Charles Leadbeater, in this TED talk, proposes that the traditional method of thinking about creativity and innovation is becoming increasingly wrong. The traditional idea is that organized groups of special individuals are able to spark ideas, and then companies will pipeline them to passive consumers.
The era of open innovation suggests that the user and creator are intertwined, with creativity being more cumulative and collaborative, rather than instantaneous. Wikipedia is an example of a cumulative and collaborative project that is built up slowly.
Open-source projects fueled by consumer-driven innovation can improve productivity. Product Managers should consider simple consumer-driven side projects, like collaborative wikis which can improve customer loyalty and satisfaction.