Social Innovations!

Evelyn Rodriguez quotes Jim Collins.

"Some of the most amazing inventions in history are not technology or products; they're social inventions," says Jim Collins, the management guru and author of the bestsellers "Built to Last" and "Good to Great. "Imagine inventing the idea of the U.S. Constitution..."

My first idea of a invention or a innovation was related to technology. From the automobile,, TV, computer and anything mechanial or electrical. I used to connect invention with technology. Then I started reading Peter Drucker.

Drucker was the first person, whom I read, started talking about the difference between a Innovation and a Invention and the importance of Social Innovation.

Social Innovations, I have come to understand are more important and more useful than technological innovation. The first example of this which I strongly remember is the idea of "instalment credit". This powerful idea made many a technological innovations to be solved.

The ability to understand his brought in another change in me. Since I was not a "engineer" I started to wonder what I can create. Suddenly I saw the possibility of working for and creating a social innovation. This it seemed had a chance for great impact on society and which could be possible for a non-engineer.

As I started thinking of the problems in India and especially in Rural India I started appreciating the fact that Social Innovations are so more important for making a difference.

We all have a chance to Innovate and make a difference.