Forrester

Why Read This Report

Few firms have the resources and wherewithal to go it alone in the face of the current climate of almost continual business disruption. Just as a firm may look to partners and suppliers to complement internal operational capabilities, it can likewise multiply the effectiveness of an innovation program by tapping into complementary resources to best fulfill the requirements across the four major roles required to generate and exploit technology-driven business innovation. Forrester calls this interplay of roles the "innovation network." Innovation networks let firms fluidly weave internally and externally available invention and innovation services to optimize the profitability of their products, services, and business models. This report outlines how an organization can take advantage of its entire ecosystem to craft its own innovation network — one that exploits, complements, and extends internal resources to maximize the business value of innovation.