Thomas Magnusson

ARCHITECTURAL OR MODULAR INNOVATION? MANAGING DISCONTINUOUS PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT IN RESPONSE TO CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE TARGETS

By adopting challenging targets on environmental performance, pro-active industrial firms may push themselves towards discontinuous product innovation. Such innovation can be understood as being either architectural, i.e. arranging components in new ways, or modular, i.e. introducing new technologies in specific components or subsystems. We argue that these two dimensions of discontinuous change call for some specific managerial responses. Architectural innovation challenges the whole engineering organisation, making it necessary to focus development efforts on technological interfaces, whereas modular innovation has a more isolated effect, making specialisation and co-ordination over organisational boundaries particularly important. Altogether, our analysis highlights the importance of adapting the project organisation to the development task and addressing part-whole relationships when managing innovation in established products and systems, something that becomes increasingly important in the strive towards sustainable development.

Environmental innovation in auto development ^ managing technological uncertainty within strict time limits

Manufacturing industry is facing increasingly stringent demands on environmental compliance and the auto industry is particularly exposed to pressure from public and authorities in this area. The p ...

Fostering sustainable technologies: a framework for analysing the governance of innovation systems

The development and diffusion of technological innovations need governing in order to contribute to societal goals related to sustainability. Yet, there are few systematic studies mapping out what types of governance are deployed and how they influence the development and diffusion of sustainable technological innovations. This paper develops a framework for analysing the role of governance in innovation systems aimed towards sustainability. The framework is based on the literatures on governance, technological innovation systems and socio-technical transitions. We foresee empirical studies based on the framework that may serve as a needed input into governance processes. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.

Entering an era of ferment – radical vs incrementalist strategies in automotive power train development

Incremental improvement of a deeply embedded technology system has been a hallmark of the automotive industry for a very long time. Efforts to develop alternatives have repeatedly failed. This paper analyses how Toyota started to challenge this pattern in the late 1990s, by the architectural innovation embodied in Prius, the first mass-produced hybrid-electric car. This is followed by an account of how key competitors reacted by accelerating their incremental innovation efforts, in an era when concerns over fuel prices and greenhouse gas emissions increased demand for environmentally sound vehicles. The paper builds on records of patenting and performance of actually marketed models to analyse the unfolding technology competition. It also considers the most probable technologies on the market in a 10–12 year timeframe, and further explains how different technology strategies put competing firms in different positions in an era of ferment.

Interfaces between technology development, product development and production: critical factors and a conceptual model

Interfaces between technology development, product development, and production must be managed in order to avoid misfits between technology and product concepts and ensure the fit of the product design and the production process. In this paper, critical challenges related to these interfaces are studied based on in-depth case studies of ten product development projects at five manufacturing firms, two workshops and a questionnaire. Our findings indicate that factors related to synchronisation and transfer management are most critical. A tentative model is formulated as an instrument to reduce risk and uncertainty related to the interfaces.

Managing internal technology transfer in complex product development

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to illustrate how the characteristics of complex product systems pose specific managerial challenges onto the transfer of new technology from technology development to product development.Design/methodology/approach – The research relies on comparative case studies involving three cases of internal technology transfer processes in the development of electrical equipment and telecommunication systems.Findings – The research findings suggest that managerial decisions on internal technology transfer should be guided by a contingency framework rather than general procedures and tools.Research limitations/implications – Since the research is restricted to a limited number of case studies, additional studies are required to validate the findings.Practical implications – The study results indicate that in cases of complex product development, there is a need for a more integrated view on technology and product development, than what is commonly described in the literature...

Paving the Road to Sustainable Transport : Governance and innovation in low-carbon vehicles

This book is about how societies around the world can accelerate innovation in sustainable transport. It examines the relationship between policy change and the development of technological innovations in low carbon vehicle technologies, including biofuels, hybrid-electric vehicles, electric vehicles and fuel cells. Examining this relationship across countries and regions that are leaders in vehicle manufacturing and innovation, such as the European Union, Germany, Sweden, China, Japan, Korea and USA, the books aims to learn lessons about policy and innovation performance.

Socio-technical regimes and heterogeneous capabilities: the Swedish pulp and paper industry's response to energy policies

Based on a study of policy-induced changes in the Swedish pulp and paper industry, this paper follows a process of socio-technical regime destabilisation. Results from the study show that in industries where established firms have significant power, processes of endogenous renewal are more likely to destabilise established regimes than processes based on niche solutions. Further, the study shows how policy measures aimed to destabilise the current regime may result in different responses, owing to the different capabilities of individual firms. The analysis suggests that heterogeneous capabilities within established industries provide possibilities for policy makers to initiate change.

Commercializing Cleaner New Technologies: The Case of Microturbine Generators

Abstract Based on a study of the emerging microturbine industry, this paper argues that recent trends towards preventive and product-oriented industrial environmental management are problematic from the technology suppliers’ perspective. This is especially evident in the suppliers’ initial efforts to define markets and applications during early stages of commercialization. The distinction between product innovation driven by explicit or perceived user needs and innovation in environmental technology driven by regulatory demands has become blurred. This means that suppliers have had to interact simultaneously with both users and regulators in order to articulate the demand and acceptance for the new technology.

Assessing interface challenges in product development projects

OVERVIEW: Product development projects are exposed to a number of challenges, and the significance of different challenges differs among projects. To prepare for these challenges, project managers may benefit from assessing them at an early stage of the project. This paper presents a method that can be used to assess product development challenges in terms of technological and market uncertainty, product and production complexity, and geographical and organizational dispersion. Project managers can use the results from such assessments to justify preventive action, negotiate resources and specifications, and devise processes that fit the specific characteristics of individual development projects.