CHAPTER 9Sustained Innovation: The Science of Constantly Moving Forward

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS is a cult of eccentrics and fanatics known simply as “the Lunatic Fringe.” They comb through the ranks of engineers, entrepreneurs, and innovators in search of the next great idea; the next solution to complex problems; the next evolutionary step in technology development. At least that’s their modus operandi. Their true mission is much simpler: Keeping their patron—Texas Instruments (TI)—on the cutting edge of technology and market.

The Lunatic Fringe, the topic of a Fortune magazine feature,1 isn’t a conventional R&D project or department. It isn’t even a formal organization within the corporate structure. It’s more of a construct of people and ...

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