Innovation
My observation is that innovation does not come from the top, the wealthy have everything they need and the means to get it. Innovation comes from an ability to find a solution to a problem.
My uncle was stationed in South Korea in the 60's. He said that the villagers would gather the spent shells and make artwork out of the brass. The villagers would sell the art as a way to pay for food and shelter. This is true for a lot of famous artists who in many cases died poor just before their art became valuable (think Van Gogh). These people had to innovate to live. The best bit of innovation by modern big companies has been to buy smaller companies that have done the hard work to truly to make a better product.
Innovation comes when there is an unfilled need that can be filled by creativity and improvisation. History shows how crude tools are used to make better tools; going from chipped rock to high carbon steel to make better tools.
Innovation when it is at its greatest extent creates wealth. A good example is the personal computer going from an intelligent terminal to being a stand alone device that can perform different functions from documents, spreadsheets to education. The changes in 30 years from the early crude devices to the current range of devices that have computerized telephones and even automobiles. This is innovation at its most disruptive infuence.
