Everybody has ideas. Most of us have had an idea for a new product only to dismiss or neglect it. Sometimes we later find that others had the same idea, but they did something with it and it is their product in the market, not ours.

Ideas are relatively easy to come by; inventions are more difficult. It takes knowledge, time, money and effort to refine an idea into a workable invention, even on paper. Turning an invention into an innovation -- a new product launched into, and accepted by, the marketplace -- takes a lot of effort, not to mention a little luck. There are formidable tasks and substantial barriers in the path of those who pursue innovation. Accomplishing these tasks and overcoming the barriers typically require much careful planning and input from others.