Innovation in Business Is it an Art or Science

Innovation Is an Art

Innovation in business, is it an Art or Science?

Innovation is an art, not a science

To answer the question of whether innovation is an art or science, it first must be determined what is art and what is science. In terms of 'art,' the image that immediately comes to mind is Michelangelo's David. The great Renaissance artist said that he felt he liberated the sculpture from the marble, rather than engaged in an act of direct, conscious creation. "The stone was just the covering that contained a work of art; the sculptor only had to take away the part in excess" (Michelangelo, n.d., Artists of the Renaissance). But there is also a great deal of scientific, technical 'craft' involved in the production of any art. A writer must know how to use the correct rules of grammar; a painter must understand how to manipulate a brush; a musician must be able to play scales before he or she can compose.

Yet I believe that simply because an innovator of any kind (in art, science or in business) must have technical skill does not mean there is a certain degree of alchemy to the process of creation. The greatest argument against innovation as a pure, technical exercise is that it is almost impossible to consciously desire to innovate. Innovative ideas tend to come as 'aha' moments when the mind is released, rather than when a manager attempts to compel innovation to sustain the bottom line of a corporation. Usually, that results in imitation rather than innovation (witness all of the copycat Greek yogurts for sale, now, after Fage Greek yogurt became popular). But at the famously innovative and profitable Google Corporation, there is an effort to create a free space where scientists can mentally 'play' and thus produce innovations, rather than a strong work ethic of performing to meet predetermined goals. "We offer our engineers '20-percent time' so that they're free to work on what they're really passionate about. Google Suggest, AdSense for Content, and Orkut are among the many products of this perk" (Engineer's life, 2012, Jobs at Google). Google also offers all of its employees such bonuses as yoga and free food, to create an environment where its employees can relax and 'dream' rather than focus on mundane tasks.