Skip to content
Product cover

Spurring Innovation Through Competitions

September 17, 2013 | Alan MacCormack, Fiona Murray, Erika Wagner | Innovation

Rather than seeking in-house solutions to problems, companies are increasingly turning to contests to generate many diverse ideas.

Alan MacCormack, Fiona Murray and Erika Wagner examine the phenomenon of corporations using innovation contests. They write: "Companies are searching for better ways to identify and exploit novel solutions. Increasingly, they are discovering that many of the very best ideas lie outside their organizations, in an ecosystem of potential innovators who possess wide-ranging skills and knowledge."

Why do contests often trigger breakthrough ideas? MacCormack, Murray and Wagner found that contests can tap into a diverse pool of participants with different backgrounds and perspectives. Entrants are willing to invest time and money in exchange for opportunities to hone skills and network with others.

The authors also observe that generating a large number of diverse solutions is more likely to result in a breakthrough idea than developing a limited number of focused solutions.

But tapping into the power of competitions involves more than publicizing a problem and waiting for solutions to flow in. "To be effective, competitions must be designed and managed well," write the authors. "We have identified five critical design decisions — what we call the 'Five Ps': 1) frame the problem; 2) establish the prize; 3) select the participants; 4) define the process; and 5) build the platform." The authors detail each step and the best ways to assess the costs and benefits.

Purchase Options

Educator and Student Discounts Available. Learn more »

  BENCHMARKS  
Loading Time: Base Classes  0.0003
My Controller Construct  0.0003
Build Nav  0.0005
Controller Execution Time ( Products / Route )  0.0368
Total Execution Time  0.0371
  GET DATA  
No GET data exists
  MEMORY USAGE  
1.5572 MB
  POST DATA  
No POST data exists
  URI STRING  
store/spurring-innovation-through-competitions
  CLASS/METHOD  
products/route
  DATABASE:  MITSLOAN_DEV   QUERIES: 68  (Hide)
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '3c6ec5b86e803934a2637f0354ba41dc'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS cat_id
FROM (`product_categories`)
WHERE `status_id` =  'A'
AND `url_friendly` =  'spurring-innovation-through-competitions'
AND `parent_id` =  1 
0.0018  

SELECT c.parent_id, c.format_id
                    FROM products AS p, products AS c
                    WHERE p.prod_id = c.parent_id AND
                        c.avail_id IN ('A','B','D') AND
                        c.type_id = 'V' AND
                        (
                            c.sku = 'spurring-innovation-through-competitions' OR
                            if(c.format_id = 'Certificate', '', p.url_friendly) = 'spurring-innovation-through-competitions'
                        )
                    LIMIT 1 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  381 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '381' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '381'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `cat_id`
FROM (`product_categories__products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '381' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`product_flags__products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '381' 
0.0001  

SELECT `sku`
FROM (`products__xsell`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '381'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0184  

SELECT `products`.`parent_id`
FROM (`transaction_lines`)
JOIN `products` ON `products`.`sku` = `transaction_lines`.`sku`
JOIN `product_categories__products` ON `products`.`parent_id` = `product_categories__products`.`prod_id`
WHERE `products`.`avail_id` =  'A'
AND TO_DAYS(transaction_lines.updated_at) < (TO_DAYS(NOW()) - 90)
AND `product_categories__products`.`cat_id` IN ('245') 
GROUP BY `products`.`parent_id`
ORDER BY COUNT(*) DESC
LIMIT 6 
0.0002  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '35' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '35' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '35'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0002  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '905' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '905' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '905'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '3959' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '3959' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '3959'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '371' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '371' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '371'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '3761' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '3761' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '3761'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '1757' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '1757' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '1757'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0002  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS media_id, position
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `foreign_key_table` =  'products'
AND `foreign_key_column` =  'prod_id'
AND `foreign_key_value` =  '381'
AND `kind` =  'image_600x600'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `media`.`media_id` =  '191' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`mime_types`)
WHERE `mime_types`.`extension` =  'jpg' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`media_metadata`)
WHERE `media_id` =  '191' 
0.0002  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS media_id, position
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `foreign_key_table` =  'products'
AND `foreign_key_column` =  'prod_id'
AND `foreign_key_value` =  '381'
AND `kind` =  'gallery_image'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `avail_id` IN ('A', 'B', 'C', 'H') 
AND `parent_id` =  '381'
AND `type_id` =  'V'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position`, `title` 
0.0001  

SELECT `c`.`format_id`, `c`.`price`, `c`.`sale_price`
FROM (`products` AS c)
WHERE `c`.`prod_id` =  '382'
LIMIT 1 
0.0002  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS media_id, position
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `foreign_key_table` =  'products'
AND `foreign_key_column` =  'prod_id'
AND `foreign_key_value` =  '382'
AND `kind` =  'thumbnail'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0002  

SELECT `product_categories__products`.`cat_id`
FROM (`product_categories__products`)
JOIN `product_categories` ON `product_categories__products`.`cat_id` = `product_categories`.`cat_id`
WHERE `product_categories__products`.`prod_id` =  '381'
AND `product_categories`.`parent_id` =  1
AND `product_categories__products`.`cat_id` NOT IN (1, 261)  
0.0004  

SELECT `cat_id` AS id, `parent_id` AS parent, `status_id`, `name`, `description`, `url_friendly`, `page_title`, `meta_keywords`, `meta_description`, `position`, `updated_at`
FROM (`product_categories`)
WHERE `cat_id` != 1
ORDER BY `parent_id`, IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position`, `name` 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`product_categories`)
WHERE `status_id` =  'A'
AND `parent_id` =  1
AND `cat_id` NOT IN (1, 261) 
ORDER BY `name` 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`site_settings`)
WHERE `option_key` =  'announcement' 
  HTTP HEADERS  (Show)
  SESSION DATA  (Show)
  CONFIG VARIABLES  (Show)