Why Innovation Process is Hard?

Ateneo Innovation and Entrepreneurship "New ideas create more and better new products and services; create more wealth."

From Management Exchange | Jeff de Graff | January 15, 2013

We look at innovation as something cute and easy; but implementing this in our organization does not come easy.  It is hard. (as is entrepreneurship)  In my entrep class, this seems to be a daunting task, and some do not manage even to submit a single new idea.  Or some even remark that they cant sleep over me (not a nice thing for the wife to hear) because they cant think of a new idea.  Some may be so entrenched in strict procedural regimen/protocol in their own organizations.

Here are some of the realities observed by Jeff who is a professor at Ross Business School at Michigan State University, on innovation:

l.  Collecting excessive data.  Einstein said that "Imagination is better than facts"  We need information not data.  But computers spew our large amount of data -  no real information.  Breakthrough Thinking by Hibino prescribes limited information.  To decide on some issues, you do not want to be confused with so much data.  Distinguish data from information

2.  Failure is inevitable.  The 9999 failures of Thomas Alba Edison is part of learning experience, they are not failures.  We need mature executives.  These executives matured because they experienced failure and learned from these.  You will never know unless you try

3.  Innovation is a high conflict situation.  There is debate;  there is intellectual ferment always going on;  it is political.  At Intel, according to Andrew Grove, shouting matches occur from parties having a point of view.

Read more about Jeff de Graff on innovation