for the enterprise.” (Carlson & Wilmot, 2006, p. 4)
“…production or adoption, assimilation, and exploitation of a value-added novelty in
economic and social spheres; renewal and enlargement of products, services, and
markets; development of new methods of production; and establishment of new
management systems. It is both a process and an outcome.” (Crossan & Apaydin, 2010,
p. 1155)
“Innovation is change that creates a new dimension of performance.” (Peter Drucker)
“Innovation is creativity with a job to do.” (John Emmerling)
“…a product, process or service new to the firm, not only new to the world or
marketplace.” (Hobday, 2005, p. 122)
“Innovation is the creation of a new product, service, or process that provides value for
customers and/or other stakeholders.” (submitted by Renee Hopkins @Renee_Hopkins)
“Innovation is an invention that has demonstrated its’ ability to create value.” (submitted
by Eugene Ivanov @eugeneivanov101)
“Innovation is executing new ideas to create value.” (Tim Kastelle @timkastelle)
“Innovation transforms the useful seeds of invention into solutions valued above every
existing alternative – and widely adopted.” (Braden Kelley @bradenk)
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“…innovation is the conversion of a new idea into revenues and profits.” (Lafley &
Charan, 2008, p. 21)
“Discontinuous improvement.” (submitted by John W. Lewis @JohnWLewis)
“The act or process of introducing new ideas, devices, or methods” (Merriam-Webster)
“Innovation is the process of making changes, large and small, radical and incremental, to
products, processes, and services that results in the introduction of something new for the
organization that adds value to customers and contributes to the knowledge store of the
organization.” (O’Sullivan & Dooley, 2009, p. 5)
“Innovation = Creativity + Exploitation” (O’Sullivan & Dooley, 2009, p. 8)
“…a change that breaks trade-offs.” (Raynor, 2011, p. 168)
“Innovation = Invention + Exploitation” (Roberts, 1988, p. 13)
“The commercialization of any new product, process, or idea, or the modification and
recombination of existing ones.” (Rothaermel, 2013, p. 172)
“Newness that proves its worth.” (Shane Sasnow)
“…the act of generating more value for the customer and the business by fulfilling a job
to be done better than anyone else.” (Silverstein, Samuel, & DeCarlo, 2009, p. xviii).
“…innovation is a process of turning opportunity into new ideas and of putting these into
widely used practice.” (Tidd & Bessant, 2009, p. 16)
“Innovation = theoretical conception + technical invention + commercial exploitation”
(Trott, 2012, p. 15)
“Innovation is the management of all the activities involved in the process of idea
generation, technology development, manufacturing and marketing of a new (or
improved) product or manufacturing process or equipment.” (Trott, 2012, p. 15)
References
Bessant, J., Lamming, R., Noke, H. and Phillips, W. (2005). Managing innovation beyond the
steady state. Technovation, 25, 1366-1376.
Bledow, R., Frese, M., Anderson, N., Erez, M., & Farr, J. (2009). A dialectic perspective on
innovation: Conflicting demands, multiple pathways, and ambidexterity. Industrial and
Organizational Psychology, 2, 305-337.
LEADING INNOVATION 17
Carlson C.C., & Wilmot, W.W. (2006). Innovation: The five disciplines for creating what
customers want. New York: Crown Business.
Crossan M., M., & Apaydin, M. (2010). A multi-dimensional framework of organizational
innovation: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of Management Studies, 47,
1154-1191.
Hobday, M. (2005). Firm-level innovation models: Perspectives on research in developed and
developing countries. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 17, 121-146.
Lafley, A.G., & Charan, R. (2008). The game-changer: How you can drive revenue and profit
growth with innovation. New York: Crown Business.
O’Sullivan, D., & Dooley, L. (2009). Applying innovation. Thousand Oakes, CA: SAGE
Publications.
Raynor, M.E. (2011). The innovator’s manifesto: Deliberate disruption for transformational
growth. New York: Crown Business.
Roberts, E.B. (1988, Jan-Feb). Managing invention and innovation. Research Technology
Management, 31, 11-29.
Rothaermel, F.T. (2013). Strategic management: Concepts & cases. New York, NY: McGraw
Hill/Irwin.
Silverstein, D., Samuel, P., & DeCarlo, N. (2009). The innovator’s toolkit: 50+ techniques for
predictable and sustainable organic growth. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Tidd, J. & Bessant, J. (2009). Managing innovation: Integrating technological, market and
organizational change. (4th Ed). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Trott, P. (2012). Innovation management and new product development (5th ed.). Harlow,
England: FT/Prentice Hall.
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Appendix B
Ideation Tools & Techniques
Taken From Silverstein, D., Samuel, P. & DeCarlo, N. (2012). The innovator’s toolkit: 50+
techniques for predictable and sustainable organic growth, 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Scan For The Unexpected Unexpected Events, Etc. Can Give Ideas
Appendix C
Innovation Activities
Appendix D
Innovation Leadership Skills
Enables The Free Flow Of Info. Makes Sure Ideas Are Shared
Can Pick The Right People Knows Who To Hire & Assign
Is Present When It Gets Tough Is There For His People & Shields Them
Appendix E
Other Resources
This 160-page document includes analyses, guides, and recommendations on how the
U.S. and individual organizations within the U.S. can increase and improve the
competitiveness through increasing innovative capacity. The document does present a
clear role for the federal government in R&D but categorically concludes that the private
sector will be the engine of innovation. Suggestions are made regarding the revitalization
of the U.S. public infrastructure and private manufacturing facilities. The document sets
forth the importance of educating a competent workforce and providing jobs that will
help the U.S. regain its previous competitive edge in the global economy. This
document provides keen insights and prescriptions for increasing America’s competitive
and innovative capacities.
The Use of Strategic Foresight Methods for Ideation and Portfolio Management
Farrington, T., Henson, K. & Crews, C. (2012). The use of strategic foresight methods for
already strong incremental innovation engines have shown that it can be a challenge to
see past the time horizon for incremental innovation in order to set robust objectives for
longer-range research teams. This article covers a program that employed a customized
process that incorporated several strategic foresight methods commonly used by futurists
how technology entrepreneurs use social behaviors, techniques, and cognitive processes
to generate, validate, and refine ideas for new products, processes, or services. The results
reveal a complex, cyclical, and recursive multilevel social process emphasizing active
LEADING INNOVATION 28
partners” exchange and refine ideas through a form of shared cognition. The findings will
Ross, V. E. (2006). A model of inventive ideation. Thinking skills and creativity, 1, 120-129.
This article provides an analysis of a diverse range of creative thinking techniques as well
as invention heuristics has suggested that, collectively, they use only 10 basic strategies,
sequence or in parallel, demand different degrees of intuition, are used with different
frequency, and tend to be applied to certain types of problems. These features have been
produce a diverse range of ideas, and also allows the problem solver or group to develop
ideation strategies best suited to their skills, needs and the type of problem. An example