Innovation: the application of new ideas, methods or products.
Publications across the world are alive with the words promoting companies and people as having innovative products or services, but is this delivering of innovation or merely claiming the advantages of imitation and evolution, and with them improvements in efficiency, reliability and sustainability?
“It is policy to continuously bring innovative products to market”
The humble facial razor which has been used with varying levels of adoption for centuries, precursors to the straight blade razor being used in ancient Egypt, though the modern variants came into use in the C17th to be joined by the safety razor in the C18th century and the electric razor in 1898. The safety razor became adjustable in the 1950’s as part of a one razor for all needs approach. It wasn’t until 1970 the cartridge razor was introduced followed quickly by twin blade in 1971 and the disposable razor in 1974. Then in 1998 the acceleration in blade numbers commenced, and now we see changes being enacted to push from a product driven market to a service delivery market. But which points of change were innovation, which were evolutionary?
"Positioned for future transformation and innovation through a resilient, flexible platform"
Or take the smartphone, currently in the hands of around 30% of the world’s population or 2,500,000,000 people, a pretty innovative product? But ask where the innovation was in this product, was it in the IBM Simon, the Apple iPhone environment, the intermediate steps in PDA with telephony, the Blackberry or the subsequent evolutions? Much of what is seen in between the step changes brought about by the application or convergence of the novel may still be considered innovative but brought about by an evolution driven by consumer demand or producer demand creation.
For many an idea the claimed innovation may more precisely be defined as ‘adopt, adapt, and improve’.
“We drive innovative partnerships to improve product access and efficiency throughout the supply chain. As part of the largest global purchasing organization we leverage this innovation………”
Perhaps the word itself has become a necessary marketing differentiator, less for a novel ideas, product or convergence and more an evolution to processes, products or services to meet the demand of the consumer? While effective marketing can create demand for a new, though not particularly innovative product, the word ‘imitate’ is not a good word to market a new product. But of the products you use day to day how many are the innovative product, and how many the imitation and evolution of a previous product?
"We take an innovative approach to how we plan and deliver our business activities"
Next time a product or company claims innovation, ask the question, where is the innovation? Do you really want pure original innovation or imitation and evolution?
It’s all a matter of perspective, need and ultimately the impact of the claimed innovation