Where does innovation come from? For one answer, consider the work of MIT professor Eric von Hippel, who has calculated that every year U.S. consumers spend $20 billion in time and money trying to improve on household products-for example, modifying a dog-food bowl so it doesn't slide on the floor. Von Hippel estimates that these backyard Edisons collectively invest more in their efforts than the largest corporation anywhere does in R&D.
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