I recently ran into http://skydeckcartoons.com and noticed there were masses of hilarious cartoons that deal with marketing and innovation. There are a lot of really clever cartoons on this site, but this one rung home particularly well. There are so many companies that are just trying to copy each other when introducing new products or marketing campaigns, they really are playing follow the leader. Where has the creative process gone? The great example of this can be seen in the American auto industry, which is so busy trying to play catch up with Toyota, that they fail to think for themselves and really see the next big trend within their industry. The importance of their innovation process is described in detail in the book “The Toyota Way” by Jeffrey Liker.

What I also fail to understand is why people are still trying to play follow the leader with the way they manage their innovation process? Why does it seem that in so many companies innovation is still happening around the 40 hour work week? Wouldn’t it be possible to run the innovation process the same way in which Americans run the manufacturing process, having at least two different shifts dedicated to innovation process as well as a weekend team? Maybe there are a few companies that are already doing this that I am unaware of. I know that there would be a lot of pride that would have to be swallowed for intellectual individuals to be working the second or third shift in their jobs. But for all of the evidence out there that shows the importance of innovation you think a system like this must be at least considered.

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