write a response with peer reviewed articles for this discussion post: Innovation is a critical driver of competitive advantage and long-term success in today's rapidly evolving global business landscape. Companies that embed innovation into their strategic frameworks can not only adapt to changing markets but can also influence and shape those markets through transformative products, services, and business models. Procter & Gamble (P&G) serves as a compelling example of how innovation fuels strategy, particularly when paired with a global outlook and collaborative ecosystems.

P&G's Innovation Strategy and Success Context

Procter & Gamble (P&G), a multinational consumer goods corporation, has long maintained innovation as a central pillar of its corporate strategy. Its approach, known as "Connect + Develop," reimagines R&D as an open innovation platform where external collaboration complements internal capabilities. Rather than solely relying on in-house scientists, P&G actively seeks innovation from universities, startups, individual inventors, and business partners across the globe (Dyer et al., 2020). This open innovation model was a strategic response to stagnating product pipelines and increasing global competition in the early 2000s. P&G's leadership, recognizing the limits of internal development, leveraged global networks to source and co-create ideas, resulting in faster product rollouts, reduced R&D costs, and stronger market alignment. One of the flagship successes from this approach was the Swiffer mop system, which emerged from a collaboration with an Italian firm. This product line grew into a billion-dollar brand, demonstrating how external innovation can yield scalable internal results (Edmondson & Harvey, 2016).

Impact of Geographic Location and Business Ecosystems

Geographic proximity to innovation hubs, such as Silicon Valley, Shenzhen, or Bangalore can significantly influence a company's strategic agility. These locations host dynamic ecosystems that include venture capital, academic institutions, accelerators, and talent pools, all of which foster experimentation and rapid iteration. P&G, while headquartered in Cincinnati, strategically locates many of its innovation centers near these hotspots or in global markets where consumer insight is critical. For instance, its innovation center in Singapore supports product development tailored to Asian markets, capitalizing on local consumer data and regional partnerships.

Global Implementation and the Role of Research

As a global change agent, it is imperative to understand the cultural, regulatory, and operational differences that impact the successful scaling of innovative strategies. Research in global strategy and innovation provides essential insights into how an idea that thrives in one region might require adaptation or even reinvention elsewhere. The case of Fujitsu's open innovation platform (Edmonson & Harvey, 2016) illustrates how culturally adaptive innovation structures are necessary. Fujitsu developed a platform for customer co-creation in Japan, which succeeded due to its alignment with local preferences for consensus-driven innovation. However, when attempting to replicate this in Western markets, the company encountered friction due to differing collaboration expectations, necessitating modifications to the process.