Dyer et al (2009)

Question 1

What are the key findings of Dyer et al (2009)

Answer 1

• What makes one person more creative than the other?
• Successful CEOs feel personally responsible for innovation
• They do not delegate the responsibility for innovation
• Not just genetics; environment and learning are more important
• Hard work: trial-error-trial-error

Question 2

What are the five discovery skills by Dyer et al (2009)

Answer 2

1. Associating
2. Questioning
3. Observing
4. Experimenting
5. Networking

Question 3

What does Dyer et al (2009) mean by Associating?

Answer 3

• Action
• Connect related and seemingly unrelated things
• The Medici Effect: bringing different kinds of people and art together
• Renaissance Person

Question 4

What does Dyer et al (2009) mean by Questioning?

Answer 4

• Do not take anything for granted
• Challenge status quo, conventional wisdom and the dominant logics and ideas of industry and company
• Ask ”why”/”why not”/”what if” – don’t just focus on improving the existing a little
• Imagine opposites and synthesise/combine
• Embrace constraints – and possibly impose. The google question: ”what if we were prohibited to sell to our existing customers”?

Question 5

What does Dyer et al (2009) mean by Observing?

Answer 5

• Keep up to date with contemporary phenomena
• Scrutinise the behaviour of customers, suppliers and any company
• Or your spouse struggling with finances (Quicken Finance Software)
• Or a family of five on a scooter in need of a roof and a bit of safety (Tata)
• Why do they do that? In that way?
• Toyota’s Genchi genbutsu: ”going to the spot and seeing for yourself”

Question 6

What does Dyer et al (2009) mean by Experimenting?

Answer 6

• Practice makes perfect – and so does Malpractice sometimes
• Intellectual, physical, new surroundings
• Failure is an option when it comes to business
• Learning curves require negative feedback
• International experience one such ”experiment”

Question 7

What does Dyer et al (2009) mean by Networking?

Answer 7

• Practice, Practice, Practice
• Average executives’ network to sell, source funding and boost their careers
• Innovators network to access different arts and perspectives
• Conferences, exhibitions, international experience
• Media
• Accept Not-Invented-here. Steal good ideas

Question 8

Which are the five “discorvery skills” The Innovator’s DNA by Dyer et al (2009)

Answer 8

Thinking/Cognitive
1. Associating
Action
2. Questioning
3. Observing
4. Experimenting
5. Networking
Practice, practice, practice

Question 9

Associating, in Dyer et al (2009)

Answer 9

Connect related and seeminfly unrelated things

the Medici effect: bringing different kunds of people and art together

Renasissance person

E.g., eBay: Rare Pez dispenser, inefficiencies of local ads

frequent attempts of understanding are necessary

Question 10

Questioning, in Dyer et al (2009)

Answer 10

Do not take anything for granted

challenge status quo, conventional wisdom and the dominant logics and ideas of industry and company

E.g., Dell: “why is the price 5x costs of parts?”

Ask “why”/”why not”/”what if”. Dot focus on improving the existing a little

imagine opposites and synthesize/combine

embrace constraints - e.g., google question, “what if we were prohibited to sell to out existing customers?”

Question 11

Questioning, in Dyer et al (2009)

Answer 11

Do not take anything for granted

challenge status quo, conventional wisdom and the dominant logics and ideas of industry and company

E.g., Dell: “why is the price 5x costs of parts?”

Ask “why”/”why not”/”what if”. Dot focus on improving the existing a little

imagine opposites and synthesize/combine

embrace constraints - e.g., google question, “what if we were prohibited to sell to out existing customers?”

Question 12

Observing, in Dyer et al (2009)

Answer 12

keep up to date with contemporary phenomena

Scrutinse the behaviour of customers, suppliers and company

Why do they do that? In that way?

Question 13

Experimenting, in Dyer et al (2009)

Answer 13

Practise makes perfect

Edison’s 10000 ways that don’t work

Intellectual, physical, new surroundings

E.g., Amazon journey: online bookstore, Fisk& Asfalt, Afred Nbel

Learning curves require negative feedback

International experience as “experiment”

Question 14

Networking, in Dyer et al (2009)

Answer 14

innovators network to access different arts and perspectives

Conferences, exhibitions, International experience

Media

Accept “Not-Invested-here”