By Nick Craig

That is a key factor driving market capitalization, market share and other business indicators? The answer: practical innovation.

Are you viewed within your organization as a practical innovator? In today's marketplace, innovation isn't just a nice thing to have; it's essential.

For example, by the time Steve Jobs returned to Apple Inc. in 1997, it seemed the company had lost much of its magic. Apple's market share had slipped to just 3 percent, and its managers saw themselves as makers of high-end personal computers. Unfortunately, that purpose no longer mattered to Apple's customers, who simply wanted more for less. (Sound familiar?)

So Steve Jobs snapped the company back to its original purpose. Namely, to be a passionate design company that believed technology can change the world.

With this redefined purpose, Jobs and the Apple management team quickly cut dead-end computers from the product line, and introduced innovative new products like the iMac, which helped the company return to profitability in 1998. They also formulated a technology strategy to fit the new purpose, creating iTunes, the iPod, the iPhone and the Apple Store. In the process, Apple also transformed entire industries: Think of the company's impact on the music, motion picture, mobile phone and electronics retailing businesses.

Okay, but what's that got to do with you? Think everything is fine in your organization? Then ask yourself: "If my IT organization were to disappear or be outsourced tomorrow, what value would be missed by the organization?" If the answer doesn't include a long list of key contributions, then it's time to reclarify your IT department's purpose.