Title: How can we generate innovative ideas for new product development?

Authors: Pratap Chandra Mandal

Addresses: Indian Institute of Management, Mayurbhanj Complex, Nongthymmai, Shillong – 793014, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, India

Abstract: Competition is fierce and intense in the contemporary global marketplace. Companies today face immense pressure to innovate when they seek to develop and introduce new products in order to fight competition and ensure business survival. However, generating new ideas is not easy and the continued capability and capacity to do so is even more challenging. In light of these challenges, this paper endeavours to shed light on how companies can generate innovative ideas for new product development. In particular, this paper makes clear that innovation in new products and services helps companies in meeting and exceeding customer expectations. Generation of ideas for innovation in new product development may come from a number of sources and by applying a number of creativity techniques. Companies may generate innovative ideas by interacting with customers, employees, outsiders, and other stakeholders. Ideas may also be generated by analysing competitors. Companies may adopt a number of creativity techniques like brainstorming, role-playing, forming forced relationships, morphological analysis, reversing of assumptions about usage of products, mind mapping of individuals, and lateral marketing for generating innovative ideas. Companies are encouraged to apply these techniques and create a culture of innovation to generate ideas, implement them, exceed customer expectations, and succeed in the competition.

Keywords: innovation; idea generation; creativity technique; brainstorming; crowdsourcing; morphological analysis; mind mapping.

DOI: 10.1504/IJQI.2020.112347

International Journal of Quality and Innovation, 2020 Vol.5 No.1, pp.17 - 32

Received: 26 Nov 2019
Accepted: 23 Apr 2020
Published online: 12 Jan 2021 *