Create Competitive Advantage with Innovation (Collection)

5. The Selection of Appropriate Innovation Channels

“I dreamed a thousand new paths.... I woke and walked my old one.”

—Chinese proverb

Overview

Consider the opening quote in this chapter less one of guidance and more of a cautionary tale. Leaders, as noted in much greater detail in Chapter 9, “Leadership,” bring to reality that which they dream. And though there may not be a thousand paths discussed below, of the multiple paths available, too few are trod in most organizations at present.

This chapter is going to switch gears. Up until now, we’ve spoken about the changes that open innovation brings and argued its merits as a means of diversifying problem solving approaches, reducing false negatives, sharing and managing risk and thereby improving ...