Invention vs Innovation

...

1. INVENTION vs. INNOVATION

2. Invention is the "creation of a product or introduction of a process for the first time." Thomas Edison was an inventor.

3. Innovation happens when someone “improves on or makes a significant contribution” to something that has already been invented. Steve Jobs was an innovator.

4. Innovation and invention are different. Whereas innovation may be defined as “change that adds value”, invention may be perhaps best defined as something “new, novel and without precedent”. Notwithstanding the above, most inventions are in fact created by making improvements to existing things. Indeed there are few totally new inventions. However, whereas novelty is an essential part of an invention, novelty is not an essential part of an innovation.

5. Take a look at Apple’s ubiquitous iPhone , for example. Apple took a stagnant product category - the mobile phone - and completely rethought how it could be used. They took an existing product category and existing technologies, but still somehow reshaped modern society. Apple’s innovations in design and user interface sparked a tech revolution.

6. In the end, innovation does not need to mean inventions like induced pluripotent stem cells or anything else. The emergence of new discoveries is absolutely a good thing, but even without inventions, a country or company can still come out ahead. After all, Japan didn’t invent the car or the TV, but it certainly innovated on them and built world-leading companies and economies.

7. What is RESEARCH?

8. Hitchcock and Hughes (1989) define research as a systematic inquiry – an inquiry that is characterized by certain amount of rigor and governed by sets of principles and guidelines for procedures.

9. Best and Kahn (1998) described research as the systematic and objective analysis and recording of controlled observations that may lead to the development of generalizations, principles, or theories, resulting in the prediction and possibly the ultimate control of events.

10. Henson and Soriano (1999) simply depict research as the systematic, controlled and empirical inquiry about a subject/topic through problem-solving process using a rigorous application of the scientific method to the study of a problem.

11. In a more comprehensive form, Calderon and Gonzales (1993) define research as a purposive, systematic and scientific process of gathering, analyzing, classifying, organizing, presenting, and interpreting data for the solution of a problem, for prediction, for invention, for the discovery of truth, or for the expansion or verification of existing knowledge, all for the preservation and improvement of the quality of human life.

12. Why do RESEARCH ?

13. Those who view research as an ivory tower often fail to see that the primary reason for research is concern for man . This stimulates the researcher to seek ways and means by which new or additional knowledge can be best utilized to improve man’s living conditions whether in the area of family life, schooling, religion or civic participation.

14. Thus, it can be said that the main purpose of research is to discover answers to meaningful questions through the application of scientific procedures. Sources of Knowledge R esearch as a source of knowledge does not imply that research is the only source of knowledge . The truth is that research is the “youngest” among the possible sources of knowledge; the others having been tried before the scientific method in research has been applied.

15. Ary et al. (1985) list these sources as: Experience Authority Deductive Reasoning Inductive Reasoning Scientific Method Defining the problem Stating the hypotheses Deductive reasoning Collection and analysis of data Confirming or rejecting the hypotheses

16. Characteristics of Research In order to further differentiate research from any other source of knowledge, let us look at the characteristics of the research process which are listed by Tuckman (1972): Research is systematic. Research is logical. Research is controlled. Research is empirical. Research is critical.

17. Research is analytical. Research is reductive. Research is cyclical. Research is replicable and transmittable.

18. Activity: Name two of your characteristics as a student and explain how each can facilitate your work as a researcher. Characteristics How facilitative 1. 2.

19. Activity 2: Characteristics of a Researcher Complete the acrostics below: I AM R – E – S – E – A – R – C – H – E – R –

20. Calmorin and Calmorin (1996) enumerated 10 characteristics or qualities of a good researcher. R – Research-oriented E – Efficient S – Scientific E – Effective A – Active R – Resourceful C – Creative H – Honest E – Economical R - Religious

21. Importance of RESEARCH

22. It is needed in the tapping of immense natural resources and in harnessing them. It is necessary in the enhancing production to cope with the needs of the increasing population. It helps in determining the manpower needs of the country and the ways to meet these needs. It enables the businessmen to forecast the direction in which business will take or to explore the possibilities of new industries.

23. 5. It enables the planners of education, industry or government to make projections so that steps can be taken to be ready for the future. 6. It maintains good health or in remedying illness. 7. It is an instrument of modernization, in order to promote the progress of a country. 8.) It is urgently needed for energy production and regulation of its use. 9.) It is needed in improving the quantity and quality of major crops, in processing them and transforming them to different forms of marketable goods.