---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Value innovation requires companies to…"
description: "\"“Value innovation requires companies to orient the whole system toward achieving a leap in value for both buyers and themselves.”\" — W. Chan Kim"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/w-chan-kim-30343_innovation_value-innovation-requires-companies-to-o_2637128.png"
---

#  Value innovation requires companies to orient the whole…

![“Value innovation requires companies to orient the whole system toward achieving a leap in value for both buyers and themselves.” quote by W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/w-chan-kim-30343_innovation_value-innovation-requires-companies-to-o_2637128.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/w-chan-kim-30343_innovation_value-innovation-requires-companies-to-o_2637128.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/w-chan-kim-30343_innovation_value-innovation-requires-companies-to-o_2637128.png)

> ““Value innovation requires companies to orient the whole system toward achieving a leap in value for both buyers and themselves.””

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Innovation demands a system-wide focus on creating leapfrog value for both customers and the firm.

**In simple terms:** Innovation needs whole‑system focus on big value jumps.

Key Takeaway

Align whole organization on value leaps.

Themes

innovation strategy value creation

Mood

strategic motivational

Type

business philosophical

When to use this quote

- product development
- market entry
- business transformation

Key Concepts

blue ocean systemic thinking

Questions to Reflect On

- What system change is needed for breakthrough value?
- How to measure leap in value?

A Different Perspective

Hard to shift entrenched processes.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/)

## Related quotes

> [You can't assess the value of an innovation in isolation, you have to consider whose hands it's in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-fry/you-can-t-assess-the-value-of-an-innovation-in-isolation-you-have-to/)

[Hannah Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-fry/)

> [“They agreed on five core values and wrote them down on a whiteboard in a conference room: customer obsession, frugality, bias for action, ownership,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/they-agreed-on-five-core-values-and-wrote-them-down-on-a-whiteboard/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [People who should be the first to recognize the value of an innovation are often the last...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crockford/people-who-should-be-the-first-to-recognize-the-value-of-an/)

[Douglas Crockford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crockford/)

> [“Value innovation is the cornerstone of blue ocean strategy. We call it value innovation because instead of focusing on beating the competition, you focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-e-mauborgne-w-chan-kim/value-innovation-is-the-cornerstone-of-blue-ocean-strategy-we-call-it/)

Renée Mauborgne W. Chan Kim

> [Innovation requires articulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/innovation-requires-articulation/)

[Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/)

> [“The hallmark of innovation is surprise. No surprise, nothing new. Nothing new, no interest. No interest, no value. Therefore, creating surprise is a crucial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-neumeier/the-hallmark-of-innovation-is-surprise-no-surprise-nothing-new/)

[Marty Neumeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-neumeier/)

> [It is irrational to charge high prices for socially valuable innovations as this guarantees that they will be underutilized. It is much better to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pogge/it-is-irrational-to-charge-high-prices-for-socially-valuable/)

[Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/)

> [“It is human nature to resist change... but yet, it is human nature to be innovative. Humans are contradicitve based on the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-tilley-johnson/it-is-human-nature-to-resist-change-but-yet-it-is-human-nature-to-be/)

Faith Tilley Johnson

> [“Visionary organizations that value innovation should have simple customer vision statements. They need to imagine—and articulate—who and what their customers should become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schrage/visionary-organizations-that-value-innovation-should-have-simple/)

Michael Schrage

> [Innovation is a subset of creativity. Innovation often deals with product launches and is often relegated to the C-suite or to heads of R&D…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-linkner/innovation-is-a-subset-of-creativity-innovation-often-deals-with/)

[Josh Linkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-linkner/)

> [“In a nutshell, Blue Ocean Strategy is about creating completely new industries through fundamental differentiation as opposed to competing in existing industries by tweaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-osterwalder/in-a-nutshell-blue-ocean-strategy-is-about-creating-completely-new/)

[Alexander Osterwalder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-osterwalder/)

> [“Innovation Requires   Creativity + Discipline”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keeley-larry/innovation-requires-creativity-discipline/)

[Keeley, Larry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keeley-larry/)

> [Innovation requires resources to invest, and you can see many companies pulling back and going into an intense protective mode in a major extended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/innovation-requires-resources-to-invest-and-you-can-see-many/)

[Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/)

> [What is it we value? Innovation. Originality. Novelty. But most importantly...timeliness. I fear you may be too late, my confused, unfortunate, friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/what-is-it-we-value-innovation-originality-novelty-but-most/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [The lessons I learned from the dark days at Alibaba are that you've got to make your team have value, innovation, and vision. Also,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/the-lessons-i-learned-from-the-dark-days-at-alibaba-are-that-you-ve/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

## More by W. Chan Kim

> [“Beyond streamlining operations and introducing cost innovations, a second lever companies can pull to meet their target cost is partnering. In bringing a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/beyond-streamlining-operations-and-introducing-cost-innovations-a/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [“The first involves streamlining operations and introducing cost innovations from manufacturing to distribution. Can the product’s or service’s raw materials be replaced by unconventional,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/the-first-involves-streamlining-operations-and-introducing-cost/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [“Blue ocean strategy challenges companies to break out of the red ocean of bloody competition by creating uncontested market space that makes the competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/blue-ocean-strategy-challenges-companies-to-break-out-of-the-red/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [“In a study of business launches in 108 companies, we found that 86% of those new ventures were line extensions—incremental improvements to existing industry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/in-a-study-of-business-launches-in-108-companies-we-found-that-86-of/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [“Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/standard-industrial-classification-sic/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [“Blue ocean strategy challenges companies to break out of the red ocean of bloody competition by creating uncontested market space that makes the competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/blue-ocean-strategy-challenges-companies-to-break-out-of-the-red-2/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [The only way to beat the competition is to stop trying to beat the competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/the-only-way-to-beat-the-competition-is-to-stop-trying-to-beat-the/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [“If you can move people by inspiring and building their confidence to own and drive your new strategy, they will be committed to seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/if-you-can-move-people-by-inspiring-and-building-their-confidence-to/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [“Instead of drilling down and finding ways to creatively meet the target cost as Ford did, if companies give in to the tempting route…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/instead-of-drilling-down-and-finding-ways-to-creatively-meet-the/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [“Blue ocean shift is a systematic process to move your organization from cutthroat markets with bloody competition—what we think of as red oceans full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/blue-ocean-shift-is-a-systematic-process-to-move-your-organization/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [“By probing questions such as these, the Swiss watch company Swatch, for example, was able to arrive at a cost structure some 30 percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/by-probing-questions-such-as-these-the-swiss-watch-company-swatch-for/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [“To reach your organization’s tipping point and execute blue ocean strategy, you must alert employees to the need for a strategic shift and identify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/to-reach-your-organization-s-tipping-point-and-execute-blue-ocean/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [“Disengaged employees are an unfortunate reality in the workplace, and poor leadership is often to blame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/disengaged-employees-are-an-unfortunate-reality-in-the-workplace-and/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [“We call this atomization after Einstein’s reflection that if you deconstruct any challenge into its basic components, or atoms, and focus on solving them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/we-call-this-atomization-after-einstein-s-reflection-that-if-you/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

> [“North America Industry Classification Standard (NAICS)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/north-america-industry-classification-standard-naics/)

[W. Chan Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

[Explore all 17 W. Chan Kim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/)

## 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

> [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

> [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": "“Value innovation requires companies to orient the whole system toward achieving a leap in value for both buyers and themselves.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "W. Chan Kim"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/value-innovation-requires-companies-to-orient-the-whole-system-toward/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Innovation"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/value-innovation-requires-companies-to-orient-the-whole-system-toward/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/w-chan-kim-30343_innovation_value-innovation-requires-companies-to-o_2637128.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/w-chan-kim-30343_innovation_value-innovation-requires-companies-to-o_2637128.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/w-chan-kim-30343_innovation_value-innovation-requires-companies-to-o_2637128.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Value innovation requires companies to orient the whole system toward achieving a leap in value for both…” — W. Chan Kim",
                "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": "W. Chan Kim",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-chan-kim/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Value innovation requires companies to orient...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/value-innovation-requires-companies-to-orient-the-whole-system-toward/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-chan-kim/value-innovation-requires-companies-to-orient-the-whole-system-toward/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```