Why you should commit to open innovation: Lessons from Rockwell Collins

Andrea Meyer of Working Knowledge pointed me to an interesting article on how Rockwell Collins, a 20,000 people company within communication and aviation electronic solutions works with open innovation.

I liked the article and in particular the below quotes that I want to share with you. They are strong and yet simple reasons why you should engage with open innovation initiatives.

Nan Mattai, senior vice president of Engineering & Technology at Rockwell Collins, encourages their employees to spend more time accelerating the use of technologies from external sources instead of reinventing wheels that others might have already developed.

“We have to be smart innovators,” said Mattai. “We have to be willing to collaborate inside and outside of our own four walls in order to bring the best solutions to our customers. That’s one of the ways in which we will continue to accelerate our growth and remain successful in this highly competitive marketplace.”

Raj Aggarwal, VP of Global Technology and Special Projects had this quote.

“Our mindset at Rockwell Collins simply needs to change,” admitted Aggarwal. “The idea of open innovation will eventually catch on because we have no other choice. No business is safe and, at the end of the day, it is our job to understand and anticipate what our customers’ true needs really are; we don’t have to be limited by our own brains.”

Why not take a look at the full article? Check this link: Open to innovative ideas