April 2020

The management of technology and innovation can refer to using/managing technology tools and resources as an enabler to innovation and it can also refer to the using / managing technological breakthroughs as the catalyst to new innovative products and or processes.

Managing innovation is a skill that is required to drive forward the innovation management process in an attempt to increase competitive advantage for your organization.

Innovation has been defined as

“the design, invention, development and / or implementation of new or altered products, services, processes, systems, organizational structures, or business models for the purpose of creating value for customers and financial returns for the firm.”

For further definitions see a definition of innovation.

There are many types of innovation with the most widely discussed being:

Incremental innovations improve your product or process and therefore should keep your customers motivated in terms of repeat purchases.
Radical innovations can provide a true competitive advantage in terms of having the potential to substantially increase the size of the existing market.

In our modern world often as important as the innovation management process is the management and organization of the firm’s knowledge as an enabler to innovation. Technology is often used to support the knowledge management initiatives that assist in promoting the innovation process, often in the form of knowledge management tools.

Knowledge management tools enable knowledge to be recorded and distributed across the organization. Such strengthening of a firm’s knowledge capabilities has been shown to have a positive effect on a firm’s innovation abilities, for example, refer to Leonard-Barton’s 1995 book – Wellsprings of Knowledge: Building and Sustaining the Sources of Innovation by Harvard Business School Press (Amazon affiliate link)

This adds an extra layer of complexity to the manager’s role as now not only does she need to be fully aware of the skills, techniques, and complexities of managing innovation but also needs to be aware and fully conversant in the use of the knowledge management tools that are in place within the organization.

The manager needs to ensure that such tools are being used effectively throughout the organization. Use is a requirement in order to strengthen the firm’s knowledge and in turn to increase the firm’s innovative outputs.

The other side of the management of technology and innovation is the use of new breakthrough technologies as an enabler or source of new innovations. The manager needs to be aware of the time lag between the development of technology and the commercialization of a product or service. The manager must also ensure that she regularly scans the external environment both in and out of her field-of-reference for new technologies. The quicker you are aware of a new technology the faster that you can use it as a source of new innovation.

Modern knowledge management tools often incorporate blogs, wikis, or other discussion type portals where users can raise and discuss new technologies as they become available. Ideally, such tools will also span organization divisions as many innovations spawn from such synergies in terms of applying one particular field’s technology to an entirely different field. For example, global positioning satellite systems were never originally designed to be used in a family vehicle.

I like playing music…I began playing music on the piano when I was twelve years old. I was lucky enough to take lessons with a Grand Musician who had two beautiful Grand Pianos and lived at the end of the block. For the lessons, I would dust the beautiful pianos with a purple feather duster. Mr. Adair didn’t teach me scales. After some easy note reading assignments, we began on a grand composition, “In A Persian Market” by Ketelby. He would play…holding his hands high up over the keys, and the beauty of the sound captivated me. I wanted to recreate that sound. So I labored at home on my rather ordinary piano. When I took a break from it, I found music books and began to discover many different songs and I would unlock the music note by note.

Today when I want to unlock a problem and look for solutions I play music, like the guitar now. I don’t care that I play by reading tabs. That’s like a sort of “paint by number” When I play the world disappears. I have a friend who plays the accordion while I have learned to play chords. Playing chords is newer for me because I was playing classical before. If you can find an instrument, a harmonica, Chinese Gongs, a drum…and lose yourself in creating the sound. I like American Musical Supply because I can make payments with no interest. I highly recommend it.

The neighborhood children who took lessons with Loren Adair were gathered at his house to play for the neighborhood. It was a grand night. I lost my nerve. I ran home. Later Mr. Adair came to our house to urge me to resume lessons. I didn’t. years past…Then I played at SBCC, “In a Persian Market” and you can see it on youtube!!!!

by Sharon Fitzpatrick
(class for SBC College)

Return To Creativity Techniques

Have a good think before you do this…

What did your target do to you? Is revenge really necessary?

Ok now we have that thought over and you’ve decided that revenge really is necessary then what you need to do is collect as many of your targets personal belongings as you can (If you know what I mean!)

For example…

Bad grades, baby pictures and any other things that you think would embarrass your target.

Once you have this collection place the items on notice boards and at meeting points throughout your school.

They will be totally humiliated.

Return To Revenge Ideas

It’s key to maintain momentum with your innovative ideas. Innovations often take time to produce the desired results and maintaining momentum can be a difficult thing to achieve.

Projects can move too slowly or get veered off track for a number of reasons…

For example:

Key project resources could transfer off the project, or
Financial support could run dry
Or changes in the market might result in new requirements in order for the project to remain successful.

At the initial outset, it’s relatively easy to get people excited and motivated with the vision for a great new innovative idea, however, it’s another thing entirely to maintain that motivation throughout the full lifecycle of the project, particularly if the project is likely to span many months.

Set a clear, easy to understand, direction for your team and sell it well so that you gain buy-in and support from all involved.

Maintaining momentum requires key project stakeholders such as the project champion and project leader to keep a high state of enthusiasm within the team.

Communication is key… You should communicate with all of the key stakeholders on a regular basis. Use many different forms of communication and consider inviting key stakeholders to progress meetings where you can demonstrate progress made so far and where you can highlight any obstacles or project risks.

Never forget the communication motto… “Communicate, communicate, and then communicate again!”

Also, focussing on a small number of clear short term goals that gradually ease you closer to your long term vision can be extremely useful.

Try and match goals to the individual. Some people are naturally more suited to some goals rather than others. If you are able to readily match people to goals that motivate them and closely match their skill sets and strengths while still giving them some room to be challenged and for growth then you’re already in a strong position.

Think about how you can measure your progress too. Having a small number of easily updateable metrics can act as a useful gauge to measure your progress against. Metrics can also enable team members to compete with one another in a friendly motivational way.

Use prototypes to demonstrate any small wins.

Overall just try and Keep your Mr. Motivator hat on at all times as it can be a long and challenging road to get from innovative ideas to successful implementation.

Good luck!

This game can be played with very young children. One and two-year-olds…

Place your magic carpet (a blanket, sheet or duvet cover) on a tiled, wooden or laminate floor.

Sit or lay your child on the magic carpet, then gently, carefully, and slowly pull your child around the room.

Young kids love this game. Watch them try and hold on and laugh and giggle as you pull them around.

Return To Creativity For Kids

November 1963…

You wouldn’t have to grapple with a lunch-box meal if you carried it in this plastic box.

After unhooking the domed top (with its clipped-in vacuum bottle), you’d let down the hinged sides to form a tray.

Blocked-in ends would keep food from sliding and catch spills if the box were used as a lap tray.

Return To Creative Ideas

October 1963…

Suitable for one-man operation, this truck loader might simplify small-haul loading of gravel and similar cargo. The driver would maneuver his truck to push the scoop into the load, then winch the hopper-shaped scoop up and over the cab roof so it could tip its cargo into the truck.

Go Back to Creative Ideas

Walk around your house with your child creating lists.

Make a list or draw pictures of things that make light. Do another list of things that make a sound.

Other list ideas include things of a particular color, large things, small things, things that Dad uses, things that Mom uses, things that begin with a particular letter of the alphabet, heavy, light things, etc.

Return To Creativity For Kids

Music can arouse your creative spark.

Research has shown that certain types of music can put your brain into a relaxed alpha state.

So pick a track that inspires you, sit down, relax, and listen.

Return To Improving Creativity

May 1963…

Light up and listen to your favorite music with this miniature radio-lighter combination, only slightly larger than an ordinary lighter it contains a two-transistor radio with built-in antenna and battery.

The radio comes on when you plug in the earphone. The standard mercury cell battery makes the device last for about two-hundred hours.

In modern times you’d probably be best to think about your health and avoid the cigarettes completely and just stick with the music! You can purchase a miniature radio that should do the trick just fine on Amazon. (affiliate link)

Inventions In The Last 100 Years