Jobs To Be Done – A Modern Approach to the Innovation Process

Abstract

This paper explores the Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework as a structured, science-based methodology for innovation project management. While most innovation initiatives operate on intuition - treating product development as a game of chance - JTBD offers a systematic alternative grounded in understanding customer needs as functional, emotional, and social “jobs”. Through two retrospective case studies - the evolution of long-distance communication (from ancient couriers to instant messaging) and daily commuting solutions - this paper demonstrates how JTBD reframes competition, predicts market behavior, and reduces innovation failure rates. The theoretical foundation connects JTBD to the creative destruction theory formalized by Aghion and Howitt, recognized by the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics. The paper argues that innovation in emerging markets like Moldova fails not due to lack of talent or capital, but due to methodological gaps that frameworks like JTBD can address. CZU: 005.591.6; JEL: O31, O32, M11, L21