technology transfer - mit opencourseware · 2019-08-15 · principal barrier to technology...

15.980J/ESD.933JSpring 2007

Technology Transfer

April 5, 2007


But first…

Let’s deal with Brainstorming…


Creativity

Groups vs. Individuals


Groups vs. Individuals

• The basic question:– Are groups generally (on average) more

creative than individuals?


Two Conclusions

• There have been many studies in which groups and individuals are compared on their ability to produce creative ideas and they all agree on the following two conclusions:

• 1. Groups produce more creative ideas than individuals do.

• 2. Groups produce more creative ideas than individuals do.


Two Conclusions

• Groups produce more creative ideas than individuals do.



Normalizing for the Number of People



Individuals

Individuals

Groups

Groups


The Nature of a Creative Idea

• A creative idea is very similar to another kind of idea………..?

• Therefore it is not very viable at birth.– It is easily squelched.

• The originator very often has not developed sufficient faith in the idea.

• A group, therefore, can be a hostile environment to introduce a creative idea into.


Brainstorming

• Osborne (Creative Imagination)• Let your mind wander widely.• Reserve criticism.• Screen ideas at a later time.• Does it work?


Creativity of Groups and Individuals

0

40

80

120

160

200

0 2 4 6 8 10

Group Size or Number of Individuals

Num

ber o

f Ide

asIndividualsGroupsLinear (Groups)Linear (Individuals)



0

20

40

60

80

0 2 4 6 8 10


Num

ber o

f Ide




0100200300

400500600

0 2 4 6 8 10


Num

ber o

f Ide


From Bouchard, et. al.)


Some Research Evidence

Sources of Ideas in Product Development


The Context of the Study

X XX

XX

Project Team

Organization


Sources of Technology

X XX

XX

Internal Staff

Outside Experts

Literature


Literature & Documentation

X XX

XX

Internal Staff

Outside Experts

Literature


Literature & Documentation

X XX

XX

Internal Staff

Outside Experts

Literature18%

4%


Personal Contact

• Most of the information came through personal contact.– Where are the majority of these people?

• Inside or outside of the organization?


People as Sources of Technology

X XX

XX

Internal Staff

Outside Experts

Literature

2X

1X


Technology Sources for Product Development Projects

People Outside

People Inside

All Written Material

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Proportion of Messages


Performance

• But what about performance?– Where did the better ideas originate?

• Inside or outside?

• How can we measure performance?– Is it difficult?

• Why?


'Twin' Projects

X XX

XX

X XX

XX

Company 'A' Company 'B'


People as Sources of Technology

X XX

XX

Internal Staff

Outside Experts

Literature

Good

Poor


Customer Evaluation of Solutions as a Function of Idea Source

HighLow

Internal

External

Source of Idea

00.10.20.30.40.50.60.7

Prop

ortio

n

00.10.20.30.40.50.60.7

Prop

ortio

n

Evaluation of Solution


Customer Evaluation of Solutions as a Function of Idea Source

0.10.1 0.20.2 0.30.3 0.40.4 0.50.5 0.60.6 0.70.7

Proportion of IdeasReceiving High Evaluation

Proportion of IdeasReceiving Low Evaluation

External

Internal

High

High

Low

Origin of Idea

Low

Figure by MIT OCW.


What have we learned?

• So far, no answers but three questions.– Why don’t those outside the organizations

supply better ideas?– Why aren’t those inside the organization

consulted more?– How do the ‘internal consultants’ acquire

their information?


'Boundary Impedance' of the Organization

X XX

XX

Internal Staff

Outside Experts

Literature

Negative


Science and Technology

• Science is Universal.

• Technology is Local.


Technology

• Technology is defined in terms of:– The Business Goals– The Marketing Strategy

• and most importantly,– The Culture – of the organization in which it is developed.

• Technical problems are thus defined in terms of that culture and its system of values.


The Local Nature of Technology• This implies that:• Anyone outside of the organization cannot fully

understand the way that those within the organization define technical problems without understanding the organization's culture.

• This difficulty in understanding the problem is the principal barrier to technology transfer.

• Barriers of this sort arise any time that we try to transfer knowledge across organizational boundaries.

• It thus holds true for internal communication as well as communication with other organizations.

• It is one of the causes of poor interfunctional relations in organizations.


Internal Problems

• There are boundaries inside the organization that can cause as much difficulty (sometimes more) as the external boundary:– Product Development Marketing.– Product Development Manufacturing

Engineering.– Etc.


More Continuing Relations

N1 N2

A B

Potential Contacts


Referrals

N1 N2

A BReferrals

technology transfer - mit opencourseware · 2019-08-15 · principal barrier to technology...

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