Case Studies - Technology Management

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CASE STUDIESCASE STUDIES

TECHNOLOGICALTECHNOLOGICAL

MANAGEMENT.MANAGEMENT.


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LESSONS from XEROX: the BEGINNING:

This case describes the Anatomy of Innovation

Process.

Demonstrates the difference between

scientific discoveries and Technological

Innovation.

The Inventor- Carlson ,an ordinary man hadjust a vision, an empirical approach , a passion

for his idea and persistence to lead to such a

major technological Innovation .

Battelle supported this idea with a Process,

relevant Knowledge, talent and Scientificapproach.

Haloids Wilson brought Entrepreneurship to

the Innovation by funding the research and

protecting the Technology by a Trade name.


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Financial support by third parties/ Govern Bodies

(US Army) is the catalyst that propels new ideas

towards Development and Marketing. For Revolutionary Innovations, Market surveys

and predictions can not be trusted to give

accurate demand forecast . ( Xerox 914 Copy

Machine sold 200,000 as against prediction of

3000 nos. only. It was thought to be only a

Product concept).

From first Xerox machine of 1949 to Xerox 914 it

took several Innovations to bring it to

acceptable product in marketplace. Technological Innovation coupled with

Marketing Innovation ( a leasing & pricing

structure by Peter McColough) facilitated

Customer acceptance of the Product.


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Once the technology was well developed,

accepted by the Market and diffused, a huge

explosion in the copies produced and soldfollowed.

The success of an Innovation depends on its

marketability and customer satisfaction.

From the prototype to the customersacceptance of the Product may warrant

multiple generation of innovations.

Innovations one or more champions to create

them and introduce them to the market.

Successful Innovations need a combinations of

factors including Vision, persistence, technical

skill, business acumen, good intuitive sense

and of course good luck.


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A MODEL FOR TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN

BIOMEDICAL DEVICES :

Generation of Ideas

Production

Product design, prototypeDeveloment & Testing Designing the manufacturingProcess.

Regulatory approval &

Patenting.

Marketing

Testing feasibility of Ideas

Customer


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GENERATION OF IDEAS:

Intrapreneurs

R & D Depts.

Researchers

Biomedical Industry

University &

Research labs

Biomedical

Industry

Healthcare Sector

Marketing &

Sales.

Patents.

BiomedicalEngineers.

Healthcare

Professionals

Physicians

MARKET PULL

TECHNOLOGY

PUSH

Generation

Of

Ideas

Entrepreneurs


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PRODUCT DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT& TESTING.

PRODUCT DESIGN,PROTOTYPE

DEVELOPMENT &

TESTING.

COST / FUNCTIONRELATIONSHIP

QUALITY EXPANDABILITY

TECHNOLOGYSIMPLICITY &

EASE OF USE

COST


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LESSONS from XEROX AFTER THE INVENSION.

Lack of a committed Champion in MOT could lead

to its downfall. Wrong Vision statement inconsistent with its

core competence would take the organization to

a wrong direction spelling disaster.

Excellent Product innovation may fail due to

proper marketing effort.

Research groups with freedom from daily defined

assignments are more creative.

Locating R & D ventures away from the main

corporate centre gives a research team freedomto innovate.

Too close & too many control points throttle

innovation.


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Bureaucratic management can seriously hindertechnological innovation.

Top managements focus on short term financialobjectives may be detrimental to the realization ofthe long term objective or Vision.

Synergy and cooperation between research armand the Product development arm of a company

are essential for the successful push ofTechnology.

Synergy and cooperation between R & D,Production and Marketing are essential forsuccessful commercialization of Technology.

Focus on QUALITY and TQM is mandatory fororganizations for its survival and businessexcellence.

Entrepreneurship & not professionalism is key forperformance in a Technology oriented

organization.


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COMMENTS ON XEROGRAPHY: CarlsonS radical innovation & new Technology

was valued by the customer and created a newMarket.

Hence 914 Copier a single Xerox Product becamethe industry standard .

Xerox became the leader in copying Industry and

got benefited by tremendous growth and enormousProfit.

Once the technology was recognized, Xerox shiftedfrom radical innovation to incremental & Processinnovation. Attitude towards Business & innovation

became callous and relaxed. Competitors were growing as Technology matured.

By 1975 , Xeroxs market share and revenue werelost to new competitors like Canon, Sharp,Panasonic etc. whose Quality was inching higher

and cost getting lower.


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The reason for failure was the managements overconcern with bottom line and it did not have theentrepreneurial skills to foster developments in an

entirely new arena. Turning round Xerox back to leadership position in1990s Chairman and CEO Allaire introduced drasticchanges in the way Xerox did business.

Xerox redefined its strategic Vision towards

creating The Document Company. Allaire integrated Xeroxs core competence and

technology together and gave it a modern TQMoriented new approach for competitive edge withcustomers.

Xerox induced in its employees entrepreneurialskill to compete in a highly volatile competitivetechnological environment.

Strategic thinking, TQM orientation, result orientedteam work, ability to delegate and empowerment

skills are highly appreciated in the new structure.


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TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION- the MACRO LEVEL.

Scientific discoveries and technologicalbreakthroughs have a potential for changing theway people live and do business.

The process of technological innovation in a regionspur major economic growth and change its entire

socioeconomic landscape . The BRITISH MIDLANDS and SILICON Valley

has strikingly similar features and circumstancesto foster such socioeconomic growth.

Both the areas had common lessons to learn which

are detailed hereafter: Creative people who tend to depart from mundane

and the status quo usually advance innovations.

Entrepreneurs drive innovations with support fromskilled technologists.


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Both areas were predominantly in habitated by

nonconformists free from established or forced

customs or practices. They believed in freedom of thinking & trade.

They believed in education, having contacts and

sharing knowledge with like minded thinkers.

Innovators tend to be drawn from the ranks ofthose with no investments or vested interest in the

established order.

For large scale innovation in a region freedom of

thought and entrepreneurial spirit is essential.

The exchange of information among groups fromvarious disciplines are important.

For the process of technological innovation, when

conditions are ripe for mental interaction in the

existence of infrastructure, innovations flourish.


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Both LUNAR SOCIETY(1776) in the British

Midlands ( Burmingham) & The HOME BREW

COMPUTER CLUB(1970) IN Silicon Valley helped

to:

Exchange of ideas.

Support member activities.

Share information across disciplines.

Share information across Industry.

Exhibit Business Strategy.

Produce real entrepreneurs.

Create role models.


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Case Studies - Technology Management

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