Innovation and invention: how they relate, using 3M's Post-it

Definition: Innovation

Innovations are the first commercial exploitation of novelties (inventions). Innovations are characterised by novelty, the creation of benefit and economic viability. Innovations are purposeful and solve a technical, economic, organisational or social problem (Franken & Franken, 2020, p. 248).

The concept of innovation therefore requires not only novelty (e.g. a technological invention) but also commercial success in implementing and spreading the idea (Eckert, 2019, p. 8). Innovation is thus something different from an invention, which is – or can be – the preliminary stage of an innovation. Inventions come about in a planned way or by chance (Kupfer, 2020, p. 30) and generate new knowledge or new ideas.

Source: INNO/H – Einführung in das Innovationsmanagement (Introduction to innovation management), p. 8

Definition: Invention

An invention refers to the generation of knowledge and the finding of ideas. It can come about in a planned way or by chance and is a preliminary stage of innovation (Franken & Franken, 2020, p. 248).

Source: INNO/H – Einführung in das Innovationsmanagement, p. 9

The Post-it sticky notes developed by 3M serve here as an example to show how invention and innovation – and also clever marketing – can depend on one another, and how an invention that originally seemed insignificant became an innovative and highly successful marketable product.

The development of the Post-it as an example of a classic technology-push innovation

The invention: In 1968 (and not in 1974, as stated in the course script), 3M researcher Dr Spencer Silver developed a new kind of adhesive with low adhesive strength – strong enough, however, to make light objects such as paper stick to smooth surfaces – which could be removed again without leaving any residue. At first, though, there was no obvious sensible use for it.

"At the time, our aim was to develop more effective, stronger and more powerful adhesives. This new discovery did not meet the specifications at all."

Dr Spencer Silver, source: Die Geschichte der Post-it® Notes

The moment of innovation: Only years later did Art Fry, remembering a seminar by Dr Silver, realise that this adhesive could be perfect for bookmarks and could help him attach the slips of paper in his hymn book, which until then had always fallen out. Combining the invention (adhesive) with a practical use (sticky notes) created the innovation. At first, the innovation was "tried out and found to be good" internally at 3M.

The marketing: Around 1980, 3M's management was won over, and marketing of the Post-it began, initially under the name "Press 'n Peel" in four cities – at first without success. Only when marketing changed its strategy and made the product known to a wider public through mass distribution and demonstrations in the city of Boise, Idaho (the "Boise Blitz"), did the product go viral; success followed and continues to this day.

Why does 3M speak of a technology-driven innovation?

Technology Push

Innovations can arise in the first place simply because the technologies required for them exist. Here, progress in technology – the technology push – is decisive for the boost in innovation. This trigger is therefore also referred to as "technology push". Technology-push innovations usually lead to abrupt, "radical" changes. The purpose remains unchanged, but new technologies are available to fulfil it (Franken & Franken, 2020, p. 250).

Source: INNO/H – Einführung in das Innovationsmanagement, p. 12

Innovations arising from a "technology push" are characterised by the following typical criteria:

• Potential applications for the specific new developments are only partly known.
• There is greater uncertainty about how customers or the market will react, since their needs were not the starting point of the new development.
• Typical innovations lead to far-reaching changes, i.e. they are often radical innovations.

Source: INNO/H – Einführung in das Innovationsmanagement, p. 13

Further criteria: new technology; innovations are often initiated in companies' R&D departments; the market first has to be developed (greater uncertainty); innovation culture as a success factor.

How the Post-it example bears out the criteria

3M describes the Post-it as a technology-driven innovation because a new technological development (the adhesive) was the basis for the innovation – and not, say, an explicit customer requirement.

• Potential applications were only partly known: At the time of the invention there was neither a specific commission nor a sensible application. This is a typical feature of a push technology, as the market for the Post-it first had to be recognised.
• Greater uncertainty regarding customers or the market: From 1968 to 1974, Dr Silver searched for a sensible application for his invention. Only through his colleague Fry, who was able to use it to solve the problem of notes falling out of his hymn book, was a first sensible application found.
• Far-reaching changes, often radical innovations: With the Post-it, 3M was able to create the previously non-existent product category of removable sticky notes. Today they are used in everyday life, in the office, at school and at university for communication, organisation, creative processes and Kanban boards, and they have changed and simplified the processes of communication and task organisation.
• New technology – innovations often arise in R&D: The adhesive was developed by Dr Silver in 3M's internal research department, without a specific research brief.
• The market has to be developed / greater uncertainty: 3M first tested the Post-it internally within the company, then with relatively little success in four cities, and only after a change of marketing strategy (Boise Blitz) did the product catch on.
• Innovation culture as a success factor: 3M can be regarded as best practice for creating an innovative climate: depending on their role, employees at 3M can spend a fixed share of their paid working time generating and developing their own ideas and projects without having to account for it. Employees can thus become "intrapreneurs" – a term made up of "intracorporate" (within the company) and "entrepreneur" (Gaubinger, 2021, p. 45).

Source: INNO/H – Einführung in das Innovationsmanagement, p. 58