Innovation seems to have had a breakthrough from corporate buzzword to strategic priority. Innovation leaders focus on customers, business models, and breakthrough technology, all in service of their organisation’s mission. Other organisations focus more on competition, regulation, and profitability. What’s interesting here is that those motivations for innovation leaders are durable—customers are never satisfied, and technology will keep providing opportunities.
In contrast, the motivations of innovation laggards are internal and finite—you can beat your competition, satisfy regulations, and then declare victory. Meanwhile, innovators will keep on innovating.