Innovation is a process or culture?
This was the topic of panel discussion at a recent NASSCOM meet. People mostly agreed that it innovation is a mix of both, Culture & Process. Panel also commented on organizational DNA and even “JUGAAD” (or streetsmart ways) as aspects of innovation.
My feeling is that innovation is a very personal thing which occurs at an individual level, which manifest as a new idea or thought in someone's mind.
If the organization has an encouraging environment where the people feels free to share ideas, without being judged or ridiculed - then we can conclude that a culture of innovation exists in the organization.
On the other hand, if the organization has some processes in place to seek out people who might have a view or opinion on things then we can say that the innovation is cultivated in the form of a process.
An interesting example of innovation seeking as a process was shared by one organization where submission of ideas into an intranet based tool is encouraged, the ideas are collected together and analysed, in the end some ideas get implemented as well as commercialized. There was also a mechanism for reward for originator of the idea.
So while culture allows seeding of innovations, process allows propagation and commercialization. In the end we should also not forget the caliber of individuals – quality of whose thoughts would define the quality of innovation too !