Implementing radical innovation in mature firms: The role of hubs

There is increasing evidence of the importance of radical or breakthrough innovation to long-term firm success in the competitive marketplace today. Although this recognition has permeated many established companies, there is uncertainty about how to accomplish such innovation. This article is based on a six-year longitudinal study of 12 radical-innovation projects in 10 large, mature companies. The life cycle of radical-innovation projects is unlike those of incremental projects, because of an abundance of uncertainties and discontinuities. These characteristics require that radical-innovation projects be managed quite differently from incremental ones. Seven key strategic imperatives are offered for successfully implementing radical innovation.