Information systems are traditionally designed to impose a structure on the process, while innovation requires a tolerance for uncertainty and failure, and the flexibility to revise the goals when opportunities or obstacles arise. However, the potential of information systems to improve the innovation process is too large to dismiss them out of hand. Conduct research to learn how leading innovators have used it to make their innovation activities more efficient and effective, the authors found that companies need three things to make it. First, they need a specific IT-enabled organizational capabilities, which are formed by combining their IT assets with non-IT assets to on-board processes essential to the development and innovation. Second, companies need a strong set of IT tools for the effective maintenance of the central activities required to support innovation and analytical work, innovators need to turn ideas into products, processes and services. Third, companies need a management system that allows employees to access and use IT resources. Authors'research provides many lessons for innovation organization leaders, IT managers and senior management - in particular, the general manager. The main lesson for innovators, for example, that IT can be an active partner in innovation, not an enemy. When all of these stakeholders understand the role that information technology can play in the optimization and acceleration of the innovation process, the company will be well on its way to producing more innovation, and better innovation, the resources at his disposal. "Hide
by Steven R. Gordon, Monideepa Tarafdar Source: MIT Sloan Management Review 11 pages. Publication Date: July 1, 2010. Prod. #: SMR356-PDF-ENG