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Beyond the Champion
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Beyond the Champion

Institutionalizing Innovation Through People

Andrew C. Corbett, Gina Colarelli O'Connor and Lois S. Peters
Stanford UP, 2018
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8

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Gina Colarelli O’Connor, Andrew C. Corbett, and Lois S. Peters draw on over 20 years of research to reveal why most large firms fail at innovation. They introduce a powerful framework built around the core competencies of “discovery, incubation, and acceleration” (DIA). By mapping these competencies to defined roles and career paths, the authors explain how companies can profitably treat innovation as a disciplined function. The authors inform and guide leaders seeking to transform innovation from a one-off effort into a scalable, “sustainable capability.”

Summary

Even dominant, innovative companies can fail when they resist transformative change.

Despite pioneering camera technology and inventing the digital camera, Kodak clung to its core business in chemical film and hesitated to embrace digital imaging. Kodak failed to commercialize its groundbreaking invention, and competitors quickly outpaced Kodak. Nortel, IBM, and other companies similarly faltered when faced with paradigm-shifting technologies, even when they possessed the tools or early knowledge to succeed.

Companies struggle with breakthrough innovation when they build internal systems to support what they already do well, but do not support exploring new and uncertain ideas. They focus on improving existing products for current customers, using processes and metrics they design to avoid risk and deliver predictable results. Breakthrough innovations often involve entirely new markets and high levels of uncertainty, which these systems, by design, can’t handle.

Companies must treat innovation like any other core function, establishing clear roles, dedicated teams, and long-term support. These roles should include career paths, resources, and structures...

About the Authors

Gina Colarelli O’Connor is professor of innovation management at Babson College. Andrew C. Corbett is the Paul T. Babson Chair of Entrepreneurial Studies and professor of entrepreneurship at Babson College. Lois S. Peters was associate professor at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Lally School of Management and director of the MS in Technology, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship program.

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