It was Charles Holland Duell, Commissioner for the US Patents
Office from 1898 to 1901 who was credited incorrectly with this
famous quote 'Everything that can be invented has been
invented'. What he actually said in 1902 was, in part 'In
my opinion, all previous advances in the various lines of invention
will appear totally insignificant when compared with those which
the present century will witness'. This statement could
probably be repeated again in this century to reflect the changes
we are witnessing today.
Businesses today readily accept the idea they must continue to
evolve and shape their models to stay current, to hold market share
and to attract new customers. Failure to do so renders them a
dinosaur in today's world and could mark the gradual demise of
their business. There can be no greater example of this than Kodak,
once the global market leader in photography and photographic
equipment who which failed to see the shifting consumer trends,
paying the
