Ramblings

Ramblings

by Mike Masnick





The Difference Between Innovation And Invention

from the important-lessons... dept

For all the talk about protecting innovation, we've often pointed out that the patent system seems to do the exact opposite -- making it more difficult for those who are actually innovating, while giving money to those who haven't done anything at all. Last year, Michael Schrage wrote an interesting piece pointing out the very important differences between invention and innovation, where he noted that innovation is more important -- but the patent system is more about protecting invention. Basically, plenty of people or companies who "invented" an idea were never able to capitalize on the idea at all. It took others who actually innovated and built off that idea to make a product that actually had an impact on the world. Helping to prove that point are a bunch of example cases where the initial inventor of something wasn't the one to make it valuable. In a market driven economy, the real winner is the company that can make something valuable through innovation -- not the inventor who happens to come up with something that the market may or may not want.

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  1. Invention vs Innovation

    by Abiodun - Jun 23rd, 2006 @ 11:18am

    Creativity is seeing what everyone sees and thinking what no one else has thought before. Invention is transforming these new thoughts into tangible ideas. Innovation is introducing these ideas to the end-user. Innovation is channeling creativity (managing its application i.e. invention) so as to produce ideas/products that people can and wish to use (i.e. marketable).
    For an invention, the focus is on novelty and this is a key criterion for patenting. In other words, it must be new to its field all over the world. Innovation on the other hand does not have to be new except in a specific situation. Thus, as long as a firm (for instance) is having something for the first time, it is innovative in their context irrespective of whether it is new to their industry, country or the world.
    Characteristically, an invention is anything that is novel and potentially practically applicable; an innovation is essentially novel, practically applicable and introduced to the market. Thus innovation may be seen as equal to invention plus exploitation i.e. invention plus commercialization and/or application of new knowledge in production in a particular environment.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  2. Inoovation, Invention and Creativity

    by Muhammad Kamran - Sep 13th, 2006 @ 10:33pm

    hi i am student of Mba and i want to know about above mention topics. please mail me about these topics with relevant material.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  3. Re: Invention vs Innovation

    by Sam - Jan 20th, 2007 @ 2:21am

    Abiodun, i agree with most of what you have written apart from this part 'Invention is transforming these new thoughts into tangible ideas. Innovation is introducing these ideas to the end-user. '

    this implies that invention is an early stage and innovation is the end stage, however I think that an invention and innovation both introduce a new product/idea etc to the end-user, not just innovation.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  4. Inventions

    by Leong Him Woh - Feb 22nd, 2007 @ 5:50pm

    I agreed with you. Inventions may not be marketable until it became innovations.
    http://henryleong-innovations.blogspot.com/

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  5. INNOVATION Vs INVENTION

    by OJO OLADOKUN - Feb 23rd, 2007 @ 6:50am

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    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  6. Inventions need Capital to become an Innovation

    by Tony Bright - May 12th, 2007 @ 11:46am

    Most Inventions never become Innovations in the marketplace due to lack of funding. I have the solution to this common problem.

    Free Consultation!
    www.nopieinthesky.net
    Thanks,
    Tony

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  7. Understanding the difference between Innovation an

    by Ms. Howard - Jun 24th, 2007 @ 9:55am

    I do understand what you are trying to say. In terms of the statements about Invention is transforming these new thoughts into tangible ideas and Innovation is introducing these ideas to the end-user. I believe that persons are misinterpreting what you are trying to say when what you really mean is that; an invention is more of a manufactured idea or product while an innovation is more of an idea that may or may not be a manufactured idea or product.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  9. HELP

    by Kassia - Oct 15th, 2007 @ 6:39am

    is poutine a invetion or innovation ??

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  10. Re: Inoovation, Invention and Creativity

    by raj - Nov 26th, 2007 @ 11:00pm

    innovatio is a concept
    while invention is the result of the concept.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  11. Re:

    by Ideabobber - Feb 11th, 2008 @ 8:34am

    Yes, inventions are the end product of the process of innovating on a previous invention.

    ----------
    Ideabobber.com - the place to float, vote and search for ideas
    (http://www.ideabobber.com)

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  12. by alex lew - Mar 3rd, 2008 @ 4:13am

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  13. BA marketing london

    by sidra jillani - Mar 20th, 2008 @ 12:45pm

    bad ideas 4 both

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  14. dd

    by moustapha - Jul 18th, 2008 @ 3:11pm

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  15. by Berhanu - Sep 6th, 2008 @ 2:34am

    i disagree the comment on 4th step.The invantion is a key source to change the world. No innovation with out invention. Some of you raised "Inventions may not be marketable " ,but market is depend on existance of some thing or service.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  16. Innovation,Invention and Entrepreneurship

    by Amit - Oct 8th, 2008 @ 6:57am

    I think
    Invention is a scientific fact
    Innovation is an economic fact
    and Hence Entrepreneurhip is the Sum of Innovation and Invention. E=2I
    And It is an Entrepreneur who makes money out of Innovationa and Invention
    Example:-
    Gramhaphone is a Invention
    i-pod or i-phone is a Innovation and
    making money is an Entrevation

    Regards
    Amit Jain
    jainamit2020.blogspot.com

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  17. by sachin.s.h - Nov 2nd, 2008 @ 9:28am

    As invention and innovation r dependent with each in some cases there are dependent to make or desire and some cases there dependent.. as i must both invention innovation can develop the new world...

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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    by rendom - Jan 18th, 2009 @ 2:59am

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  19. invention vs. innovation

    by Ccott Carpenter - Jan 25th, 2009 @ 2:39pm

    I agree with Abiodun's observation. My question however is if one is an inventor and wishes to become an innovator, what would be the recommended course of action. Seems that inventors sell the patents for pennies only to witness them making others wealthy. I am personally living this decison today. I have developed a technology that in my world is a revolutionary advantage to the manufacturing world. Unfortunately, I am not an innovator and therefore not able to deliver my product to a captured audience. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts.
    ~SC

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  20. innovation vs invention

    by Samson Opiyo - Feb 22nd, 2009 @ 10:54am

    I think
    we should get something right here. That invention is managing the application of creativity and/or innovation does not mean it is the end product of innovation. It extends further to meeting the needs of the end-users through the well researched demand of the consumers(market analysis.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  21. innovation vs invention

    by Rajesh - Mar 8th, 2009 @ 11:31pm

    it will be good if its explained with example. Iphone is a innovation or invention and why ???

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  22. Invention vs innovation

    by Veena - May 31st, 2009 @ 8:50am

    innovation is the implementation of idea succesfully...whereas invention is just testin idea on paper,not actual implementation of it!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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