The Wal‐Mart Innovation Network: An Experiment in Stimulating American Innovation

Abstract

The Wal‐Mart Innovation Network (WIN) is a cooperative experiment designed to test an infrastructure for stimulating American innovations—new products invented and manufactured in the U.S.A. The WIN venture focuses on independent and small business inventors because it is here that WIN is likely to have the greatest impact. Contrary to the opinions of many, inventors continue to be a major source of new products, processes and services. Unlike their corporate and institutional counterparts, noncorporate inventors suffer from the lack of viable channels for getting their creative efforts to the marketplace and often are lacking in some essential resource or expertise. Rather than attempt to stimulate invention, the WIN strategy is simply to make it easier for existing ideas and inventions to reach the marketplace. In addition to other resources, WIN draws on the expertise of some 160 volunteer Wal‐Mart executives, buyers and marketing specialists who provide an assessment of marketability. Although innovation is the primary focus of the WIN venture, the bottom line objective is the creation of new, domestic manufacturing jobs.