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Not only internal, but also external factors are strong drivers of innovation. Why have, for instance, some places emerged as “hot spots” for innovation? The impact of the location on innovation is the second in a series of five articles by Gunjan Bhardwaj, head of Ernst & Young´s Global Business Performance Think-tank. The topics of the other articles are: Disruptive Innovation; Innovation in Networks; Social Innovation; and Business Model Innovation.

One way to activate the creativity of employees is to develop an environment where problem-solving is encouraged. I believe we are all inclined to innovate and problem-solve within our own space, so empowering employees to see the workplace as an extension of that space can give them the confidence they need to bring new ideas to the table.  Take the case of Arena—our organization exists because our founders Michael and Eric needed a better way to manage their product data—they had a problem, and they fixed it. I’m not saying everyone needs to be a company founder, but the desire to solve problems is what creates companies, and is what can lead to a more innovative workforce.