Paul Mugge
Director
Center of Innovation Management Studies
North Carolina State University

After a decade of cost cutting and restructuring, many firms are turning their attention to growth. Barriers to competition in many industries have fallen precipitously as regulations ease and markets become more global. Unfortunately a by-product of these changes has been the commoditization of these same industries. The root of the problem is the failure of these companies to distinguish themselves in the marketplace.

To get ahead of the pack, management at leading firms is asking fundamental questions: Which products or service varieties are most distinct? Which are most profitable, and which customers are most satisfied? They are also asking – which operations will enable growth and reinforce their strategy? The next round of competitive positioning will be based on innovation and a company’s ability to manage innovation will determine its future growth potential.

But just “how to” innovate can be a difficult and complex problem. Even when in possession of breakout ideas and technologies, delays in getting them into practice by the firm’s business units are legendary. Causes for this malaise include the measurement system, budgeting process, culture, or simply a breakdown in leadership.

Professor Mugge will present a framework to help management overcome these obstacles. He will describe a systematic way to think about innovation that “de-mystifies” it by breaking it down into elements that can be learned, practiced, measured, and ultimately improved.