Open Source: one of management's greastest innovations
It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.
- Charles Darwin
From Dan Pink’s Blog, we found the following facts on innovation that we would like to share with you:
A study of the top 50 game changing innovations over a 100 year period showed that nearly 80% of those innovations were sparked by someone whose primary expertise was outside the field in which the innovation breakthrough took place.
Wow! 80% created by someone outside the field where innovation occurred!
What innovation conclusions can we derive from this fact?
Innovation, while often depending on new invention, is more about application than invention.
Often the application of something similar has already been accomplished in the other field, usually in a different way.
When working innovation, it helps to draw on different skills, experience sets … diverse ‘crowds’.
And finally
We need to be constantly open to new ideas, particularly in different fields of endeavor.
What conclusions does your business derive from these facts on innovation?
Remember … all new ideas begin in a non-conforming mind that questions some tenet of the conventional wisdom.
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I am very interested in where I can find the evidence of the statement that 80% of the innovations were sparked by people whose primary expertise were outside the field in which the innovation took place. Can you please give me a reference?
Thank you in advance.
Karen, I found that statement in one of Daniel Pink’s Blogs 2-4 years ago. I am sure he was referencing someone’s work.
I have look through Pink’s archive but did not find it (although I am sure it will be there).
Good luck and if you find the original source, please send it to me … I need to be better with sources and references.
Thanks.