From Henry Ford’s assembly line to Apple’s iPod, every great innovation started with a great idea. But in the business world, it’s a lot easier to say "no" to new ideas than it is to dedicate time, money, and resources to developing them. That’s why idea-friendly companies like Toyota, Yahoo, and IBM have structures in place to encourage and capitalize on good ideas — be they flashy new products or time-saving strategies for improving efficiency on the factory floor. No matter what their precise approach, all idea-friendly companies have a few principles in common: They reward employees who suggest ideas, and they solicit feedback from across the organization to identify ideas with the greatest staying power. Read on to learn how to nurture the best new ideas — and how to harness them to improve your business.
