Darwin introduced us to the concept of “survival of the fittest.” But in business today, the new Darwinism is “survival of the most innovative.” It is only through innovation that companies today will survive and thrive, by meeting the constantly evolving needs of consumers and competing effectively in an ever expanding global marketplace. The alternatives to innovation are not pretty. Organizations can choose to be followers of more innovative competitors, and always be playing a game of catch-up, never being truly unique or differentiated. Or they can do nothing at all, continue doing “business as usual,” and quickly drift into irrelevance. There are countless examples of all three business approaches. Apple. Yahoo!. And the US auto industry. Today, it’s no longer a question of IF you will innovate, it’s a question of how long you will be around if you don’t. The warning: innovate or perish.