Apple

Apple is widely considered as the #1 innovative company in the world. The company’s innovation strategy involves terrific new products and innovative business models.

The company delivers consumers with a succession of presents – great software in fabulous hardware in beautiful packaging (“really good ideas wrapped up in other really good ideas,” as Michael Lopp, senior engineering manager at Apple puts it). Apple also pioneers into a new business spaces and creates new market niches. The company created game-changing innovations such as the iPod, iTunes, iPhone, and iPad.

Apple innovation leaders think in terms of platforms and pipelines and relentlessly push the pace of innovation. Competitors that chase Apple's latest release find themselves behind when just a few months later Apple introduces its latest and greatest offering.

Focusing on where they can make a significant contribution Apple hires great innovators who want to make the best things in the world.

4. HIRE A DIVERSE WORKFORCE

Very innovative companies, such a Twitter, know how important this type of cross-pollination is to creativity in their businesses, and they make an effort to hire people with unusual skills, knowing that diversity of thinking will certainly influence the development of their products. According to Elizabeth Weil, the head of organizational culture at Twitter, a random sampling of people at the company would reveal former rock stars, a Rubik’s Cube champion, a world-class cyclist, and a professional juggler. She said that the hiring practices at Twitter guarantee that all employees are bright and skilled at their jobs, but are also interested in other unrelated pursuits. Knowing this results in random conversations between employees in the elevator, at lunch, and in the hallways. Shared interests surface, and the web of people becomes even more intertwined. These unplanned conversations often lead to fascinating new ideas.

Innovative Business Models

Apple’s Innovation System

Apple’s commitment to innovation is cultural, not process driven. The most successful products at Apple were started with only a few people with no formal structure or hierarchy and little corporate oversight. Yet, “to turn really interesting ideas and fledgling technologies into a company that can continue to innovate for years, it requires a lot of disciplines,” says Steve Jobs. Apple has built an effective innovation system to harnesses creativity in its people, stimulate new ideas, streamline the design process, and launch successful, profitable new innovations.

Apple's Design Process

Innovative Partnerships

Apple leverages its diverse culture, innovation processes, partners and networks to seize the new opportunities in the marketplace and grow its business exponentially. Innovative partnerships are an important part of the Apple’s innovation strategy.