Innovation is the enabler of progress, of evolution. Without it the human race would not have survived for as long as we have and the extinction list would instead read: "dinosaurs, humans, dodoes".
Of course, if there were no humans that extinction list would not exist at all because there would be no language, writing, ink and paper on which to record it, and printers on which to print it. Without innovation, the world would still only be filled with jungle and desert, savannah and glaciers. No global warming, no over-population, no pollution, no people.
Admittedly, our track record as "rulers" on this planet has not been sterling, but innovation has enabled us to move forward; to develop the wheel, the car, the aeroplane, the space shuttle; to fashion the written word, record history, poetry and literature. It has enabled humans to distinguish themselves from the rest of the animal kingdom, to challenge nature and survive against all odds.
From dreams to reality
Admittedly, our track record as "rulers" on this planet has not been sterling, but innovation has enabled us to move forward.
Rob Abraham, MD, Bytes Document Solutions
Innovation is the stuff of dreams. How many things do we take for granted today that were once only imagined in the science fiction novels of the great writers? Take HG Wells for example, and the inspiration he gave us to innovate through his novels The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, The War of the Worlds, the First Men in the Moon. Isaac Asimov dreamed about a world populated by robots and controlled by the three laws of robotics. How close are we today to completing the first two-legged robot capable of moving around unassisted?
Arthur C Clarke delved into the world of long-distance space travel, exploration and intelligent computers in his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey. How about Jules Verne and the novels he wrote: Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Around the World in 80 Days and From the Earth to the Moon? Today, it takes only a few days of leisurely travel to get around the globe physically, and only a few seconds electronically; and we work with intelligent computers no bigger than a notepad without blinking or considering the enormity of the technology.
The increasing speed at which voice communication technology is being developed, the creation of radio frequency identification technology, and the huge strides in holographic projection technology are bringing us steadily closer to the fantastic world of Gene Roddenberry`s Star Trek; while the successful cloning of Dolly, the increasing public awareness of stem cell research, and the growing debate about whether or not humans have the right to play God brings us ever closer to Michael Crichton`s world of Jurassic Park.
The business of innovation
Innovation clearly plays an indispensable role in human evolution and survival. It plays the same invaluable role in the evolution and survival of business. With business becoming more competitive by the second, consumer demands becoming ever more strident, and financial departments following Charles Dickens`s Scrooge as the perfect mentor, innovation has become the defining factor that sets companies apart from their competitors.
It enables organisations to become involved in the attempts to slow the effects of global warming by repairing some of the damage done by ecologically bad manufacturing practices. It also enables companies to constantly develop new technology that is bigger, better and faster.
However, innovation is dependent on three things: research, development and money. If great leaps and bounds are to be made on the innovation front, much research and development must be undertaken; and for this to happen, much money must be invested. On average, an organisation should invest no less than 5% to 7% of its earnings into research and development.
If they do this they are wisely investing in their future, their competitiveness and their contribution to the industry and society.
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