Progressive Car Insurance Offers 70 Years of Innovation, Insurance Watch
A somewhat interesting press release style article on some of the innovations Progressive has delivered (most in the past 20 years). Interesting quote:
... however in 2000 the company began offering online quotes and service for motorcycles, boats and recreational vehicles, the first company to do so. Since then, the response for insurance for these types of vehicles has continued to grow.
Today (8 years later) that doesn't seem that big of a deal, imagine 8 years from now - what will we still have to contact an agent for or fill out paper forms?
Innovation helps Lloyd's stay ahead, Regis Coccia
Short article about Lloyd's in response to them being voted the best overall reinsurance market organization in this year's Business Insurance Readers Choice Awards. Interesting quote from the article:
"Lloyd's businesses are led by strong entrepreneurs and underwriters who thrive on underwriting risk," Ms. Lowery said. The franchise structure of Lloyd's helps create autonomy and flexibility to drive innovation, she said.
Not very often do I see the words 'entrepreneur' and 'underwriter' in the same sentence :)
InnoCentive brings collaboration and innovation together, Jennifer
This is an entry about InnoCentive - how they started and what they do. Interesting links in the article: their home page, their blog, How InnoCentive Is Still Innovative and If You Have a Problem, Ask Everyone. An interesting quote from the entry:
The company started in 2000 at Pharma giant Eli Lilly. Eli Lilly posted their problems on the internet outside the company looking for others ideas on how to fix their dilemmas. This idea took off, and they’ve now become their own separate corporation.
Innovation Allocation, Innovation in Practice
Short article discussing some differences that can occur if R&D is in charge of a company's innovation vs. Marketing being in charge of innovation. Interesting quote:
The best companies maximize their innovation investment return by consciously allocating leadership to either marketing or to R&D.
14 ways to get breakthrough ideas, Innovation Weblog
This entry is about Mitch Ditkoff's entry by the same name: 14 Ways to Get Breakthrough Ideas. An interesting link in those two entries: changethis.com. I like the two mentioned in the Innovation Weblog entry and a couple of others:
- Suspend logic
- Hang out with diverse groups of people
- Notice and challenge existing patterns and trends
- Make new connections