Archive for May, 2007

McKinsey — Top execs focusing on innovation

Saturday, May 26th, 2007

According to a report published in April 2006 on the Web in the McKinsey Quarterly:

Executives around the world see innovation and the free flow of information as the primary drivers of an accelerating pace of change in the global business environment.

The findings were based on a McKinsey Quarterly survey conducted in March 2006 which received 3,470 responses from a worldwide representative sample of business executives, 44 percent of whom are CEOs or other C-level executives.

A separate McKinsey survey conducted a few months earlier found that

43% of executives around the world cited “the ability to innovate as the most important capability for growth,”

far out-pacing the second-highest-ranked factor (25% cited “the ability to allocate the best talent”).

Posted in C-level, McKinsey, surveys | Comments Off

Audio – Apple’s Guy Kawasaki on innovation and entrepreneurship

Friday, May 11th, 2007

Here’s an audio clip that presents comments about innovation and entrepreneurship from Guy Kawasaki, the long-time Macintosh Evangelist and author of “Rules For Revolutionaries.”

The material is from an interview conducted in late 1999 during the frenzy of entrepreneurial activity of the dot-com era, but Kawasaki’s observations about organizational barriers to innovation are, if anything, even more relevant today.

Posted in audio, strategies | Comments Off

Chicago Innovation Awards deadline July 31

Thursday, May 10th, 2007

The deadline for submitting entries to the fifth annual Chicago Innovation Award program is July 31,2007.

To be eligible, nominees must have launched a new product or service between May 1, 2005 and July 31, 2006.

The contest is open to any type of organization with national or divisional headquarters in the Chicago area. Deadline for entries is July 31, and there is no cost to enter.

The awards program was co-founded by the Chicago Sun- Times newspaper and the Kuczmarski & Associates, a consultancy that specializes in new product and service development.

There is more information at Chicago Innovation Awards.

Posted in Chicago-Innovation-Awards, calendar | Comments Off

IBM — Global CEOs Expect New Forms of Innovation to Drive Growth

Monday, May 7th, 2007

In a major study unveiled in March 2006 and in subsequent updates, IBM reported that “a majority of Global CEOs plan fundamental change and expect new forms of innovation to drive growth.

The findings were based on what IBM described as

“the largest survey ever undertaken based on in-person CEO interviews, (and) polled more than 750 top CEOs worldwide. The CEOs interviewed represent all major countries and industries. The survey is intended to provide a comprehensive view of the CEO planning agenda for the next 2-3 years.”

You can find more information at:

Majority of Global CEOs Plan Fundamental Change and Expect New Forms of Innovation to Drive Growth, According to IBM Study (press release)

IBM Global CEO Study 2006 Event Presentation (PDF of presentation)

Posted in C-level, IBM, surveys | Comments Off