Heads-Up! on Organizational Innovation

Igniter Question: Open Innovation

(Brought to you by the InnovationIgniter -- http://innovationigniter.com -- the anytime, anywhere innovation learning system.) 

"Open Innovation" is a hot topic with companies scrambling to find ways to bring customers, suppliers and other partners into their innovation processes.  However, the fear and trepidation about losing control of intellectual property and creating legal liabilities still abound.  How is your organization dealing with these issues?  Please send comments to mailto:[email protected].

3 Questions - a Challenge

Tomasz Rudolf with Innovatika in Poland asks the following:  I am wondering.... If you could ask employees of the company 3 questions to assess the climate for innovation, what would they be? 

I think that's a great challenge for us.  Below are 3 questions I came up with ... what would your 3 be?  Remember, these are questions we would ask "employees of the company."

• Do you understand what the innovation challenge is?
• Do you understand who your customers are and what they need and how you fit into meeting those needs?
• Do you have time to think and tinker with possibilities?