Get with the programme—Corporate traditions get in the way of innovation

Get with the programme—Corporate traditions get in the way of innovation

Lil Wayne may not be the first to realize the potential of an album internet pre-release but he has sparked discussions on why rigid traditions should be, well, less rigid.

August 28, 2011 3:56 by Precious de Leon

Not one to knock down old world traditions…oh sorry, couldn’t really say that with a straight face. Okay, so sometimes there’s pleasure to be taken from looking at stagnant, rigid ways of doing business and then putting it on its head to create some new ways of running a company.

That’s why is good to see celebrities take charge of the way their materials are distributed. Case in point is the recent internet-first launch strategy of American rapper Lil Wayne.

Cashing in on his latest TV performance, he announced he was going to make his latest song available online before the album drops in stores.

While old traditions dictated a simultaneous launch across all distribution channels, this li’l stunt from Lil Wayne garnered his album a place in the top music charts and secured a nice momentum for the sale of his physical album.

Alright, so we’re not one for completely knocking down the foundation of every process in an institution. But there is validity in looking at changing the way you do business—whether you are a rapper or in the service industry or even in the publishing.

Innovation can only come from the experimentation (trial and error) of different avenues. How can a business have sustainable grown, if not through diversified means. So why do executives and business owners fear to tread the new, the hyped up and the trending? And why is it that when some of these companies do eventually get on board (most likely after all of their competitors have), they always go into it half-cocked and implement surface-deep strategies?

This is not about going gung-ho completely when it comes to trying new things. Nor is it about knocking down processes that work efficiently already. It’s about companies stepping out of their comfort zone once in a while and allowing some breathing space to entertain new ways of doing business—whatever aspect of business it is, whether it’s social media, rebranding a company or down to even creating new products.