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A Comparative Study of Innovation Reading Answers FAQs
What is the definition of innovation according to Afuah (2003)?
Afuah (2003) defines innovation as “invention plus commercialization.”
How do breakthrough innovations compare to incremental changes in terms of profit generation?
Breakthrough innovations (14% of product launches) generate 38% of total revenues and 61% of total profits, while incremental changes (86% of launches) account for 62% of revenues and 39% of profits.
What is the main disadvantage of having a structured innovation process?
A structured innovation process slows down the time it takes to bring a new product to market.
Why is risk-taking important for innovation in publicly traded companies?
Publicly traded companies need to balance short-term investor expectations with long-term innovation goals, which requires taking financial risks to remain competitive.
How can companies involve employees in the innovation process effectively?
Companies can encourage employee involvement through brainstorming sessions, suggestion boxes, and offering recognition for successful ideas.
A Comparative Study of Innovation Reading Answers, IELTS Passage
A Comparative Study of Innovation Reading Answers can improve your IELTS Reading skills with detailed answers and explanations for the "A Comparative Study of Innovation" passage.
Porishmita .21 Mar, 2025
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A Comparative Study of Innovation Reading Answers: "A Comparative Study of Innovation" is a frequently featured topic in the IELTS Reading Test, examining how businesses approach innovation, the challenges they face, and the strategies used to foster creativity and growth. This passage explores different innovation practices, the role of risk-taking, and how companies adapt to market demands. Since the IELTS Reading sectionoften includes business and management-related topics, practicing A Comparative Study of Innovation Reading Answers can help improve your ability to analyze key ideas and details. This guide provides sample answers, insights, and strategies to enhance your IELTS reading performance.
A Comparative Study of Innovation Reading Answers Passage
Read the passage and answer all the questions 1-14.
A Comparative Study of Innovation Practices in Business
Results of interviews with corporate executives and senior innovation officers in four of the largest publically-traded companies and one government agency in the Chicago area provide some insight into how businesses approach innovation.
The dictionary defines innovation as “the introduction of something new”. Regardless of the type of innovation – whether it be product, process, or service – it results in significant change. This change could be as simple as changing the way we do something routine: a breakthrough that provides a substantial benefit to the customer, or one that dramatically increases the revenue or profitability of the company.
Participants interested in breakthrough innovation believe ‘if innovation doesn’t deliver bottom-line results, it is just creativity’. Indeed, the very definition of innovation for Afuah (2003) is ‘invention plus commercialization.’ The relationship of innovation to financial performance was well demonstrated by Kim and Mauborgne (l997). In manufacturing environments, they found that while 86% of product launches involved some small improvements to existing models – that is incremental changes, they accounted for only 62% of total revenues and 39% of total profits, The remaining 14% of launches, the real breakthrough innovations – generated 38% of total revenues and a huge 61 % of total profits.
Innovation may offer one significant way that companies can gain an advantage. Utterback’s (1994) concept of ‘dominant design’ provides insight into how innovation can create a temporary monopoly situation that will weaken competitive forces, however, when an innovative product or service is launched, rivals typically begin to copy it (once patents run out). Hence it is necessary for the company to continuously seek further ways to innovate.
Every innovation process has Its strengths and weaknesses, but it seems that when a company sets up a systematized innovation process it communicates the importance of innovation to the entire organization. In these companies, more resources are devoted to development. The best companies have learned to systematize the process (Hargadorn & Sutton 2000).
The primary disadvantage of having a structured innovation process is speed to market – the more structure, the longer the lead time is from idea to product. The only company that described its process as ‘quick’ did not have such a process. Employees were empowered to solve problems and create new products for the customer by responding to demand. While this benefits customers, the company stated it lacked systems to share learning with other segments of the organization. A potential disadvantage of this approach, according to Utterback, is that evolutionary change can be missed when companies are too focussed on pleasing customers.
The most challenging aspect of any innovation is determining marketability. No company said It lacked creative ideas or creative people, but many ideas require significant resources to test, develop, and launch. Millions of dollars are at stake, so an element of risk-taking is required. Taking risks is generally defined as being able to drive new ideas forward in the face of adversity. Publically traded companies have a major dilemma. To guarantee a leadership position they have to stay on the leading edge of innovation. This requires a long-term approach and a high tolerance for risk. Investors especially in a down economy, want short-term results. As investors’ tolerance for risk decreases, so does the company’s ability to lake the significant financial risk necessary to create breakthrough changes; however, most recognize that investing in innovation is the ‘right thing to do’.
One company actively pursues a rather unusual strategy of acquiring innovation by purchasing other smaller companies or partnering with specialized companies. This enables the acquiring company to bring a product to market more quickly and gives the smaller company access to funds it might not otherwise have.
How can a company involve all its employees in the innovation process? It may be as simple as requesting new ideas. A brainstorming session during a staff meeting needs only take 30 minutes. Another system is to use existing suggestions box processes, Involving employees in idea generation can reap some large benefits at a very low cost. Only modest monetary rewards are necessary for successful innovation ideas, especially since many companies have found that employees place a high value on recognition.
In most organizations, teams are extensively used to evaluate ideas, but rarely to generate them. Companies need to learn how to construct teams for the purpose of innovation. A team member should be selected for their tendency to be more creative or more risk-taking. This could markedly increase innovation output. According to Hargadon and Sutton, using teams to capture and share ideas is one method of keeping ideas alive – a key step in the innovation process. Good ideas need to be nurtured by teams and incorporated into the information and communication system of the company.
In conclusion, innovation can be difficult to structure. It is the authors’ perception that even the most innovative companies in the sample under-invest in market research during the concept refining phase. The risk could be reduced considerably by the adoption of this strategy but, of course, it could not have culminated.
Most of the problems cited by participants were due to a low tolerance for risk – by employees (what they would or would not say), and by committees, (being afraid to invest money without knowing the return on investment). Raising the risk tolerance would reduce the amount of analysis required to bring a new idea to market, thus shortening the cycle time of new product/service development According to psychologists Kahn and Hirshhorn, people come alive when they feel safe. It is a threat and anxiety that inhibits them. It would follow that in order for people in organizations to take risks, a lack of success must be tolerated. The organizations that manage risk most effectively transform those risks into challenges and opportunities.
A Comparative Study of Innovation Reading Answers Sample Questions
Matching Features
Questions 1–7 Match the following statements with the correct researcher or theory (A–D). Write the correct letter (A–D) in boxes 1–7 on your answer sheet.
List of Researchers/Theories: A. Afuah B. Kim and Mauborgne C. Utterback D. Hargadon and Sutton
Found that breakthrough innovations contribute significantly to profits despite being fewer in number.
Defined innovation as a combination of invention and commercialization.
Suggested that innovation can create a temporary monopoly situation.
Argued that a structured innovation process improves communication within a company.
Suggested that companies benefit from acquiring smaller companies for faster product development.
Claimed that ideas should be nurtured and shared within the company’s communication system.
Found that the best-performing companies systematize the innovation process.
Matching Sentence Endings
Questions 8–14 Complete each sentence with the correct ending (A–G) below. Write the correct letter (A–G) in boxes 8–14 on your answer sheet.
8. Innovation is defined as introducing something new that… 9. Companies with a structured innovation process… 10. Companies without a structured innovation process… 11. One challenge for publicly traded companies is that… 12. A brainstorming session can be beneficial because… 13. Involving employees in the innovation process… 14. Raising risk tolerance in an organization…
List of Endings: A. helps to generate new ideas at a low cost. B. increases revenue or profitability for the company. C. may result in faster product development but lack knowledge sharing. D. leads to more resources being invested in development. E. can reduce the cycle time for new product development. F. they need to deliver short-term results while focusing on long-term innovation. G. improves employee morale and creates a positive work environment.
A Comparative Study of Innovation Reading Answers with Explanations
1. Found that breakthrough innovations contribute significantly to profits despite being fewer in number.
Answer: B (Kim and Mauborgne)
Location: “In manufacturing environments, they found that while 86% of product launches involved some small improvements to existing models – that is incremental changes, they accounted for only 62% of total revenues and 39% of total profits. The remaining 14% of launches, the real breakthrough innovations – generated 38% of total revenues and a huge 61% of total profits.”
Reference: This refers to the research by Kim and Mauborgne (1997), who demonstrated that although breakthrough innovations are fewer, they generate higher profits.
2. Defined innovation as a combination of invention and commercialization.
Answer: A (Afuah)
Location: “Indeed, the very definition of innovation for Afuah (2003) is ‘invention plus commercialization.’”
Reference: Afuah (2003) defines innovation as the successful commercialization of an invention, making it clear that both invention and market success are necessary for true innovation.
3. Suggested that innovation can create a temporary monopoly situation.
Answer: C (Utterback)
Location: “Utterback’s (1994) concept of ‘dominant design’ provides insight into how innovation can create a temporary monopoly situation that will weaken competitive forces.”
Reference: Utterback’s theory suggests that successful innovation can provide a temporary market advantage until competitors catch up.
4. Argued that a structured innovation process improves communication within a company.
Answer: D (Hargadon and Sutton)
Location: “Every innovation process has its strengths and weaknesses, but it seems that when a company sets up a systematized innovation process, it communicates the importance of innovation to the entire organization.”
Reference: Hargadon and Sutton (2000) highlight that a structured process helps communicate the importance of innovation and improves company-wide understanding.
5. Suggested that companies benefit from acquiring smaller companies for faster product development.
Answer: Not directly linked to a researcher; inferred from the text.
Location: “One company actively pursues a rather unusual strategy of acquiring innovation by purchasing other smaller companies or partnering with specialized companies. This enables the acquiring company to bring a product to market more quickly.”
Reference: The strategy of acquiring smaller companies helps to speed up the innovation process.
6. Claimed that ideas should be nurtured and shared within the company’s communication system.
Answer: D (Hargadon and Sutton)
Location: “According to Hargadon and Sutton, using teams to capture and share ideas is one method of keeping ideas alive – a key step in the innovation process.”
Reference: Hargadon and Sutton emphasize the importance of capturing and sharing ideas to keep them active.
7. Found that the best-performing companies systematize the innovation process.
Answer: D (Hargadon and Sutton)
Location: “The best companies have learned to systematize the process (Hargadon & Sutton 2000).”
Reference: Hargadon and Sutton highlight that the most innovative companies create structured processes for innovation.
8. Innovation is defined as introducing something new that…
Answer: B (increases revenue or profitability for the company).
Location: “This change could be as simple as changing the way we do something routine: a breakthrough that provides a substantial benefit to the customer, or one that dramatically increases the revenue or profitability of the company.”
Reference: Innovation involves introducing new ideas that positively impact revenue or profitability.
9. Companies with a structured innovation process…
Answer: D (leads to more resources being invested in development).
Location: “In these companies, more resources are devoted to development.”
Reference: A structured process ensures that resources are allocated efficiently to innovation.
10. Companies without a structured innovation process…
Answer: C (may result in faster product development but lack knowledge sharing).
Location: “The only company that described its process as ‘quick’ did not have such a process. Employees were empowered to solve problems and create new products for the customer by responding to demand. While this benefits customers, the company stated it lacked systems to share learning with other segments of the organization.”
Reference: Lack of structure may allow quicker innovation but limits knowledge transfer.
11. One challenge for publicly traded companies is that…
Answer: F (they need to deliver short-term results while focusing on long-term innovation).
Location: “Publicly traded companies have a major dilemma. To guarantee a leadership position, they have to stay on the leading edge of innovation. This requires a long-term approach and a high tolerance for risk. Investors, especially in a down economy, want short-term results.”
Reference: Publicly traded companies face the conflict between short-term gains and long-term innovation.
12. A brainstorming session can be beneficial because…
Answer: A (helps to generate new ideas at a low cost).
Location: “A brainstorming session during a staff meeting needs only take 30 minutes. Involving employees in idea generation can reap some large benefits at a very low cost.”
Reference: Brainstorming encourages low-cost, creative idea generation.
13. Involving employees in the innovation process…
Answer: G (improves employee morale and creates a positive work environment).
Location: “Many companies have found that employees place a high value on recognition.”
Reference: Employee involvement in innovation boosts morale and creates a supportive work culture.
14. Raising risk tolerance in an organization…
Answer: E (can reduce the cycle time for new product development).
Location: “Raising the risk tolerance would reduce the amount of analysis required to bring a new idea to market, thus shortening the cycle time of new product/service development.”
Reference: Higher risk tolerance speeds up the development process.
