FAQs - Innovation/KM

Syntrek^® Inc. works with organizations to enhance the skillsets for individual innovations, as well as building the organizational architecture and culture which support innovation as a vital business practice.

What is the difference between creativity and innovation?

Creative thinking means original thinking, a new way of perceiving or reconfiguring data.

Innovation, by contrast, is the implementation of creative thinking. (Peter Drucker describes this as endowing resources with a new capacity to create wealth.)

Can creative thinking be taught?

Yes. We all have the potential ability to think creatively and also to learn how to increase our level of proficiency. We can increase our proficiency by learning to overcome our inhibitions & conditioning from previous experiences and by learning the skillsets to think-out-of-the-box.

What is the relationship between creative thinking and intelligence?

Very intelligent individuals are often poor creative thinkers. Since they might be smart enough to know the obvious solution, they might not bother to search for different and possibly better alternatives.

What is the importance of innovation for the Information Age economy?

In addition to knowledge and communication as the new fundamental sources of wealth, we must add innovation (since we are now in an era of continuous and unpredictable change, today's problems can no longer be solved with yesterday's solutions.)

Why is the modern term knowledge worker already becoming obsolete?

In previous times, most people were trained to apply known methods for familiar tasks. Those with considerable training and experience were termed experts because of their mastery of past knowledge. In this era of non-linear change, historical expertise often becomes a liability. It conveys tunnel-vision, like a horse wearing blinders. Instead we need Thinkers, people who can perceive current limitations, detect emerging trends, anticipate possibilities, and heuristically re-tool themselves for the opportunities of tomorrow. Such workers are appreciating assets - they serve as a source of intellectual capital which can then be deployed to create competitive advantage.

Is R&D correlated with innovation?

No, not necessarily, because it may never be IMPLEMENTED, nor satisfy a real market need.

Can the value of innovation be measured?

Yes, both measured and successfully used to set stretch goals. For example, companies as diverse as Buckman Laboratories and 3M are successful in establishing and achieving 30% of their revenues being generated from new products developed in the preceeding 4 years.

What are some ways to incorporate innovation into the corporate culture?

One of the key leverage points is Deming's precept to "drive out fear". It's also vitally important, as exemplified by 3M, to provide employees with both the time and resources to engage in some 'Blue Sky' projects which are unrelated to their regular work.

What is Knowledge Management?

Getting the right information to the right people at the right time -- to enable the right actions.

What is the Relationship between Innovation and Knowledge Management?

Innovation is the most evolved stage in the development of knowledge management. The first stage is data, the second is information, the third is knowledge, and the fourth is innovation.

Do you have a question you would like to submit here? Please forward it to Dr. Howard Eisenberg .