Do you need innovative tech for viable innovation?
Should innovators waste any time in solving a problem with a well understood and widely available technology? Is it worth the effort, if others can simply copy it?
If we think specifically about operational innovation, it might feel that there is no strategic advantage at all. “Once one company introduces a new way of doing things, all competitors can follow, and before long all are back on the same level playing field.”
In theory, that is a powerful argument, but not in the real world.
IT CANT BE EASILY COPIED
Toyota — who pioneered lean manufacturing — has confidently opened its factories to visitors from other automakers and yet continues to expand its productivity lead.
But even when organizations are confronted by a competitor’s innovations, many will not rush to copy them. Instead they deny the competitor’s superiority. There is organizational inertia. Innovation get suppressed by leaders who are attached to the old way of doing things, who have a fear of the new, or who are is simply too preoccupied with other matters to intervene and take action.
“Some competitors who attempt to imitate the innovation won’t understand it, and others won’t be able to implement it. Even those who do follow will be at a disadvantage until they catch up.”
INNOVATION IS ABOUT CHANGE
The reality is, introducing operational innovation is about change. And change is hard. Operational innovation is not easily copied.
So start your operational innovation program. It will give you the advantage that you are looking for.
Read this HBR article to learn about specific success stories of operational innovation. (The references in this post come from the HBR article.)
