Stalled progress: the clash between tradition and innovation

7 strategies that organizations can adopt to foster a culture of innovation while respecting their legacy

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” — Alvin Toffler.

In corporate history, few tales are as instructive as the story of Eastman Kodak (hereafter, Kodak) and the company’s hesitant dance with then the trajectory of digital photography. Kodak, a then titan of the film industry, found itself at a crossroads when digital technology began to emerge. In fact, in my past life this was my go to example I invoked when evangelizing on User Research to scream:

“See, if it happened to Kodak it can happen here too.”

In many ways, this example has stood as a means of selling the idea of innovation and stands out as a legendary cautionary tale on innovation and an unwillingness to change.

For the uninitiated in this space, here is a synopsis of Kodak’s predicament.