--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Corporations today, by their razor sharp…" description: "\"Corporations today, by their razor sharp focus on the 'bottom line' and quarterly earnings, have lost their ability to innovate.\" — John Maeda" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/john-maeda-11190_ability_corporations-today-by-their-razor-sharp_2389400.png" --- # Corporations today, by their razor sharp focus on the… ![“Corporations today, by their razor sharp focus on the 'bottom line' and quarterly earnings, have lost their ability to innovate.” quote by John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/john-maeda-11190_ability_corporations-today-by-their-razor-sharp_2389400.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/john-maeda-11190_ability_corporations-today-by-their-razor-sharp_2389400.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/john-maeda-11190_ability_corporations-today-by-their-razor-sharp_2389400.png) > “Corporations today, by their razor sharp focus on the 'bottom line' and quarterly earnings, have lost their ability to innovate.” [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Corporations prioritize profit over creativity, stifling new ideas. **In simple terms:** Profit focus hinders innovation. Key Takeaway Balance profit with creative freedom. Themes business innovation profit creativity Mood critical concerned Type analytical observational When to use this quote - corporate strategy - product development - R&D budgeting - leadership meetings Key Concepts economics organizational behavior risk management Questions to Reflect On - How can companies measure innovation alongside earnings? - What incentives foster creative risk taking? A Different Perspective Short‑term profit goals can clash with long‑term innovation pipelines. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Bottom line](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom-line/) [Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [“Words for completely novel concepts and technical breakthroughs are devised as soon as needed, explained with ease and absorbed with scarcely an effort by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dalby/words-for-completely-novel-concepts-and-technical-breakthroughs-are/) [Andrew Dalby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dalby/) > [The hope for our nation and our world lies within our ability to innovate and move forward technologically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-rollins/the-hope-for-our-nation-and-our-world-lies-within-our-ability-to/) [James Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-rollins/) > [To gain the competitive edge, companies must master the ability to innovate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/to-gain-the-competitive-edge-companies-must-master-the-ability-to/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [What makes the United States great, the reason people wanted to live in the United States, move here still, is because of our ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nye/what-makes-the-united-states-great-the-reason-people-wanted-to-live/) [Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nye/) > [Most US corporations today are over-managed and under-led. They need to develop their capacity to exercise leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-kotter/most-us-corporations-today-are-over-managed-and-under-led-they-need/) [John P. Kotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-p-kotter/) > [There were some entrepreneurial du Ponts that are a little different from the heads of the corporations today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-du-pont/there-were-some-entrepreneurial-du-ponts-that-are-a-little-different/) [Pete du Pont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-du-pont/) > [I believe that the ability to innovate and to be creative are teachable processes. There are ways by which people can systematically innovate or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ng/i-believe-that-the-ability-to-innovate-and-to-be-creative-are/) [Andrew Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ng/) > [We do not innovate anything ... How is it that novelties are introduced which were never even thought of by our predecessors?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose/we-do-not-innovate-anything-how-is-it-that-novelties-are-introduced/) [Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose/) > [I think the food giants are realizing that one of the big myths of them is that they can innovate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moss/i-think-the-food-giants-are-realizing-that-one-of-the-big-myths-of/) [Michael Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moss/) > [If you truly want to innovate, there will be some failures, and this can be difficult for some organizations - especially public companies managing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-doughtie/if-you-truly-want-to-innovate-there-will-be-some-failures-and-this/) [Lynne Doughtie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-doughtie/) > [“In a world of those who follow the rules without deviation those who innovate even in the shadows, will rule. Never be a carbon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/in-a-world-of-those-who-follow-the-rules-without-deviation-those-who/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [“It is as simple as that. Birds fly because they have wings and so when you can’t grow the wings, you can’t be called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/it-is-as-simple-as-that-birds-fly-because-they-have-wings-and-so-when/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [When you're little and you don't have much dough, you have to innovate. You have to be sharp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/when-you-re-little-and-you-don-t-have-much-dough-you-have-to-innovate/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Don't try to innovate for the future. Innovate for the present!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/don-t-try-to-innovate-for-the-future-innovate-for-the-present/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Those that innovate the future understand history the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/those-that-innovate-the-future-understand-history-the-best/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) ## More by John Maeda > [Design is a solution to a problem. Art is a question to a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/design-is-a-solution-to-a-problem-art-is-a-question-to-a-problem/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [Organization makes a system of many appear fewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/organization-makes-a-system-of-many-appear-fewer/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [How do we slow down what matters the most and speed up what benefits change and progress? We don't want to impede progress, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/how-do-we-slow-down-what-matters-the-most-and-speed-up-what-benefits/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [All I want to be is, someone that makes, new things and, thinks about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/all-i-want-to-be-is-someone-that-makes-new-things-and-thinks-about/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [I like stuff designed by dead people. The old designers. They always got it right because they didn't have to grow up with computers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/i-like-stuff-designed-by-dead-people-the-old-designers-they-always/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [The problem isn't how to make the world more technological. It's about how to make the world more humane again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/the-problem-isn-t-how-to-make-the-world-more-technological-it-s-about/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [We seem to forget that innovation doesn't just come from equations or new kinds of chemicals, it comes from a human place. Innovation in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/we-seem-to-forget-that-innovation-doesn-t-just-come-from-equations-or/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [Design provides solutions, art asks questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/design-provides-solutions-art-asks-questions/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [Skill in the digital age is confused with mastery of digital tools, masking the importance of understanding materials and mastering the elements of form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/skill-in-the-digital-age-is-confused-with-mastery-of-digital-tools/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [One of the challenges to our nation today is overcoming the notion that art is kind of a nice-to-have, when in reality art is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/one-of-the-challenges-to-our-nation-today-is-overcoming-the-notion/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [Technological advances have always been driven more by a mind-set of 'I can' than 'I should' Technologists love to cram maximum functionality into their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/technological-advances-have-always-been-driven-more-by-a-mind-set-of/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [Knowledge makes everything simpler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/knowledge-makes-everything-simpler/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [My role is to find strategic insights as to where design can have the most business impact. A designer can bring a viewpoint of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/my-role-is-to-find-strategic-insights-as-to-where-design-can-have-the/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [Information is expanding daily. How to get it out visually is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/information-is-expanding-daily-how-to-get-it-out-visually-is-important/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [A book is a human-powered film projector (complete with feature film) that advances at a speed fully customized to the viewer's mood or fancy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/a-book-is-a-human-powered-film-projector-complete-with-feature-film/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) [Explore all 60 John Maeda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Corporations today, by their razor sharp focus on the 'bottom line' and quarterly earnings, have lost their ability to innovate.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Maeda" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/corporations-today-by-their-razor-sharp-focus-on-the-bottom-line-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/corporations-today-by-their-razor-sharp-focus-on-the-bottom-line-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/john-maeda-11190_ability_corporations-today-by-their-razor-sharp_2389400.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/john-maeda-11190_ability_corporations-today-by-their-razor-sharp_2389400.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/john-maeda-11190_ability_corporations-today-by-their-razor-sharp_2389400.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Corporations today, by their razor sharp focus on the 'bottom line' and quarterly earnings, have lost their…” — John Maeda", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Maeda", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Corporations today, by their razor sharp...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/corporations-today-by-their-razor-sharp-focus-on-the-bottom-line-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/corporations-today-by-their-razor-sharp-focus-on-the-bottom-line-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```