Invention vs Innovation

It is useful to define (and distinguish) the terms “invention” and “innovation.” It would also be useful to help clarify that “invention” tends to be absolute whereas there are many grades of “innovation” – false (just not widely known or previously failed), incremental vs whole.

invent (in·vent)

verb

create or design (something that has not existed before ); be the originator of

innovate (in·no·vate)

verb

make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products

An interesting exercise might be to put up an innovation scale and stick up images of various inventions and innovations – the aim is to scope the scale. Does an environment that achieves 100 small innovations (locally adopted) compare with that which achieves a single 1-in-a-hundred years (global shifting) innovation?

Definitions obtained from oxforddictionaries.com.