Identify the step in the innovation process at which the following actions are most likely to occur.

	Development	Application	Launch	Growth	Maturity	Decline
Felix started selling a mixtape on street corners. Once it got play time on a local radio station, thousands of people downloaded it from online sites.
At first, Raphaels company was the only clothing manufacturer to make low-waisted jeans. However, within a year, most clothing manufacturers offered similar pants.
A clothing company ships new products to stores 2 weeks before the release date (instead of just 5 days early) to ensure they are available to customers on the release date.
A single loan officer handles a customers application throughout the process, rather than having each step completed by a different bank employee.
Rather than watching television shows on traditional televisions, many people subscribe to Internet-based services or watch shows on their smartphones.
Kenji sends a survey to customers to better understand their level of interest in two features that may be added to his companys product.

Consider the common impediments to innovation noted in the summary below.

The Innovators Dilemma: Why Great Companies Fail to Change, a book by Clayton Christensen, explains the common organizational impediments to innovation. These include a lack of resources or failure to allocate resources strategically, inability to act quickly due to bureaucracy, risk aversion, and an inability to recognize opportunities to innovate. The failure to recognize opportunities could be caused by the organizations structure, culture, complacency, and confidence.

As for-profit competitors like FedEx and UPS gained market share, the government-run United States Postal Service (USPS) failed to implement managerial and process innovations. Long chronically short on funding, the USPS has faced even stiffer budget challenges as a result of losing business. What are the most likely reasons the USPS failed to innovate? Check all that apply.

Time to innovate

Failure to recognize opportunity

Lack of resources

Resistance to change

Organizations can encourage innovation by rewarding it, by designing jobs to support it, and by reinforcing a culture of innovation.

Which of the following statements describes an organizations use of cultural symbols to promote innovation? Check all that apply.

Bronze statues of great athletes like Michael Jordan adorn Nikes corporate headquarters.

The Martin Agency has no limit on the days of vacation employees can take.

Googles corporate campus features a giant slide and nap pods.

A large art installation of push pins positioned prominently on a wall in Wieden & Kennedys headquarters spells out the agency mantra, Fail Harder.