Invention-Innovation

[Week 5]

- Invention-Innovation (The one with all the inventions that never really made it)

> http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/tech/article/japans-gadget-failures-the-futures-that-never-happened/ 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20400239 

From the article I have read, it mention about the process of Japan of becoming a country that symbolize innovation in electrical consumer product. Back in the 20th century, names like Sony, Sharp, Panasonic and Toshiba is the most hear in all the household. There hard-working and not afraid of failure spirit has lead them into a gaint industrial country despite after being nuke by the Allies during worldwar 2.

However, during the process of innovation and creating new invention there are many trial and error happened. "Walkng Toaster" and "TV shaped radio" is one of the top failure at that time. These two invention is twice the price of convention product. Besides, it doesn't really serve other purpose other than the convention usage. Hence, it become a failure product. But yes, only with this failure product, Japanese company will learn such approach doesn't worked at that particular of time.

Do those invention failed because lack of innovation? Or do them actually failed because not trying hard enough. Take a closer look at recent invention and innovation on our daily life. Yes, smartphone and you can guess I am going to say that. "Phablet" is a totally new line of invention result of innovation from phone manufacturer. "Phablet" is just oversized smartphone which size range around 5" to 7" inch where people said hybrid of smartphone and tablet. Before this, phone manufacturer have used more than a decade to make their phone shrink smaller and smaller, one guy in the market just decide to go the other way round. Everyone would be thinking that this is so uncool to have "brick" on their face at first but now Samsung the South Korea electrical consumer company's Galaxy Notes 2 phablet sold more than 5 million worldwide makes it become the largest phone manufacturer in the world. 

But do you know that the 1st "phablet" is sell by Dell with the product name Dell Streak? One more thing that you should know is Dell Streak is one of Dell's  failure product as Dell stopped selling them less than a year after it launch during mid of 2010 because of losses made by it. So do Dell Streak fail because of it value? Or does it not trying hard enough to market its device just like Samsung did a few month after Dell pulling off Dell Streak. Well, this is up to your discussion.

Invention is not innovation!!! 
Two different Etymologies
Even if the two words Invention and Innovation sound alike, they actually don’t share the same etymological Latin root:
• Invention is coming from “invenire” that means “find” or “discover”.
• Innovation is coming form “novus” that means “new”.


Two different meanings
In addition of not sharing the same root, Innovation and Invention have different meaning.
• Invention: new configuration, composition of matter, device, or process. Some inventions are based on pre-existing models or ideas and others are radical breakthroughs. Inventions can extend the boundaries of human knowledge or experience (Wikipedia).
• Innovation: An innovation is the implementation of a new or significantly improved product (goods or services) or process, a new marketing method or a new organizational method in business practices, workplace organization or external relations (Oslo Manual).


Innovation is not inventing, it is action
“Invention is the first occurrence of an idea for a new product or process, while innovation is the first attempt to carry it out into practice.”
Jan Fagerberg










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