Some reasons for dearth of innovation
I recently finished reading the famed Clayton Christensen's book, The Innovator's Dilemma. Since them I have been following Dave Pollard's website/blog. Dave who has been writing a lot about Innovation over the years has now posed three dilemma's and feels that "our culture, and the economic, political, educational and other systems that support it, are all stacked against true innovation". He feels that Most Entrepreneurs Aren't Innovative.
"...They aren't really interested in innovation (unless it's sexy and marginal and doesn't push them beyond their comfort zone). Real innovation is risky, and they're very risk averse -- even moreso, in my experience, than corporate executives. ....They have little or no knowledge of successful innovation practices and processes. They hate doing research. As die-hard do-it-yourselfers, they distrust (with some justification) consultants and others who might help them become more innovative. They read all the hype books and articles about corporate CEOs and actually believe the hype. ....In short, they're scaled-down versions of corporate managers, who are probably the least innovative people on the face of the Earth."
He also states that, Most Customers Don't Want Innovations.
"Customers are as change-resistant as managers. They want sexy, marginal enhancements (e.g. cosmetic design improvements) not true innovations. They want movies that are sequels of movies they liked and music that sounds just like the music they like. .....Most customers are terrible learners anyway -- they've never learned how to learn, so they rely entirely on trial and error ("what manual?"), and end up using the product ineffectively, until if they're lucky someone (likely half their age) shows them how to use it properly. Half of all product returns are due not to product defects but because the customer couldn't figure out how to use the product, and gave up. Examples of resistance to innovation and change are everywhere -- after fifty years, the US still hasn't converted to the metric system, despite the massive and unnecessary costs their refusal costs everyone. "
The third dilemma he poses is that Those Who Need Innovations Can't Afford Them:
"True innovation is about identifying and finding ways to satisfy deep, unmet human needs, but if you look at the 'wicked' problems in our society -- poverty, disease, dysfunctional health and education systems, crime, global warming and environmental disasters -- they have only worsened in recent decades. Inequality in our society is growing and accelerating, so that those with the money to pay for innovation have few of the problems that plague the majority. ....So we get a plethora of cures for impotence while millions of children die of preventable, treatable diseases each year -- there's just no money in developing innovative products, services, distribution mechanisms and channels, supply chains, and businss models for customers with no income and no assets."
While there are no solutions to these dilemmas, all are worthwhile thinking (and acting) about.