Yesterday I head a very interesting meeting with one of the senior management at SAP. We had a very interesting discussion on the developments of SAP and where companies need to adapt in order to create impact at customers.

Very interesting, but the most interesting part was when he discussed his view on the history of innovation.

The first stage he saw was the innovation by authority. Companies wanted innovation, installed their R&D departments and hope good things came out of it.

The second stage was the selective innovation. On the one hand still coming from directions from the management, but more people and departments were allowed to join the innovation discussion.

The third stage clearly defines the current state we are living in. The anarchich innovation. everybody can communicate and tap from resources we could not enter before. Therefore we democratised innovation.

All stages need proper management in order to transform the innovation into impact, but the selection process has completely changed.

Question to you is whether you can truly identify in which stage you are in!

Frank Wammes