Innovation

Novel ideas are often not very useful and useful ideas are often not very novel. —Justin Berg, assistant professor of organizational behavior
Stay Creative: How to Keep Your Ideas Fresh and Practical
Alumni Book

Executive Education

Powering Digital Value Chains
Dates to Be Announced
Create a Happy and Meaningful Life
Register Anytime
Demystify Decision Making
Register Anytime
See All Programs
Explore Leadership
Learn the attributes and skills that make a strong leader, develop your own leadership style, and learn how organizations can empower others to do so.
hand holding a smartphone with Stanford Business Insights listed on the screen
Subscribe to Insights by Email

Latest Stories on Innovation

November 29, 2022
Audio
Eric Yuan on Keeping Customers and Employees Happy
In this podcast episode, the CEO of Zoom and SEP graduate reflects on his leadership two years after the outbreak of COVID-19.
Leadership
Black and white portrait of Eric Yuan smiling at the camera. Courtesy of Eric Yuan
October 27, 2022
Video
Class Takeaways — Business and Government
Five lessons in five minutes from Anat Admati and Robert E. Siegel, on leaders’ roles in creating trustworthy institutions and markets.
Corporate Governance
Class Takeaways — Business and Government video image
October 14, 2022
Written
How to Survive the A.I. Revolution
A human-centered approach to artificial intelligence envisions a future where people and machines are collaborators, not competitors.
Innovation
A futuristic illustration of a robot hand reaching across the image holding a building block, toward other hands that are intertwined with building blocks. Illustration by Khyati Trehan
October 06, 2022
Written
Trust but Verify: Peeking Inside the “Black Box” of Machine Learning
If a complex data analysis tool can’t explain its decisions, how do we know it’s accurate — or fair?
Big Data
Illustrated shapes floating outwards left and right from a central structure. Illustration by Khyati Trehan.
September 28, 2022
Written
How to Set Top Tax Rates Without Deterring Innovation
The debate over taxing the highest earners overlooks the importance of encouraging new ideas, argues Charles Jones.
Economics
Dollar bills folded into paper planes ascending upward across a blue background. iStock/skodonnell
August 26, 2022
Written
What Happens When Kids Get a Crash Course in Design Thinking
An experiment with middle school students boosts their creativity and confidence.
Innovation
A photograph of children putting post-its on a board. Credit: iStock/cometary
August 24, 2022
Written
How “Corporate Explorers” Are Disrupting Big Companies From the Inside
A unique breed of entrepreneurs is creating innovative ventures — without launching startups or chasing VC funding.
Entrepreneurship
Illustration of people being guided up a steep mountain by a man with a red flag. iStock/Alexey Yaremenko
August 17, 2022
Audio
Ties That Bind: Why Remote Teams Need the Right Connection
In this episode, Professor Glenn Carroll and his colleague Michael Arena discuss innovation in a hybrid work environment.
Innovation
TFTS logo
July 05, 2022
Audio
Solving Important Problems
Meet two entrepreneurs who are building social enterprises focused on improving children’s literacy and women’s health in South Asia.
Social Impact
Grit & Growth logo
June 29, 2022
Written
Thinking Inside the Box: Why Virtual Meetings Generate Fewer Ideas
For creative collaboration, sometimes you can’t beat a face-to-face meeting.
Innovation
August Rodin's "The Thinker" statue with head covered by cardboard box. Illustration by Alvaro Dominguez
June 22, 2022
Audio
Courage, Belonging, Ambiguity and Data: How to Design Your Communication for Success
In this episode, we dive into four different themes that will help your message stand out.
Innovation
Think Fast Talk Smart: the Podcast
June 17, 2022
Audio
Sundar Pichai: “Reward Effort, Not Outcomes”
The CEO of Google and Alphabet on how Google wants to define the future of work.
Leadership
Black and white portrait of Sundar Pichai smiling at the camera in front of a white background. Courtesy of Sundar Pichai
June 03, 2022
Written
The Marketplace of Ideas: Information About Innovation Boosts Patent Trading
Corporate disclosure can bring more efficiency to a busy yet often-overlooked market.
Innovation
Illustration of three floating heads, with arrows and dollar bills coming out of their heads and mouths to indicate the exchange of ideas and money. Illustration by Cory Hall
June 03, 2022
Written
What Will It Take to Solve Climate Change? Investor John Doerr Shares His Plan.
Venture capitalist and philanthropist describes urgent measures outlined in new book, Speed and Scale.
Sustainability
John Doerr on stage at Stanford GSB, talking to an audience about his plan for climate action. Photo by Saul Bromberger
May 05, 2022
Written
Ghost in the Machine: Knowing Who Created a Robot Makes It Feel More Authentic
Researchers found that origin stories changed how people viewed AI agents’ work.
Operations, Information & Technology
llustration of a human-esque silhouette made up of three dimensional bars and spheres of different colors. Illustration by Khyati Trehan
April 11, 2022
Written
What Separates the Hitmakers from the One-Hit Wonders
An analysis of 3 million songs explores the question: Is it better to churn out than to fade away?
Innovation
Two microphones facing opposite directions with sparkles and smoke. Illustration by Alvaro Dominguez.
March 25, 2022
Audio
Season 2 Trailer
Here’s a look at what’s coming up on season two of Grit & Growth.
Entrepreneurship
Grit & Growth: The Podcast
March 14, 2022
Audio
Leadership and Ethics: How to Communicate Your Core Values
On this podcast episode, we discuss the keys to making ethical decisions in your professional and personal life.
Leadership
TFTS logo
March 02, 2022
Audio
Profile of Purpose: A Tough Nut to Crack
Ten Senses is not only growing a successful agribusiness, it’s also doing right by farmers — and combating climate change in East Africa.
Entrepreneurship
Grit & Growth: The Podcast
March 01, 2022
Written
Cold Open: Break the Ice by Looking Inside Someone’s Fridge
How your leftovers can spark a meaningful conversation.
Career & Success
An open refrigerator that's clean and brightly lit, full of fruit, vegetables and junk food. | iStock/AndreyPopov.