Innovation

hide

The term innovation refers to a new way of doing something. It may refer to incremental, radical, and revolutionary changes in thinking, products, processes, or organizations. A distinction is typically made between invention, an idea made manifest, and innovation, ideas applied successfully. (Mckeown 2008) In many fields, something new must be substantially different to be innovative, not an insignificant change, e.g., in the arts, economics, business and government policy. In economics the change must increase value, customer value, or producer value. The goal of innovation is positive change, to make someone or something better. Innovation leading to increased productivity is the fundamental source of increasing wealth in an economy.

Innovation is an important topic in the study of economics, business, design, technology, sociology, and engineering. Colloquially, the word "innovation" is often synonymous with the output of the process. However, economists tend to focus on the process itself, from the origination of an idea to its transformation into something useful, to its implementation; and on the system within which the process of innovation unfolds. Since innovation is also considered a major driver of the economy, especially when it leads to increasing productivity, the factors that lead to innovation are also considered to be critical to policy makers.

Those who are directly responsible for application of the innovation are often called pioneers in their field, whether they are individuals or organisations.

For more information about Innovation, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


News tagged with innovation

results timeline


Study finds patent systems may discourage innovation

Study finds patent systems may discourage innovation

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

created Jul 27, 2009 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (19) | comments 37

(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study challenges the traditional view that patents foster innovation, suggesting instead that they may hinder technological progress, economic activity and societal wealth. These results ...


Study finds that corporate culture is most important factor in driving innovation

Other Sciences / Other

created Nov 18, 2008 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (13) | comments 1

Innovation is integral to the growth, success and wealth of firms and nations. What predicts the increase of radical innovation, and the profits that often ensue, is a mystery most firms are trying to solve. The answer that ...


Economy may be dim, but technological innovation on the horizon for 2009

Technology / Hi Tech

created Dec 31, 2008 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (11) | comments 1

A recession doesn't mean the death of innovation in the consumer tech industry. Consider 2001. During that recession, Apple Inc. introduced the iPod, Microsoft Corp. rolled out its original Xbox video game console, broadband ...


IBM Reveals Five Innovations that Will Change Cities in the Next Five Years (w/ Video)

Technology / Hi Tech

created Dec 17, 2009 | popularity 3.4 / 5 (9) | comments 1

Today, IBM unveiled a list of innovations that have the potential to change how people live, work and play in cities around the globe over the next five to ten years.


Wanted: Computer hackers ... to help government (AP)

Wanted: Computer hackers... to help government

Technology / Other

created Apr 19, 2009 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (4) | comments 2

(AP) -- Wanted: Computer hackers. Federal authorities aren't looking to prosecute them, but to pay them to secure the nation's networks.


IBM sets up 'innovation center' in Vietnam

IBM sets up 'innovation center' in Vietnam

Technology / Hi Tech

created May 22, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0

US computer giant IBM on Friday announced it had set up its first "innovation center" in Vietnam and forged partnerships with leading Vietnamese universities.


Aneesh Chopra

Obama names first US Chief Technology Officer

Technology / Internet

created Apr 19, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (3) | comments 0

US President Barack Obama on Saturday named a Harvard-educated Indian-American to the newly created post of Chief Technology Officer in an appointment much-awaited by Silicon Valley.


Bill Gates: Better data mean better schools (AP)

Bill Gates: Better data mean better schools

Technology / Other

created Jul 21, 2009 | popularity 1.8 / 5 (5) | comments 0

(AP) -- The U.S. must improve its educational standing in the world by rewarding effective teaching and by developing better, universal measures of performance for students and teachers, Microsoft co-founder ...


Patent challenges reduce pharmaceutical innovation and productivity, researchers suggest

Patent challenges reduce pharmaceutical innovation and productivity, researchers say

Medicine & Health / Other

created Oct 15, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (3) | comments 1

The development of new and innovative pharmaceuticals is being stifled by a U.S. law and successful patent challenges that embolden generic competition, according to an article published in this week's issue ...


Published ENT surgical innovations fall drastically

Medicine & Health / Other

created Sep 25, 2008 | popularity 4 / 5 (2) | comments 0

The number of cases of surgical innovation published in otolaryngic medical journals has fallen drastically since the late 1980s, leading researchers to question the impact of government oversight over surgery, according ...


A Polaroid Pogo Instant Digital Camera

Private equity firms win battle for bankrupt Polaroid

Technology / Business

created Apr 17, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Bankrupt Polaroid Corp. has been bought by a pair of private equity firms after a judge threw out the acquisition of the iconic inventor of instant photography by another investor.


Study Shows Atlanta Kills Off Start-Up Companies

Study Shows Atlanta Kills Off Start-Up Companies

Technology / Business

created Sep 28, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Atlanta is poised to become the nation’s poster child for how to kill off a burgeoning industry. A new study by professors at Georgia Tech reveals that the city’s reputation as a high technology ...


At Google, Chu announces grants for 'out-of-the-box' global warming projects

Space & Earth / Environment

created Oct 27, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 2

Fulfilling a campaign pledge to tap Silicon Valley innovation to combat global warming, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced Monday at Google's headquarters the first federal grants for high-risk, high-reward clean-tech ...


'How-to' guide shows entrepreneurs how to protect their big ideas

Other Sciences / Economics

created Sep 11, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Successful entrepreneurs turn big ideas into successful business opportunities, but how should they protect those ideas? A new paper from North Carolina State University offers a "how-to" guide on intellectual ...


'Promiscuous' protein interactions found in the nuclear pore complex

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Sep 29, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- The NPC is the only way in or out of a cell's nucleus. It plays a key role in cellular metabolism and signaling, and any malfunction in these pores can have lethal consequences. Now new research reveals further ...