Innovation

The word “innovation” we often hear in business context.
Also in Japan a lot of companies claim importance of innovation. Unfortunately, translated word into Japanese of innovation does not exist. So we call it “innovation” as it stands.

What is innovation? Several books explain it.
Mr. Nobuo Ikeda, a Japanese economist says that innovation is reframing of conventional value. He claims that innovation is not same as evolution of technology but it is absolute changing of social directivity.
“i-Phone” by Apple was not a high functional mobile phone, but an internet communicator with function of telephone. So Mr. Steve Jobs, past CEO of Apple said “We reinvented telephone,” not “improved telephone.” Moreover i-Phone is a platform of applications being sold by App Store. We can buy music via i-Phone, and store them in it. i-Phone is both an audio room and music catalog. Apple have reframed mobile phone.

Reframing is also a technique of psychotherapy. I mentioned it in a past entry. A problem hardly to be solved could be reframed. When you look at the problem in another point of view, it can be no more problem. This method is called brief therapy.

Unfortunately it is said that innovation hardly occur in Japan. I do not know whether it is true or not. Japanese legislation is so strict that innovator must take huge legal risk. There is atmosphere around Japanese society which seems to hate rapid change. Venture entrepreneurs and angelic investors are rare in Japan, partially due to huge government and administrative system of Japan, I guess.

In future more innovation will occur and speed of change will increase. We must apply for it. Continuous learning is needed.