Comments on: Is ambition the mother of innovation? http://innovationzen.com/blog/2007/01/02/is-ambition-the-mother-of-innovation/ Innovation Management, Business Strategy, Technology and more! Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:44:36 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: David http://innovationzen.com/blog/2007/01/02/is-ambition-the-mother-of-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-3943 David Thu, 01 Feb 2007 13:34:53 +0000 http://innovationzen.com/blog/2007/01/02/is-ambition-the-mother-of-innovation/#comment-3943 but CONSIDER THE PERSPECTIVE for example: at the time the train appeared, no doubt there were many who said: "we don't need that".. horse and buggies are just fine. That attitude was certainly present at the introduction of the automobile, to which many people took offense as dangerous or whatever.... in some places the auto was banned. so... the importance, or not, of ipods, wii will probably only become apparent after some time has passed and "the place in history" of such devices becomes apparent however, myself, I wonder how it is that so much energy, investment, etc. goes into producing "entertainment" while meanwhile a significant proportion of humans on earth do not have clean water, adequate housing or sanitation or food... and all over the place there is war... something would appear to be perpetually screwed-up with the human attitude.... for example: why is it that a primary focus of entertainment devices is: virtual war/combat games? the innovation that is really needed, apparently, is A NEW HUMAN MENTALITY that seeks peace, not war... that seeks enough for all, rather than way too much for a few but CONSIDER THE PERSPECTIVE
for example: at the time the train appeared, no doubt there were many who said: “we don’t need that”.. horse and buggies are just fine. That attitude was certainly present at the introduction of the automobile, to which many people took offense as dangerous or whatever…. in some places the auto was banned.

so… the importance, or not, of ipods, wii will probably only become apparent after some time has passed and “the place in history” of such devices becomes apparent

however, myself, I wonder how it is that so much energy, investment, etc. goes into producing “entertainment” while meanwhile a significant proportion of humans on earth do not have clean water, adequate housing or sanitation or food… and all over the place there is war…

something would appear to be perpetually screwed-up with the human attitude…. for example: why is it that a primary focus of entertainment devices is: virtual war/combat games?

the innovation that is really needed, apparently, is A NEW HUMAN MENTALITY that seeks peace, not war… that seeks enough for all, rather than way too much for a few

]]> By: January Roundup http://innovationzen.com/blog/2007/01/02/is-ambition-the-mother-of-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-3933 January Roundup Thu, 01 Feb 2007 10:47:41 +0000 http://innovationzen.com/blog/2007/01/02/is-ambition-the-mother-of-innovation/#comment-3933 [...] Is Ambition the Mother of Innovation? If necessity is the mother of invention can we say that ambition is the mother of innovation? The most famous inventions that our society witnessed appeared as solutions for specific problems. The train appeared when the chariots were no longer suitable for covering long distance travels. The telephone was developed as soon as people started living scattered across the country… [...] [...] Is Ambition the Mother of Innovation? If necessity is the mother of invention can we say that ambition is the mother of innovation? The most famous inventions that our society witnessed appeared as solutions for specific problems. The train appeared when the chariots were no longer suitable for covering long distance travels. The telephone was developed as soon as people started living scattered across the country… [...]

]]> By: Peter Dalmaris http://innovationzen.com/blog/2007/01/02/is-ambition-the-mother-of-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-2645 Peter Dalmaris Wed, 03 Jan 2007 22:01:20 +0000 http://innovationzen.com/blog/2007/01/02/is-ambition-the-mother-of-innovation/#comment-2645 Yes, of course, one can be ambitious to be recognized, another to make money, and so on. Solving problems, on the other hand, and pure curiosity are less related to ambition but I still find them strong motivators. I suppose people can come up with innovative ideas as a response to a problem ("I want to make A possible"), or as a response to an "inner" predisposition ("I wonder what will happen if I mix substance A with substance B"). Innovation is a complex thing, that's for sure. Yes, of course, one can be ambitious to be recognized, another to make money, and so on.

Solving problems, on the other hand, and pure curiosity are less related to ambition but I still find them strong motivators. I suppose people can come up with innovative ideas as a response to a problem (”I want to make A possible”), or as a response to an “inner” predisposition (”I wonder what will happen if I mix substance A with substance B”).

Innovation is a complex thing, that’s for sure.

]]> By: Daniel Scocco http://innovationzen.com/blog/2007/01/02/is-ambition-the-mother-of-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-2642 Daniel Scocco Wed, 03 Jan 2007 21:21:19 +0000 http://innovationzen.com/blog/2007/01/02/is-ambition-the-mother-of-innovation/#comment-2642 John, I agree with you to a certain extent, but I am not sure whether the fact that some member of a family are not interested in gaming is a problem or not. Good review on the Wii anyway! Peter, recognition is a valid motivator, but it could be placed inside the bigger word ambition, do you agree? Kevin, different perceptions do play a role in identifying what are needs and what are problems, I am not sure if such perceptions could be the essence of the innovative process, though. John, I agree with you to a certain extent, but I am not sure whether the fact that some member of a family are not interested in gaming is a problem or not. Good review on the Wii anyway!

Peter, recognition is a valid motivator, but it could be placed inside the bigger word ambition, do you agree?

Kevin, different perceptions do play a role in identifying what are needs and what are problems, I am not sure if such perceptions could be the essence of the innovative process, though.

]]> By: Kevin http://innovationzen.com/blog/2007/01/02/is-ambition-the-mother-of-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-2617 Kevin Wed, 03 Jan 2007 04:52:00 +0000 http://innovationzen.com/blog/2007/01/02/is-ambition-the-mother-of-innovation/#comment-2617 Problems and needs are relative. What is a problem or need to one person may not be the same for another. For example - maybe from my perspective there are many people that probably don't 'need' a cell phone, but they want and therefore often 'have' one. Maybe its about taking our own bias out of the picture or being able to think about your customers needs from their perspective and not yours as the innovator. By not overlaying your values onto your customer, it allows you to think about what they honestly percieve to be problems. Maybe its 'perception is the mother of innovation'? Problems and needs are relative. What is a problem or need to one person may not be the same for another. For example – maybe from my perspective there are many people that probably don’t ‘need’ a cell phone, but they want and therefore often ‘have’ one. Maybe its about taking our own bias out of the picture or being able to think about your customers needs from their perspective and not yours as the innovator. By not overlaying your values onto your customer, it allows you to think about what they honestly percieve to be problems. Maybe its ‘perception is the mother of innovation’?

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