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James Walker and Kevin O'Donnell share their takeaways from the recent Consumer Electronics Show Las Vegas.

Andy Stefanovich outlines Prophet's 5M Model of Innovation and Prophet's LAMSTAIH [lam´sti] philosophy.

While the role of the ideation session, in its myriad guises, holds a place in the innovation firmament, and while the role that inspiration plays in such sessions is hardly to be questioned, we challenged ourselves to think more broadly about the role that inspiration plays throughout the innovation process. Ultimately, we determined that an inspiration-driven approach to innovation fundamentally changes how each process step looks, feels and, most importantly, the value it delivers.

Andy Stefanovich answers your questions about innovation, and offers five tips for success.

The shift in the economic climate has created a sense of urgency among business leaders who need innovation now in order to survive—if not thrive—in the future. Leaders have become impatient to get to the “big idea” that grabs the attention of their customers. This article outlines a framework for creating ideas that is appropriate and relevant to the needs of innovation sponsors within a company—no matter what the economic forecast might be.

The saying, "May you live in interesting times," is considered a curse, but wise leaders will understand it also as a blessing, and use it as a mantra in charting their course through the turbulence. 

The word, innovation, is so over used that it’s almost lost all meaning. Yet, as with all aspects of business, innovation evolves. Innovation will remain the process by which newness comes into the world, but the how of innovation is in flux. New business landscapes, new technologies, and the wearing out of old models require us to reimage how we innovate.

Kevin O’Donnell believes innovation’s role as a driver of organic growth and a differentiator that adds substantially to a brand’s value remains as critical as ever. In his inaugural column in the newly relaunched Marketing News, a publication of the American Marketing Association, O’Donnell spells out one solution: Creation of innovation “systems” that foster actionable creativity.

The concept of Open Innovation is increasingly familiar and many organizations are eager to position themselves to harness its potential. However, considerable confusion exists around what Open Innovation is and what it isn’t. This article aims to dispell three of the prevailing myths about Open Innovation.

Jay Milliken and Andres Nicholls discuss how strategy-led design and understanding customer behavior are the key elements for the success of Emart.

A serious threat facing most brands in dynamic markets is the loss of relevance because the category or subcategory that they are serving is declining. Customers are no longer buying what the brand is perceived to be making. New categories or subcategories are emerging as competitors’ innovations create “must haves.” Remarkably, this dynamic can happen even if the brand is strong, customers are loyal and the offering has never been better, thanks, in part, to incremental innovations.

Innovation is a major hot button with businesses these days, given its critical role in driving organic business growth. As one survey of 940 senior managers found, all considered growing revenues through innovation as critical to success. Yet more than half were unhappy with their innovation investment returns.

For years, companies have been equating performance with speed and “lean” thinking. They have invested in streamlining processes, reducing costs and applying stringent “Six Sigma-esque” criteria to kill ideas that don’t deliver ROI. What they do not do is explore the world of possibilities.

Andy uses the example of the Milwaukee's Mitchell Airport to show three ways to "recombobulate" to better deal with the known uncertainties of today's business times and re-spark your creative edge.

Catherine Strotmeyer takes four workshops examples: Frito Lay, GE, Trustmark, and Timberland to explain that workshops can be highly effective for engaging individuals and teams around innovation challenges and bringing new ideas to the business.

While it is tempting to cut resources, slow down product launches, and refocus only on the core, companies that continue their commitment to innovation are more likely to reap great rewards.

Innovation appears to be the holy grail of our times.  But the innovation quest is long, laborious and not for the faint of heart. Success requires strong leadership setting the pace: a catalyst and change agent who has the vision, desire and ability to enlist and inspire others to the cause.

In this article, David Aaker argues that brand strategy is crucially important to an innovation. Without it, the strength of an innovation will be short-lived. 
*Please note, there is a fee to obtain the full text of this article.

There is a growing need for businesses, and particularly their marketing leadership, to look differently at what constitutes innovation, and create a culture that fosters and rewards it.

Business Book Review published a summary of Andy Stefanovich's new book: Look At More.