The Role of Public Agencies in Fostering New Technology and Innovation in Building (1992) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix B: Processes of Technological Innovation
Appendix B: Processes of Technological Innovation
Pages 69-80
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From page 69... ...
Typically thought of as a new product, technological innovation may also be a new process of production; a substitution of a cheaper material, newly developed for a given task, ~ an essentially Haltered product; or the reorganization of production, internal functions, or distribution arrangements, leading to increased efficiency, better support for a given product, or lower costs. Technological innovations often involve both tools and procedures, products and processes, interacting in new ways.
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From page 70... ...
Neither organizational theory nor empirical research supports the notion that innovative individuals or groups will unequivocally be more productive (Tornatiky, et al., 1990~. Nevertheless, the absence of innovative adaptation to an environment characterized by rapid change is a reliable indicator of future decline and possible extinction for economic enterprises as well as biological species.
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From page 71... ...
. Economic and technological factors are intertwined, perhaps inextricably, in the innovation process, but the possibility of achieving improved safety or other benefits not immediately measured in monetary terms often provides the incentive for innovation.
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From page 72... ...
This linear model is overly simplified. In fact, the innovation process may be quite nonlinear, drawing repeatedly on basic knowledge, responding to newly perceived needs, and modifying earlier concepts of the tool, device, or procedure that eventually evolves (Torna~cy et al.
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From page 73... ...
Solving seemingly mundane problems requires real creativity and can produce big payoffs. ram toothy ]
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From page 74... ...
As practiced in industry, particularly with regard to consumer products, design is closely tied to the production and marketing efforts that lead to commercial success and He broader adoption of new ideas in the marketplace. Such close ties are the exception in most segments of the building industry, and the typical separation between designer and construction contractor hinders innovation.
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From page 75... ...
An important aspect of this spreading is incorporating the userts perspective in the new technology's application. Few technologies are ~self-executing.
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From page 76... ...
Innovations that prove to be better adapted to the technical, economic, and social requirements imposed by society and its economy will g~dua~y replace existing techniques and practices. When a distinct effort is made to encourage diffusion of new technology, particularly new technology resulting from the discoveries and inventions of a particular institution, the effort is often termed technology transfer.
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From page 77... ...
Moreover, as the technological content of new products and processes increases, the relationship between innovating organizations and basic science research becomes more active. Such observations are strong circumstantial evidence that research is a solid contributor to technological innovation, and some writers suggest that the industrial research laboratory, specifically established to facilitate exploitation of scientific knowledge for industrial purposes, is lone of the most important institutional innovations of He twentieth century (Rosenberg, 1986~.
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From page 78... ...
In The Positive Sum Strategy: Harnessing Technology for Economic Growth, NationalResearch Council, 1991, Landau, R., and N Rosenberg, eds.
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