Last fart of the ferret

I rather identify with this excerpt from The Economist’s skunk works Inside Project Red Stripe back in 2006, the story of which is now available online and as a book.

“Taiichi Ohno, father of the Toyota Production System and an inspiration to many Systems Thinkers. In an interview with an Economist journalist (and which I have never been able to trace), he reportedly likened creativity in a survival culture to the last fart of the ferret. When a ferret is cornered it emits a powerful stench like a skunk, and employees, he said, when facing closure of the company, would come up with some of their most creative ideas. [Incidentally, if you search for 'last fart of the ferret', Google will rather coyly ask you if you meant 'last fruit of the ferret' - a delightful possibility which, sadly, produces no results if you accept the suggestion.]”

I knew necessity was the mother of invention but not that a ferret's fart could save so many company's from closure, surely worth knowing in these stressed times?

The blog is well worth a read for the multitude of questions it poses and if anyone out there thinks corporate innovation does not need deep thought, careful attention and active management to make it happen then think again.