Steve Jobs’ most famous quote is “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” We all recognize Jobs as a leader, but he was also a game changer. His innovations changed not only Apple, but also human interaction and behavior.
Business innovation, when done right, creates a new path and a direction in which a company follows. Innovation is not only a new product, but a new way of thinking about a situation. As opposed to a Steve Jobs style one-man-show, which is in constant demand of ideas in order to succeed, we are at the beginning of exciting times in which group thinking and group innovation is applauded.
With technology advancements and changes in work place behaviorism, company leaders have begun to grasp the potential of workers and clients alike when it comes to idea innovation. Different types of idea management software have emerged into a new market and social technology has introduced new ways of communicating. While some companies found themselves frozen in the face of these changes, others, innovators, have embraced the change and incorporated these new technologies and platforms into their own work process.
These changes have also transformed how we view and “use” workers. Yes, they are still the arms and legs of the organizations, but with the correct tools, they become a brain. A very large one. A brain which holds a magical well of ideas, suggestions and solutions, which are the ingredients of great business innovation ideas. If once there was a suggestion box, today we have crowd sourcing – a part of any forward moving company.
When we share our ideas, we improve our own thinking]
A winning company thrives in a crowd source environment. An environment in which the ingredients of business innovation ideas are cultivated and bred into a successful path and future.
According to the 2016 Gartner’s survey, crowd sourcing and innovation management programs are two of the most impactful programs stated by CIO’s. While crowd sourcing and innovation management programs are a way of operating in a company, they are also an innovative look at marketing.
Crowd sourcing and innovation in marketing are not a search for a new product or service anymore, they are an understanding of a situation, or a circumstance in which a customer will find your innovation useful.
Crowd sourcing for business innovation ideas is, by far, the best way to get ahead of the market. But to make this declaration true, a company needs to have these;
A vision; is what keeps a company from standing in place. When you look far enough, you will start to move.
A will; is what is needed to act upon innovation ideas and crowd sourcing solutions. Steve Jobs also said that ‘Ideas without action aren’t ideas. They’re regrets.’ A company must commit, from top to bottom, to innovation and idea management otherwise it will become a regret.
Tools; a correct idea management software is a means to an end. Without it, crowd sourcing innovation remains a cardboard suggestion box.
An effective innovation management software and an innovation driven team utilizes crowd sourcing in order to accelerate and enhance R&D, transform operations internally, improve customer service, and any other marketing process.
OpenideaL, for example, is an Idea Management System (IDMS), which was created using crowd source innovation, for companies interested in sharing strategic decisions and future planning with their workers and customers.
It is a perfect tool for decision makers and marketing analysts who need to make strategic decisions. An innovative idea management system like the OpenideaL platform, expands a marketer’s view of the situation and problem at hand by incorporating his crowd, may it be the company’s employees, or its customers.