IN HARD TIMES, it's time to innovate

摘要

In its most recent Innovation Monitor report, the UK manufacturers' representative body, EEF, found that "more manufacturers are innovating on a broader scale" and "investments in innovation are driven by a consistent focus on the customer." Over 70% of manufacturing firms cite the need to satisfy existing customers as the main driver of innovation. Clearly it is easier to make innovation pay if you know there is a customer ready and waiting for the output. And a recent report from Aberdeen Group reinforces this sentiment, highlighting that typically, the greatest customer need is for lower cost products that do not sacrifice quality, or demand for products to be developed and delivered quicker.