Innovation and Transformation
by Bryan Coffman and Michael Kaufman

The lifecycle model has been used many times to illustrate the growth, maturity and decay of an organization. The normal-curve product cycle and the s-curve are both visual examples that have been used to demonstrate life cycles. In this paper we've used a stylized lifecycle model to visually explore the dynamics behind innovation: when to innovate, characteristics of the parent and child organizations, and some uses of innovation in transformation. We've also identified at least five pathologies in transformation efforts. 

Contents

1. Defining innovation and a few consequences
2. A general lifecycle model
3. Innovating too early
4. Innovating too late
5. General model of the parent and offspring in the innovation process
6. Innovation and transformation
7. Transforming to achieve scale
8. Transforming to radically increase the threshold of viability
9. Transforming to find new market space
10. Pathologies in Innovation Transformation
11. Summary