Abstract:

Does research assist or stifle innovation? This paper starts with an overview of the transfer of a revolutionary instant meal technology from Asia to Europe. A classically correct research programme but lacking interpretation and action by the client until too late. A market innovation opportunity lost and the moral is market research data remains just data until converted into knowledge and action by users. Years later lessons are learnt and failure turned into success - the apparently dead patient is resuscitated. Is this proof of the innovation credo of management guru Charles Handy: good ideas are not usually new ideas but old ideas resurrected (researched) at the right time? Or does this simply reinforce the need for marketing and research to work in harmony?