Innovation vs Invention: What Is More Important?

What is invention?

Invention is the introduction of a process that is being used for the first time. Invention is the creation of a workable idea that can be translated into some device, process, composition to simplify the process of working and productivity.

Invention also involves the creation of something that was not in existence before and is being made for the first time. For example, a perfect invention is the creation of a phone or a light bulb. Most inventions in the world have brought about great changes that have impacted people’s lives to a great extent. The inventions have made this world better and more fun to live in.

Invention is inspired by people’s needs. Since the era of the Stone Age, humans have been inventing tools and objects to meet their immediate needs. As the people looked for better hunting methods, new tools emerged that were made of rock. The necessity to hunt more, led to the invention of sharper tools.

With time, the people introduced new tools that were made of better materials such as bone, antlers, and ivory. And as humans started settling down, they began making new items as the needs arose. In recent times, we have seen geniuses who have come up with new inventions in every field. Some of these inventions have made our lives better by improving how we do things.

Some notable inventions that have changed the world include the steam engine, wheel & axle, sanitation, internet, written language, light bulb, phone, penicillin, television, and the World Wide Web.

What is innovation?

Innovation is the process through which inventions are further improved. Both of these processes are very important for they help prevent the society from stagnation. Through innovation, some substantial improvements are made to the existing service, product, or process. Innovation also involves multiple activities that result in new ways of doing things.

For example, the first wheels were not meant for transportation but as potter’s wheels. Later, when the need to transport increased, the wheels were transformed and improved for driving horse and donkey drawn carts.

They managed to do this by adding spokes to the wheels which were initially used by the Egyptian chariots. Further innovation on the wheel led to the development of the cars, heavy freight wagons, bicycles, trolleys, and bags that come with wheels.

Innovation is very necessary as older methods fail to yield the desired results with the passing time. The world is changing at a constant pace. And even though the basic principle remains the same, there is a need to change the existing systems to meet the new demand. An idea becomes innovative when it is changed in a manner that makes it more useful or productive.

Some people say that innovation begins when people start transforming problems into ideas that work. In fact, innovation is the starting point of new businesses. There are many businesses that were started as a result of innovation. For a business to grow, it must be very innovative in terms of ideas and processes.

This is because, in the current evolving world, innovative products, methods, and processes are very essential for the growth of any society. You can imagine a situation where the world never progressed beyond the Stone Age tools and implements. The world would live a life like in the movie.

The process of innovation not only makes our lives easier but also creates work and employment to the people involved in the innovation process. With innovation, companies also get the competitive advantage. This is possible after they have improved their products to meet their customer’s needs.

Innovation is a constant thing that enables us to unravel new ideas on the processes that we undertake everyday. For example, the medical field meets many challenges in ensuring good health for people. That is why there is a need to constantly update the systems to ensure that things are running smoothly in the industry.

The innovations help improve quality, access, reduce cost, waste, and harm during treatment. New inventions are also necessary to solve the existing problems that come with the processes.

When looking at innovation vs invention, it is not easy to tell which is more important than the other.  Both of these are important. As much as we need new inventions, we have to be innovative to make an improvement on them. And while we innovate, we stumble upon new ideas and processes that make us better in the future. The process of invention and innovation is an evolving one that requires constant update.

What is the difference between invention and innovation?

After we have looked at what inventions and innovations are, it is time to look at the differences between the two. Below, we will explore the parameters that will expose the differences between innovation and invention. They are:

Competitive strategies

By design, inventions create their own market. This means that they will not compete with any other product in the market. If your company is launching a new product as a competitive strategy, you need to figure out how to keep competitors from joining in.

On the other hand, you will find that innovations will join the existing market and even make an improvement on them.  This means that you will have both direct and indirect competitors in your industry.

Growth strategy

The growth of your company will be largely influenced by whether you are offering inventions or innovations. If your company is based on an invention that you made, you have to base the rest of operations on innovating on the service or product.  This will keep you relevant in the market.

Intellectual property strategy

If your organization is focusing on a specific product or service, it is important to protect your invention using patents and intellectual property. These are very important for they keep your business relevant in the market.

The same can apply for innovations but is advisable to open the patients so that you can open the market as a whole. Companies such as Tesla are opening up their innovations to make the whole industry better.

Both innovation and invention are very important for any company for they result in both the development of a product or service but also in their development. Therefore, for the success of your organization, you need to focus on a strategy that incorporates both. You should choose the

The top invention vs innovation example

The central risk of invention is centered on the original inventor of a product, processes or service. According to experts, the innovation and invention processes are completely different. When you are looking at a business startup, it’s the innovators who play the central role in it.

However, it is important to note that the greatest inventions in the market take time to be implemented. This is because the inventions are afflicted with errors in the first place and therefore will not perform as expected.

The inventions may also not be well accepted by the public or may not yet be accepted by the public.  With this, the successful businesspersons are not investors per say but innovators. These investors draw on whatever exists in the market before pushing their ideas from inception right to fruition.

But since you are looking at an existing product or service, it does not have to be reinvented. Instead, the product is taken and improved to meet the new demand of the customer. But to make this product better, it has to be rediscovered and redesigned. A perfect example is the fax which was used by many more companies than those who originally designed it.

What are inventions and innovations?

Before we look at the main invention examples, it is important to note that innovation is as important as inventing products. This is because a product invented in one time may not remain useful for decades to come. There comes a time when you have to upgrade it so that it can meet new demands in the market. It is important to note that the more the market changes, the more rapid goods in the market lose their effectiveness and selling point.

With innovation, you can improve your products to meet specific market needs.  When you notice that the products that you are making are no longer appealing to the public, you just have to improve on them by altering the design, taste and features. This will enable them to meet the needs of your clients better.

The good thing is that innovation and invention has many benefits to the users. First, invention allows you to solve the problems that people face in society. First, necessity is believed to be the mother of invention. This arises from the fact that you will need something for a particular purpose and that need is the one that will give rise to the needs that you have. This is very important because it can enable you to solve the problem.

Secondly, it is very important to note that inventions can create jobs. Invention is a full process by itself and as you continue working on it, you will need to employ people to produce products, machines and services. With this, you will find that you are creating jobs. Invention and innovation also improves lives. You will find that the two processes are very important in improving the way we live our lives by providing machinery and objects to use in the process.

Final Words

Both invention and innovation processes are very important in the world for they enable people to make products and processes that work to solve the different challenges that they are facing. The good thing is that these two work together and there is no way of separating the two. First, you will find that invention creates the main process and innovation helps make updates in the same.

In fact, invention cannot remain by itself. There is a need to update the existing infrastructure so that you can meet the desired needs at a particular point in time. Therefore, it is important for any company to be updated on both of these processes if they are looking to get the best results.

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