5 Stories of Innovation &5 Stories of Dis-integration

Good Innovation can allow companies to grow at astounding rates.

Stagnation can cause the kings of the hill to disappear just as quickly.

Here are 5 of the most innovative companies, and 5

that failed to adapt.

It’s no coincidence that some of the biggest companies in the

world

are also the biggest innovators

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5 Great Innovative Companies

GoogleGoogle is constantly refining and optimizing processes that users take for granted.

Machine learning programs under the name “Google Brain” are being applied to a range of features: from transcribing Google Maps addresses, to managing their forthcoming network of autonomous cars.

Google’s intention is to free up workers from menial tasks, allowing them to develop exciting and innovative ideas.Image provided courtesy of Google

Tesla

Tesla and its founder, Elon Musk, have become bywords for innovation.

Innovation is built into the company DNA: hiring policies are based on the ability to adapt and problem solve, rather than just experience.

Promotions and bonuses are innovation driven: top-end category bonuses are only available as a result of innovation.

Image provided courtesy of Paul Hudson

Apple

Apple has rarely been a true pioneer: they didn’t make the first laptops, MP3 players, or smartphones.

Apple’s true innovation is developing features and services for these devices that are new and user-friendly.

Apple is best at finding problems that users might have and developing solutions and applications that make life easier.Image provided courtesy of segagman

IBM

IBM has been a giant in tech and computing since the industry’s infancy and a key factor in its longevity has been an ability to adapt and evolve.

Its current focus is IBM Watson, its adaptive intelligence engine which is being applied to a broad range of applications.

Image provided courtesy of Esteban Maringolo

Amazon

Amazon is the leading innovator in online retail.

Its innovations can be seemingly little things: 1-Click and next-day delivery have transformed consumer expectations for online retail.

Or they can be really big: getting in on the ground floor for commercial cloud services has made Amazon a market leader in the cloud industry.

Image provided courtesy of Amazon

Remember, just because you can’t see a way to improve something,

doesn’t mean other people can’t.

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5 Companies that Failed to Innovate and Paid the Price

Blockbuster Video

Once a by-word for home entertainment and a standard part of many families’ routine.

Blockbuster failed to adapt as Netflix increased in popularity: consumers began to expect easy access entertainment from the comfort of their own homes.

To add insult to injury, Blockbuster passed on acquiring Netflix for only $50 million in 2000.

Image provided courtesy of Charleston’s the Digitel

Blackberry

Once the device of choice for professionals, Blackberry failed to adapt to a changing market and customer demands.

Actively rejecting the touch-screen popularized by smartphones such as the iPhone, Blackberry was left behind.

As consumers enjoyed the freedom and ease-of-use offered by touch-screen in their personal lives, a shift in workplace policy arose and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) became standard.Image provided courtesy of Kārlis Dambrāns

Polaroid Cameras

Polaroid was a household name for its near-instantly available photographs.

Polaroid’s unique selling point of quickly viewable photographs was eclipsed by digital’s even faster ability, a feature enhanced by producing higher quality images than Polaroid could.

Image provided courtesy of Chloé Chevalier

Kodak

Kodak once dominated the affordable camera industry.

The initial cost of digital technology meant that Kodak was unwilling to invest.

To add more salt to their wounds, it was actually Kodak who invented digital cameras in the 1970s, but the board decided against moving forward with a commercial modelImage provided courtesy of Vincenzo Reina

Yahoo!

Yahoo! has repeatedly failed invest in innovation.

In 2002, Yahoo! could have acquired Google for $5 billion. The board rejected them. As of 2016, Google is worth over $500 billion.

In 2006, Mark Zuckerburg turned down a $1 billion acquisition offer for Facebook from Yahoo!. Rumour has it that if they’d offered slightly more, Zuckerburg would have been forced to accept, and Yahoo! would now own a company that, as of 2016, is valued at $328 billion.Image provided courtesy of Christian Barmala

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