The word “Chakra” is derived from the Sanskrit word for “wheel” or “turning”. What really drives innovation? Is it curiosity or necessity? Or is it a striving for perfection, inherent in human nature? Are we programmed to learn more about ourselves, and also act upon that knowledge for the benefit of ourselves and of society?

In my last post, ‘Deciphering the Innovation Code’, I touched upon the cultural aspects of how we view innovation. How can we enrich the definition of innovation based on these different views of innovation from around the world?

The wheel and the bulb, as visible symbols of innovation, inadvertently create a bias in how we think about innovation. Product innovation dominates the popular perception on what constitutes innovation. There is no doubt that both these and other product innovations have had a profound impact, yet, this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Silicon Valley symbolizes technology innovation. However, many believe that its success is due more to business model innovation than to technology innovation. This is important for the many regions that look to learn from the success of Silicon Valley. As this recent HBR article points out, business model innovation does not require high capital investment in technology or massive marketing budgets. For this form of innovation, the world is definitely flat!

A recent post by Dominique Turpin, the Dean of the prestigious Swiss management school, IMD, spoke about moving organizational thinking away from the idea of ‘product innovation’ and suggested that management teams learn to play the ‘innovation piano’. This metaphor imbues “innovation” with an almost aesthetic quality, bringing in images of a well-conducted orchestra.

What is your favorite innovation metaphor? Please share your thoughts, and stay with me as I continue this journey into the true nature of innovation.