Innovation Requires Continued Engagement

Jared Diamond explained that people need interactions to create and sustain new technologies, citing the example of Tasmania and Australia. While they were connected, they had similar technologies, but when there was no longer interaction after sea levels rose, Tasmanians lost access to the innovations of the Australians. Diamond suggests that innovation and technical advancement happens when we are in contact with other cultures and people. Similarly, good innovators rarely work alone—they need the market to test their ideas and introduce new perspectives. Companies should engage with customers and partners, create more opportunities for interaction, and have a robust innovation cycle tied closely to a product development cycle.