Innovation for the future

What is the best structure for innovation (not just research and development) within an organisation ?

I think it is essential for the future of any organisation to be looking towards the horizon and hopefully over it … so lets look how this sort of structure will operate within a organisation.
Well that’s the first point, I don’t think it should, I think you need to create a separate structure, including its own management structure to pursue innovation and excellence.

This structure has to be staffed with people who are dedicated to building a new future, but at the same time as being independent of the main entity, they need to be fully integrated from an information flow, point of view with the main organisation, so they are working in concert.

Also from an accountability and progress viewpoint. These need to be measured differently than in a normal organisation, you cannot measure productivity / progress and “performance” using the normal financial markers –  the performance and their results have to be measured differently.  I think their brief has to start with testing all of the “given” assumptions. Their primary function is therefore to think, hopefully “Outside of the Box” –  to develop thoughts from the ground up (with few assumptions), in fact to learn what is possible, what will work and what will not, therefore the progress needs to be measured by what they have learnt, this is the measure of progress & performance.  After all Edison once said he knew he would find the right material to create the light bulb, after all he was running out of materials that didn’t work .. even a negative result, is still a result which we learn from.