Unsuccessful Innovation Management focussed on Felix Wankel‘s rotary engine

Overview Introduction Development of innovation Comparison between USA, Europe and Japan Reasons why innovations fail Felix Wankel‘s rotary engine Conclusion

Introduction For much of the 20th century there was a tendency to give efficiency a priority over innovation in the 1970s it began to alter today innovation is surpassing efficiency for deciding the most appropriate form of organization Clark, P.; Staunton, N.: Innovation in Technology and Organization. London and New York: Routledge 1989

Development of innovation From implicit focus upon efficiency, with innovation as the deviant case To innovation as the crucial focus, with efficiency as a necessary adjunct Clark, P.; Staunton, N.: Innovation in Technology and Organization. London and New York: Routledge 1989

USA Americans are best at medium-batch production Real strength was in distribution and marketing (railways, telegraph, retail, mail order) rather than in manufactoring Formerly strength: Economy of scale Clark, P.; Staunton, N.: Innovation in Technology and Organization. London and New York: Routledge 1989

Europe Innovations take more time, because the Europeans do not want to risk their success with the recent product Formerly strength: Economy of scope

Japan Was penetrating the North American markets through high sales in automobiles and electronic consumer goods Speed of market response to new products is very high Developed extensive skills in design and development rather than in research and development Blends scope and scale whilst investing research and development in the next cluster of innovation rather than on outgoing cluster Clark, P.; Staunton, N.: Innovation in Technology and Organization. London and New York: Routledge 1989

Reasons why innovations fail The reaction of the consumer The dilemma of investment and sale

Felix Wankel‘s rotary engine History Benefits Disadvantages The future of a 50-year-old innovation

History Felix Wankel opened his own research establishment in 1930, at the age of 28 In 1951 he began working with the research department of the NSU Motorenwerk AG at Neckarsulm In 1955 he completed the design of a rotary-piston engine In 1963 Mazda began to develop the world‘s first mass production rotary engine On May 30th, 1967, Mazda began selling the world‘s first two-rotor rotary engine car, the Cosmo Sport http://www.mazdarx8.co.uk/rotary/rotarydetail.asp?documentid=1332

Rotary Engine vs. 4-stroke piston engine intake, compression, combustion and exhaust take place in different sections of its housing No linear motion to convert. Pressure is contained in chambers created by different areas of the housing and convex faces of a triangular rotor. As combustion occurs the rotor is immediately made to turn thus reducing vibration and increasing potential engine revs. one cylinder does four different jobs: Intake, compression, combustion and exhaust Expansion pressure created by burning of the fuel-air mixture forces pistons to move back and forth inside of cylinders. Connecting rods and a crankshaft then convert this linear movement into rotational motion required to drive the car. http://www.mazdarx8.co.uk/rotary/rotarydetail.asp?documentid=1334

Benefits Lighter weight Smaller size Lower vibration Higher power Higher reliability http://www.mazdarx8.co.uk/rotary/rotarydetail.asp?documentid=1265

Disadvantages Yet no diesel-driven engine possible High emissions

The future of a 50-year-old innovation In 2003 Mazda presented the RX-8 with a new rotary engine called RENESIS and won the Engine of the year award 2003 In February 2003 the Wankel Super Tec GmbH (WST) was established in Cottbus WST is about to develop a rotary engine which is driven by diesel fuel AUTOStraßenverkehr, Heft 6, 12. März 2004, p. 70 - 73

Conclusion Some innovations have to wait until their time has come The more flexible the consumers get, the faster may the introduction of an innovation take place