Recently, I've presented ideas about the innovation landscape, the protagonists, and their interactions that range from competition to cooperation. Taken together, these ideas describe all elements of an innovation system and its context: a system that produces and delivers the innovation that is needed, to those that need it, when they need it. Well, kind of ...
Competition or cooperation ??
Previously, I discussed the characteristic roles of three innovation protagonists: societies, organisations, and entrepreneurs. Each have their strengths and weaknesses, and all of them interact with one another. But how do those interactions work? More like competition? More like cooperation?
More from the bird’s eye view …
Cardwell's Law takes a bird's eye view on competition in innovation. Though well supported by historic evidence, it only addresses the symptoms, but not the underlying reasons why a society actually engages in such competition. Time to take second look.
A bird’s eye view on competition
So far, I have viewed the innovation landscape through the lens of a single society and what happens inside it. However, there are many regional and even local societies, with partial overlaps, some commonalities and many differences. today, I’ll have an initial glance at competition in the innovation landscape.
The innovation protagonists
If the innovation landscape is setting the stage for innovation to occur, you may well ask for the main cast: who are the innovation protagonists? I've indicated some ideas on the roles that institutions, organisations, and entrepreneurs play. Focusing on the difference between those roles, today I’ll paint them in black-and-white.
understanding innovation 