Grabbing Lightning: Building a Capability for Breakthrough Innovation

Established companies are clamoring for breakthrough innovation, but are often hamstrung by the highly reliable, repeatable processes of their management systems. Based on years of research, Grabbing Lightning shows how twelve companies have tried to develop a capability for sustainable breakthrough innovation and outlines best practices for your organization.

The authors show how the management system for innovation is different from the traditional one in that it allows?and even encourages?mistakes and failures in order to promote learning. Grabbing Lightning outlines the three building blocks of breakthrough innovation (BI) and shows what it takes to become an organization that values the BI management system.

The Authors

Gina C. O'Connor is associate professor of marketing at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's (RPI) Lally School of Management and Technology. She currently serves as the director of the executive M.B.A. program and is also the academic director of the Radical Innovation Research Program.

Richard Leifer is an emeritus professor at the Lally School of Management and Technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Albert S. Paulson is Gilbreth Chaired Professor in the Technologies of Management at RPI andchief investment officer at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments.

Lois S. Peters is associate professor, past-director of the Ph.D. program, and current director of the Center for Science and Technology Policy at Lally School of Management and Technology at RPI.