Importance of Innovation

In a hard-hitting article in today's (3rd July 2012) issue of The Economic Times, former NASSCOM president Kiran Karnik makes a strong case for promoting innovation among Indians. Karnik says that the three 'i's of innovation, invention and ideas are essential for any individual, organization, society or country to gain a decisive edge in today's competitive, globalized world. He bemoans the fact that India today is dominated by political elements that seek homogenization at the cost of the immense diversity that has traditionally defined our country, and which along with adversity is the prime driver of innovation. Other roadblocks for innovation in today's India are censorship, moral policing and the feudalistic mindset symbolized by the beacons on VIP cars

What Karnik says about India as a country is also valid for organizations. Every company tends to have dictatorial leaders or cliques that seek to impose a particular culture on the entire organization, while muzzling any independent voices in the name of hierarchy and respect for authority. What they don't realize is that such lack of diversity ultimately results in total absence of innovation, leaving them with a complacent workforce that is happy to maintain the status quo, without ever thinking out of the box or coming up with more efficient and effective solutions. Also, while many companies have started allocating a significant proportion of their budget to draw out new ideas from their staff, they don't usually put in as much time and effort to develop those ideas to fruition. A good manager has to not only inculcate the spirit of innovation in his employees but also nurture it and ensure that it produces tangible results that add value to the entire organization