In any organization, it's normal for people to spend much of their time managing a set of ongoing, regular activities. To be effective over time, however, organizations also need to devote some time to innovation: The process of developing and implementing new ways of doing things. Many organizations struggle with the challenges of managing innovation. As a professor at the Carlson School of Management, I study and teach innovation, and I have learned some things about how innovation works in a variety of settings. I will discuss some of the opportunities and challenges innovation presents for organizations. I will also identify some tools that people have used to lead innovative efforts more successfully.
