How to Innovate in Business
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
We all know how essential innovation is to business success. If Apple Corp. had not innovated, we would not have iPhones. If Microsoft had stopped innovating when they released DOS, we never would have seen Windows operating systems. If manufacturers had stopped innovating, we would all be driving Model T’s and calling each other on candlestick phones that need operator assistance; there would be no television to watch and you wouldn’t be reading this because the Internet would never have been created.
Innovation is Essential
So if innovation is so important, why do so many companies spend all their time making tiny process improvements and watching their competitors steal their customers with innovative new products and services? Clearly the problem is not that business owners and managers don’t see the need for innovation. Many just don’t know how to encourage innovation. However, most actively discourage innovation – not on purpose, perhaps, but very effectively. Let’s look at two small companies. One is an example of how to discourage innovation. The other is an example of how to encourage innovation.
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