Are you an Executive with an "Innovator's" DNA?

A great research topic from three prominent professors, who spent a rich professional academic life in analyzing innovation from business and human perspective; Jeffrey H. Dyer, Hal B. Gregersen, and Clayton M. Christensen

In December 2009 they have published the results of their research in a famous HBR article "HBR article "The innovator's DNA". 

Now they publish a book to master The innovator's DNA

It took them a six year study to uncover the origins of creative—and often disruptive—business strategies in particularly innovative companies. They studied the habits of 25 innovative entrepreneurs and surveyed more than 3,000 executives and 500 individuals who had started innovative companies or invented new products.

What does their research show? There are five discovery skills that distinguish the most innovative entrepreneurs from other executives:

Skill 1: Associating - the ability to successfully connect seemingly unrelated questions, problems, or ideas from different fields

Skill 2: Questioning - Innovators constantly ask questions that challenge common wisdom. Ask “Why?” and “Why not?” and “What if?”

Skill 3: Observing - Discovery-driven executives produce uncommon business ideas by scrutinizing common phenomena, particularly the behavior of potential customers.

Skill 4: Experimenting - Like scientists, innovative entrepreneurs actively try out new ideas by creating prototypes and launching pilots.

Skill 5: Networking - Unlike most executives—who network to access resources, to sell themselves or their companies, or to boost their careers—innovative entrepreneurs go out of their way to meet people with different kinds of ideas and perspectives to extend their own knowledge domains.

"...We were intrigued to learn that at most companies, top executives do not feel personally responsible for coming up with strategic innovations. Rather, they feel responsible for facilitating the innovation process. In stark contrast, senior executives of the most innovative companies—a mere 15% in our study—don’t delegate creative work. They do it themselves."

"...innovative entrepreneurs (who are also CEOs) spend 50% more time on these discovery activities than do CEOs with no track record for innovation..."

Listen to the recent HBR interview of Jeffrey H. Dyer, elaborating on the innovator's DNA.

Spotify, a threat to Apple ITunes coming from Sweden, not Silicon Valley

The Swedish online music Spotify announced its launch Thursday July 14th in the United States. 


A first foray outside Europe, after an agreement with U.S. music industry. "Spotify, the digital music service cherished by millions of Europeans will be available Thursday morning in the U.S. by invitation or subscription," said the Enteprise in a statement.

Combining free (Open) and paid (Premium, Unlimited) offers, Spotify counted in March more than 7 million users with 1 million paying customers in seven European countries: Sweden, Norway, France, Finland, United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands.

Founded in 2006, the Swedish service is a leading music services online in the world. Spotify is becoming one of the major threat for Apple ITunes music.

And most importantly it is proving that Silicon Valley-born services and business models are not a holy grail...