GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato
Introduction
Innovation is the process of introducing new ideas, products, or processes to the marketplace. It’s a key driver of growth and progress in any organization. Unfortunately, there are often barriers to innovation. These barriers can be both internal and external, and can range from a lack of resources to cultural resistance to change. It’s important to understand these barriers in order to develop strategies for overcoming them. Here, we’ll discuss some of the most common innovation barriers and provide some case study examples to illustrate the types of approaches organizations can take to overcome them.
Common Innovation Barriers
1. Lack of Resources: One of the most common barriers to innovation is a lack of resources. Organizations often lack the financial resources, personnel, and other resources needed to bring an innovative idea to fruition. This is especially true for small businesses and startups.
2. Risk Aversion: Another common barrier to innovation is risk aversion. Organizations are often hesitant to invest in innovative ideas, for fear of wasting resources or losing money. This can be a major obstacle to successful innovation.
3. Cultural Resistance to Change: Change can be difficult for any organization, and some organizations are resistant to change due to cultural norms or values. This can be a major obstacle to successful innovation.
4. Lack of Leadership Support: Innovation often requires the support and commitment of senior leaders. Without this support, it can be difficult to move forward with an innovative idea.
Case Studies
1. Google: Google is an example of a company that has overcome its innovation barriers. The company has a culture of experimentation and embraces failure as part of the innovation process. It has established processes for testing and iterating on ideas, and has created a culture where employees feel empowered to take risks.
2. Apple: Apple is another example of a company that has overcome its innovation barriers. The company has a culture of creativity and collaboration, which encourages employees to think outside the box. Apple also invests heavily in research and development, and has created a culture where employees feel empowered to take risks and experiment with new ideas.
Conclusion
Innovation can be a major driver of growth and progress for any organization. However, there are often barriers to innovation. It’s important to understand these barriers in order to develop strategies for overcoming them. The case studies discussed here illustrate the types of approaches organizations can take to overcome these innovation barriers. By understanding the barriers and developing strategies to overcome them, organizations can unlock their potential for success.
SPECIAL BONUS: Braden Kelley’s Problem Finding Canvas can be a super useful starting point for doing design thinking or human-centered design.
“The Problem Finding Canvas should help you investigate a handful of areas to explore, choose the one most important to you, extract all of the potential challenges and opportunities and choose one to prioritize.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Braden Kelley’s great book Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire is all about identifying and removing barriers to innovation. I encourage you to check it out!
Image credit: Pixabay
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