Tag Archives: Harvard Business Review

Does crowdsourcing need “rethinking”?

Posted on November 7, 2017 by Eugene Ivanov

  (This post originally appeared on Edge of Innovation) An article in the latest issue of Harvard Business Review describes a product development study by Reto Hofstetter, Suleiman Aryobsei and Andreas Herrmann (Journal of Product Innovation Management, forthcoming). What caught my … Continue reading →

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Bring me problems, then solutions, then problems again…

Posted on October 20, 2017 by Eugene Ivanov

Innovation managers hate the line “Don’t bring me problems, bring me solutions.” They insist that before any innovation project can begin, a thorough investigation of the underlying problems must take place; collecting solutions can only start when the problems are … Continue reading →

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The numbers game

Posted on October 13, 2017 by Eugene Ivanov

In my previous post, I argued that a popular in the corporate innovation circles belief that ideas are plentiful and cheap (“a dime a dozen”) doesn’t withstand scientific scrutiny. A joint Stanford/MIT research team has presented a wide range of empirical … Continue reading →

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Don’t confuse crowdsourcing with brainstorming

Posted on March 6, 2017 by Eugene Ivanov

I try to follow what academic researchers have to say about crowdsourcing. As a crowdsourcing practitioner, I welcome the clarity, holistic approach and intellectual vigor that academic research brings to the table. But not always. Take, for example, a recent … Continue reading →

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When many experts are too many

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Eugene Ivanov

In my earlier posts (here and here), I argued that when facing a complex technical or business problem the majority of organizations have a natural inclination to begin the problem-solving process with engaging experts, either internal (employees) or external (consultants). … Continue reading →

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Crowdsourcing: adding more diversity to your innovation process

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Eugene Ivanov

I think that today only a very stubborn few would deny a positive role that diversity plays in the marketplace. Studies abound pointing to better performance of companies promoting diversity in their ranks. For example, a 2015 McKinsey report on … Continue reading →

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Should we blame crowdsourcing for Quirky’s downfall?

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Eugene Ivanov

In December 2015 issue of Harvard Business Review, Sebastian Fixson and Tucker Marion attempted to figure out what went wrong with Quirky, a collaborative-invention platform that connects creative individuals with consumer product companies. Launched in 2009 and hailed as a … Continue reading →

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What do you need to innovate? Freedom! Yes, freedom.

Posted on August 21, 2016 by Eugene Ivanov

We love talking about nurturing a culture of innovation; yet, our list of practical measures to promote entrepreneurial spirit is depressingly short. For this reason, I’ve set out to create a list of specific corporate policies that organizations may try in … Continue reading →

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Chief Decision Maker

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Eugene Ivanov

This blog has a recurrent theme: I’m interested in corporate policies that organizations may try to foster the culture of innovation. The only requirement for making the cut is that this policy must be specific and actionable (i.e., not just … Continue reading →

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The Game of Acceleration

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Eugene Ivanov

What helps startups succeed? One of a few factors identified so far is providing startups with mentoring. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration–and a 2014 similar study in the U.K.–small businesses receiving mentoring services survive longer than non-mentored enterprises. This fact points … Continue reading →

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