Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area are famous for their long history of leadership in computing, semiconductors, software, biotechnology, internetworking, and innovation-based industries. But what makes it unique, beyond the laboratories, talent base, and access to capital? And what exactly is this oft-cited “culture of innovation”? Sean Randolph and his team at the Bay Area Council Economic Institute (BACEI) set out to find the answe…

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Tags: Bay Area, government innovation, innovation, management, private sector, public sector, strategy, technology, technology entrepreneurs, technology strategy, technology venture, venture capital

In my previous post, I described the “culture of innovation,” for which Bay Area companies have become renowned. And we looked, briefly, at what it could mean for the public sector. It may come as something of a surprise that Bay Area companies are no more likely to follow a Technology Drivers innovation model than companies located elsewhere. Like many top innovators, companies in the Bay Area have not only found success in creating ground-brea…

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Tags: Bay Area, Cisco, government innovation, IBSG, innovation, management, private sector, public sector, strategy, technology, technology entrepreneurs, technology strategy, technology venture, venture capital

I hear so much lately about innovation with virtually every company claiming that they are innovative. Is that really true, or is it yet another over used buzz word that has no substance?  I personally see little true innovation, just claims of being innovative (who would say otherwise, right?).  One way to determine if innovative is actually taking place is to ask yourself a few questions: Are you scared (just a bit)? Do you have more skeptics…

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Tags: continuous innovation, ideation, innovation, leadership, marketing, risk

From the IT Executive Symposium at Cisco Live 2012 When you strip away all the hype and emotion around the word “innovation,” you end up with a simple but powerful concept: Innovation is about doing something new that creates value. Innovation isn’t just important—it’s critical to a company’s growth and success. In his keynote at Cisco Live 2012, Cisco Chairman and CEO John Chambers discussed the importance of being able to capitalize upo…

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Tags: Cisco, Cisco Live 2012, environment for innovation, IBSG, innovate, innovation, IT Executive Sympsium, ITES, market disruptions, rick hutley

One of the best things about my job at CISCO is the opportunity to work with innovators in government, business, the independent sector, and nonprofits and examine the problems of urban communities in new ways. Over the past year, I’ve had the pleasure of supporting the launch of a new civic presence in our hometown of San Jose that does this very well: the San Jose office of the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association, SPUR San Jo…

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Tags: #economic growth, Cisco, community engagement, IBSG, Integrated Workforce, networked work, Smart work, Smart Work Centers, Smart+Connected, Social Cohesion, Social Inclusion, social innovation, Sustainability, technological innovation, Technology benefits, transformation, Urban Future of Work, Work-Life Innovation