NATURE OF

INNOVATION
Making The Idea Reality
Definition of Innovation
Technological products undergo fundamental
redesign every 6 to 12 months. These short
product life cycles are emblematic of what
some economists refer to as the age of
innovation (Janszen, 2000)
The concepts of creativity and innovation are
used interchangeably.
Creativity is often described as the catalyst to
innovation, but creativity does not need to be
left up to chance.


Innovation :

- The implementation of an idea for a new
product or service.
- Examples: the implementation of ideas for
restructuring, saving of costs, improved
communication, new technology for production
processes, new organizational structures and
new personnel plans or programmes.
- A new idea, product, service or activity is
implemented. *possibly problem-solving idea
Innovation often associated with CHANGE.
- Something new which leads to change.
However it must involve new ideas and lead to
improvement of an organization.
Creativity and innovation can be regarded as
overlapping constructs between 2 stages of
the creative process Idea generating &
Implementation


The intentional introduction and application
within a role, group or organization of ideas,
processes, products or procedures, new to the
relevant unit of adoption, designed to
significantly benefit the individual, the group,
organization or wider society West and Farr
(1990).
Successful organisations have the capacity to
absorb innovation into the organisational
culture and management processes.

A culture supportive of creativity encourages
innovative ways of representing problems and
finding solutions, regards creativity as both
desirable and normal and favours innovators
as models to be emulated (Lock and
Kirkpatrick,1995).
The way in which mistakes are handled
determines whether personnel feel free to act
creatively and innovatively.
Mistakes can be perceived as a learning
opportunity. *learn from mistakes.

Taking risks and experimenting are behaviours
that are associated with creativity and
innovation.
Tolerance of conflict and handling conflict
constructively to promote creativity and
innovation.
Understanding different individual thinking
styles and training personnel in the process of
constructive confrontation will create a culture
supportive of creativity & innovation.
Frank Sonnenberg and Beverly Goldberg
believe that the most difficult roadblock of
creativity to overcome is organizational culture
that militates against creativity and innovation.
This kind of culture fosters the belief that the
way the organization functioned in the past is
the way it must always function. The
motivations for such behavior are usually fear
of failure, organizational politics, and
uneasiness with anything new or different.
Conclusion
The values, norms and beliefs that play a role
in creativity and innovation in organisations
can either support or inhibit creativity and
innovation, depending on how they influence
the behaviour of individuals and groups.