Innovation Theater Explained – What Is It and Why Is It So Bad

Innovation theater refers to initiatives that promise innovation but fail to create real business impact. It often arises when companies try to adopt innovation activities that have worked for other firms, without addressing the specific needs and barriers to innovation within their organization. This article explains how to identify the signs of innovation theater, such as talking about innovation without actually creating value or implementing processes that are unsuited to the company's size and structure. To avoid innovation theater, companies should align innovation with their strategic goals, avoid blindly copying innovation stereotypes, focus on outcomes rather than activities, remove barriers to innovation and empower teams to innovate.