IDT - Organization and the innovation process

Question 1

Technology S-curve (by Christensen)

Answer 1

Theoretically captures the potential for technological improvement resulting from a given amount of engineering effort, which varies over time.

It offsets time (or engineering effort) against resulting product performance

In the beginning, progress is slow. Then, progress gets faster as more engineers work on the problem. Then, progress slows down again as natural or physical limits are reached

Question 2

Radical technology

Answer 2

Causes complete disruption as opposed to the previous situation (from another article)

Question 3

The Utterback-Abernathy Model

Answer 3

Shows that process innovation usually follows after product innovation. While the rate of product innovation decreases, the rate of process innovation increases.

Can be split along three phases: Fluid-, Transitional- and Specific pattern

Question 4

Punctuated Equilibrium (description)

Answer 4

Technology evolves through period of incremental change punctuated by breakthroughs.

Question 5

Punctuated Equilibrium (three findings)

Answer 5

• Newcomers initiate competence destroying changes, existing firms use competence enhancing technology
• Organizations with major technological innovations have higher growth rates than other firms
• Until a dominant design emerges, there is considerable competitive turmoil

Question 6

The Jolt theory of Change

Answer 6

Organizations change only when they are jolted from their environment.

Question 7

Six disruptive technology principles

Answer 7

1. Companies depend on customers and investors for resources
2. Small markets can’t grow large companies
3. Markets that don’t (yet) exist can’t be analyzed
4. Technology supply may not equal market demand
5. Disruptive tech begins with lower performance and profit than current tech
6. Companies overshoot markets with technology

Question 8

Resource dependency theory (RDT)

Answer 8

RDT is the study of how the external resources of organizations affect the behavior of the organization.

The procurement of external resources is an important tenet of both the strategic and tactical management of any company.

Question 9

Four characteristics of strong technological regimes

Answer 9

1. Intimate and prolonged interaction leads to radical innovation in telecom industry
2. ^ This network provide a formal framework to create novel tech solutions to problems
3. Network meetings are rotated between various R&D labs, allowing sign. learning & harmonization
4. The regime consists of multiple aspects involving working together

Question 10

A map of innovation research, by Fiol (1996)

Answer 10

Is a model that shows how knowledge diffusion leads to absorptive diffusion in an organization. From the absorbed input comes new product development by individuals or an org. This in turn leads to innovative output

Question 11

Drazin and Schoonhoven’s three basic assumptions on innovation

Answer 11

1. Innovation is universally desirable for orgs.
2. Once an org. increases in size beyond critical mass, it becomes more inert (less capable of org. change, less proficient at innovation)
3. Certain org. structures and practices can overcome inertia and increase rate of innovation

Question 12

Multimode framework for interaction among technologies (matrix)

Answer 12

Effects of A on B’s growth rate
AND
Effect of B on A’s growth rate

+ & + : Symbiosis
- & - : Pure competition
+ & - : Predator (A/B) - Prey (B/A)

Question 13

Technological forecasting (formula)

Answer 13

A method (or set of tools) to determine how technologies will improve over time. Generally, the improvement will follow an S-curve, for which the general formula is:

Y = L / ( 1 + ae ^ -bt)

Contains these elements:

• The tech. that is being forecast
• Time of forecast
• A statement of the char. of the tech.
• A statement of the probability ass. with the forecast