Innovating Vs Inventing

The terms ‘Innovating’ and ‘Inventing’ are often used interchangeably without a great deal of understanding of their subtle differences. This post attempts to resolve the confusion between the definitions.

Inventions are usually based on products designed by one or a few individuals; only part of the story of innovation. Through technologies, business models and experimentation, products are introduced to the market; experience a degree of failure which forms a part of success. Innovation, on the other hand, incorporates products and processes, dealing with change (dealing with necessity) to develop solutions and add value through continuous improvement. Examples and research discussed below explains these differences in a workplace context.

Sim et al (2007:422) investigated nine individuals who each contributed to stages of invention and new product development within an organisation. There were four divisions:

1. The inventors focused on the scientific and technical aspects prior to concept development
2. The champions responsible for selling the acceptance of the project into the organisation
3. Implementers who focussed on “facilitating the project through the firm’s formal development process”
4. Innovators who had no specialised area and were involved in all three stages

(Taken from Sim, E. et al, 2007:425)

Distinct differences were found between the personalities, perspectives, knowledge base, motivation and attitudes between the four divisions; undoubtedly illustrating the differences between an inventor and an innovator. The differences between the inventors and innovators are highlighted below (Sim, E et al., 2007:431).

Inventors:

• Are creative in technology
• Are strong introverts
• Prefer working alone
• Are task orientated
• Have a knowledge base in technology only
• Motivated by technology as the end goal
• Solely involved in the invention process

Whereas innovators:

• Are talented in a variety of areas
• Can work alone or as part of a group
• Have multiple orientations
• Have a knowledge base of technology, customer, market and business
• Are motivated by providing solutions to customer problems
• Participate in all areas

Sim et al. (2007:432) believe that inventors are concerned with technological innovations; involving high technological uncertainty and low customer/market uncertainty. In contrast, innovators concentrate on radical innovations with high technological uncertainty and high customer/market uncertainty.

A prolific inventor, Dean Kamen, urged ‘would-be inventors’ at a Licensing Foundation meeting to primarily focus on innovating before inventing; "Invent as a last resort” (Innovate First, 2006:9) which he describes as “the murky unknown”. For example, the Chinese required a device to help them navigate their way across the Gobi desert at night to sneak up on enemies. Over 1,000 years earlier they discovered they could produce a compass-like mechanism by placing a loadstone in a container of water and allowing the magnetic forces as navigation. However, this was an invention rather than an innovation. “By innovating this discovery—instead of inventing the South-pointing chariot—the Chinese could have had a much more (cost) efficient tool to solve their problem” (Innovate First, 2006:9).

References

Innovate First, Inventor Advises (2006), Research Technology Management, Vol. 49 Iss, 3 p9, Available from Business Source Complete at: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=a397f483-c3cd-4f4b-a496-c6139cf3916b%40sessionmgr113&vid=4&hid=108, [Accessed 13^th December 2011]

Sim, E., Griffin, A., Price, R., and Vojak, B. (2007), Exploring Differences between Inventors, Champions, Implementers and Innovators in Creating and Developing New Products in Large, Mature Firms, Creativity & Innovation Management, Vol. 16 Iss. 4, p422-436, Available from Business Source Complete at http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=8befd7bc-2689-4a1c-a2d4-dcc58c2f27f0%40sessionmgr110&vid=2&hid=108, [Accessed 13^th December 2011]