--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Innovation user and innovation…" description: "\"“Innovation user and innovation manufacturer are the two general \"functional\" relationships between innovator and innovation. Users are unique in that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/eric-von-hippel-11175_innovation_innovation-user-and-innovation-manufactu_802136.jpg" --- # Innovation user and innovation manufacturer are the two… ![“Innovation user and innovation manufacturer are the two general "functional" relationships between innovator and innovation. Users are unique in that they alone benefit directly from innovations. All others (here lumped” quote by Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/eric-von-hippel-11175_innovation_innovation-user-and-innovation-manufactu_802136.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/eric-von-hippel-11175_innovation_innovation-user-and-innovation-manufactu_802136.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/eric-von-hippel-11175_innovation_innovation-user-and-innovation-manufactu_802136.jpg) > ““Innovation user and innovation manufacturer are the two general "functional" relationships between innovator and innovation. Users are unique in that they alone benefit directly from innovations. All others (here lumped”” [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Innovation involves both users who benefit directly and manufacturers who produce, highlighting a dual functional relationship. **In simple terms:** Innovation is driven by users and makers together. Key Takeaway Recognize both user and manufacturer roles in innovation. Themes innovation collaboration economics Mood analytical thoughtful Type theoretical informative When to use this quote - product development - technology adoption - market analysis - design thinking Key Concepts user-driven innovation dual relationship value creation Questions to Reflect On - How does user involvement shape innovation outcomes? - What challenges arise in aligning user and manufacturer goals? A Different Perspective The quote is incomplete, limiting full context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Innovation Manufacturer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation-manufacturer-4947675/) [Innovation User](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation-user-2649459/) [Innovation Users](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation-users-834180/) [Innovator Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovator-innovation-2097225/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [User Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/user-innovation-4947673/) ## Related quotes > [“Innovation user and innovation manufacturer are the two general "functional" relationships between innovator and innovation. Users are unique in that they alone benefit directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/innovation-user-and-innovation-manufacturer-are-the-two-general-2/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“Users, as the term will be used in this book, are firms or individual consumers that expect to benefit from using a product or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/users-as-the-term-will-be-used-in-this-book-are-firms-or-individual/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“In this book I explain in detail how the emerging process of user-centric, democratized innovation works. I also explain how innovation by users provides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/in-this-book-i-explain-in-detail-how-the-emerging-process-of-user/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“Innovation by users tends to be widely distributed rather than concentrated among just a very few very innovative users. As a result, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/innovation-by-users-tends-to-be-widely-distributed-rather-than/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“manufacturer categorization of relationships between innovator and innovation can be extended to specific functions, attributes, or features of products and services. When”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/manufacturer-categorization-of-relationships-between-innovator-and/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“The user and manufacturer categorization of relationships between innovator and innovation can be extended to specific functions, attributes, or features of products and services.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/the-user-and-manufacturer-categorization-of-relationships-between/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“methods of human-centered, design-based innovation: user observations, brainstorming, prototyping, storytelling, and scenario building.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-brown/methods-of-human-centered-design-based-innovation-user-observations/) [Tim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-brown/) > [“structure of the social division of labor. Many firms and industries must make fundamental changes to long-held business models in order to adapt. Further,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/structure-of-the-social-division-of-labor-many-firms-and-industries/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [“Incrementalism never allows innovation to flourish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-ratna/incrementalism-never-allows-innovation-to-flourish/) [Abhishek Ratna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-ratna/) > [“In the innovation age customer experience is key. Your impression defines their expression”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-durotoye/in-the-innovation-age-customer-experience-is-key-your-impression/) [Fela Durotoye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-durotoye/) > [I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-believe-that-one-defines-oneself-by-reinvention/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More by Eric von Hippel > [“The user-centered innovation process just illustrated is in sharp contrast to the traditional model, in which products and services are developed by manufacturers in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/the-user-centered-innovation-process-just-illustrated-is-in-sharp/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“1978 Jurgen Honscheid came over from West Germany for the first Hawaiian World Cup and discovered jumping, which was new to him, although Mike…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/1978-jurgen-honscheid-came-over-from-west-germany-for-the-first/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“In this book I explain in detail how the emerging process of user-centric, democratized innovation works. I also explain how innovation by users provides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/in-this-book-i-explain-in-detail-how-the-emerging-process-of-user/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“structure of the social division of labor. Many firms and industries must make fundamental changes to long-held business models in order to adapt. Further,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/structure-of-the-social-division-of-labor-many-firms-and-industries/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“the ongoing shift of product-development activities from manufacturers to users is painful and difficult for many manufacturers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/the-ongoing-shift-of-product-development-activities-from/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“Dedicated to all who are building the information commons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/dedicated-to-all-who-are-building-the-information-commons/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“increase the ease with which innovators can build larger systems from interlinkable modules created by community participants. Free and open source software projects are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/increase-the-ease-with-which-innovators-can-build-larger-systems-from/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“The architecture of the pizza pie illustrates how this can be done. Many aspects of the design of a pizza, such as the dough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/the-architecture-of-the-pizza-pie-illustrates-how-this-can-be-done/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“Innovation by users tends to be widely distributed rather than concentrated among just a very few very innovative users. As a result, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/innovation-by-users-tends-to-be-widely-distributed-rather-than/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“created specifically to separate the problem-solving tasks requiring access to a manufacturer's sticky solution information from those requiring access to users' sticky need information.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/created-specifically-to-separate-the-problem-solving-tasks-requiring/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“universities and the Library of Congress, with support provided by grants from the federal government (Tedd 1994). Until roughly 1978, the only such systems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/universities-and-the-library-of-congress-with-support-provided-by/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“Copyright owners can prevent others from building new works on characters (e.g. Mickey Mouse) that are already familiar to customers. The result is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/copyright-owners-can-prevent-others-from-building-new-works-on/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“In 1978 Jurgen Honscheid came over from West Germany for the first Hawaiian World Cup and discovered jumping, which was new to him, although…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/in-1978-jurgen-honscheid-came-over-from-west-germany-for-the-first/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“and services-both firms and individual consumers-are increasingly able to innovate for themselves. User-centered innovation processes offer great advantages over the manufacturer-centric innovation development systems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/and-services-both-firms-and-individual-consumers-are-increasingly/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) > [“The trend toward democratization of innovation applies to information products such as software and also to physical products. As a quick illustration of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-von-hippel/the-trend-toward-democratization-of-innovation-applies-to-information/) [Eric von Hippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) [Explore all 61 Eric von Hippel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-von-hippel/) ## More Innovation quotes > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-believe-that-one-defines-oneself-by-reinvention/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“In the innovation age customer experience is key. Your impression defines their expression”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-durotoye/in-the-innovation-age-customer-experience-is-key-your-impression/) [Fela Durotoye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-durotoye/) > [“Incrementalism never allows innovation to flourish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-ratna/incrementalism-never-allows-innovation-to-flourish/) [Abhishek Ratna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-ratna/) > [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [Why is it that, when we want to think outside the proverbial box, we often put ourselves in one? We gather our team in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-best/why-is-it-that-when-we-want-to-think-outside-the-proverbial-box-we/) [Charles Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-best/) > [We have to be innovative, we have to be fresh, we have to be new. People are counting on that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-barthel/we-have-to-be-innovative-we-have-to-be-fresh-we-have-to-be-new-people/) [Sarah Barthel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-barthel/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [I'd take garbage, and I'd glue them together and create inventions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-makosinski/i-d-take-garbage-and-i-d-glue-them-together-and-create-inventions/) [Ann Makosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-makosinski/) > [“Some innovations just don’t attract enough economic or social demand: just as supersonic flight and manned space flight stagnated after the 1970s, today (in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-j-rees/some-innovations-just-don-t-attract-enough-economic-or-social-demand/) [Martin J. Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-j-rees/) > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Other things being equal, it is the person who can lift his work up to the plane of the intuitional and inspiration who achieves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanwood-cobb/other-things-being-equal-it-is-the-person-who-can-lift-his-work-up-to/) [Stanwood Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanwood-cobb/) > [Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. For in invention nature is never last, education never first;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/let-art-then-imitate-nature-find-what-she-desires-and-follow-as-she/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) [Browse all 4,437 Innovation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Innovation user and innovation manufacturer are the two general \"functional\" relationships between innovator and innovation. Users are unique in that they alone benefit directly from innovations. 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