The innovation blueprint

In boardrooms across North America, executives extoll the advantages of being innovative. Some believe that it is the next level of competitive advantage, the Holy Grail of business. Yet, according to consulting firms Arthur D. Little Inc. [Jonash, R.S. & Sommerlate, T. (1999). The innovation premium. Reading, MA: Perseus Books, pp. 115–135.] and Gary Hamel's Strategos (www.strategos.com/survey/index.cfm), many organizations that try to become innovative rate themselves poorly at it. Why is this the case, and how can these barriers be overcome? This article sets out to answer these questions. It introduces a blueprint that, if followed, will direct organizations to the “innovation zone.” Once organizations reach this nexus, a level of synergy between strategy and innovation is achieved, effectively enhancing the organization's ability to develop new wealth-creating opportunities, identify positive twists in strategic direction, and develop an ongoing capability to innovate.