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Review from Last Week We discussed the History of Diffusion Research Can you name some traditions in diffusion research? Anthropology, Early Sociology, Rural Sociology, Education, Public Health and Medical Sociology, Communication, Marketing and Management, Geography, General Sociology Can you name some types of diffusion research? Earliness of knowing about innovations, Rate of adoption of different innovations in a social system, Innovativeness, Opinion leadership, Diffusion networks, Rate of adoption in different social systems, Communication channel usage, Consequences of an innovation What are four problems/criticisms of diffusion research? Pro-innovation Bias, Individual Blame Bias, Recall Problem, Issue of Equality

The Generations of Innovations The Innovation Development Process

Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door. Ralph Waldo Emerson The fundamental impulse that sets and keeps the capitalist engine in motion comes from the consumer’s goods, the new methods of production or transportation, the new markets, the new forms of industrial organization that capitalist enterprise creates. Joseph A. Schumpeter, Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy (1950), p. 117

Objectives Discuss the steps in the innovation development process Analyze examples related to each step in the innovation development process Discuss the impact of innovations on socioeconomic status and equality Describe tracer studies and future research questions related to the innovation development process Analyze the agricultural extension model and its impact on the innovation development process

Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process Needs/Problem Research Development Commercialization Diffusion and Adoption Consequences Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process The Innovation Development Process consists of all the decisions, activities, and their impacts that occur from recognition of a need or problem, through research, development, and commercialization of an innovation, through diffusion and adoption of the innovation by users to its consequences

Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process Needs/Problem Research Development Commercialization Diffusion and Adoption Consequences Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process

1) Recognizing a Need/Problem Scientists may perceive a future problem and launch research to develop a solution Hard tomato varieties A problem or need may rise to high priority on a system’s agenda Automobile Safety

Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process Needs/Problem Research Development Commercialization Diffusion and Adoption Consequences Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process

2) Basic and Applied Research Technology is a design for instrumental action that reduces the uncertainty in the cause-effect relationships involved in achieving a desired outcome. Basic Research is an original investigation for the advancement of scientific knowledge and that do not have a specific objective of applying this knowledge to a practical problem. Applied Research consists of scientific investigations that are intended to solve practical problems. Serendipity is the accidental discovery of a new idea. Examples of Serendipity: Post its, Penicillin, DDT, Text Messages

Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process Needs/Problem Research Development Commercialization Diffusion and Adoption Consequences Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process

3) Development Development of an innovation is the process of putting a new idea in a form that is expected to meet the needs of an audience of potential adopters. Skunkworks is a mall and often subversive unit within a larger organization that is often created in order to pioneer the development of technological innovation; it is a specially enriched environment that is intended to help a small group of individuals design a new idea by escaping routine organizational procedures. Examples of Skunkworks: Toshiba Laptop and Macintosh Computer

More on development… Technology Transfer is the application of information to use. Americans have led Japan in creating technological innovations; but Japanese firms have been more effective in transferring this technology into commercial products that were manufactured with higher quality at a lower price. American firms have had to learn to do a better job of technology transfer. Example: The VCR is an illustration of the inadequacies of American-style technology transfer

Levels of Technological Transfer Knowledge– The receptor knows about the technological innovation Use– The receptor has put the technology into use in his or her organization. This is much more complex than just knowing about the technology. Commercialization– The receptor has commercialized the technology into a product that is sold in the marketplace. For this to occur, a great deal of time and resources must be invested. Technology Transfer is difficult because we have underestimated just how much effort is required for transfer to occur effectively. Example: Failure of Technology Transfer at Xerox

Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process Needs/Problem Research Development Commercialization Diffusion and Adoption Consequences Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process

4) commercialization Commercialization is the production, manufacturing, packaging, marketing, and distribution of a product that embodies an innovation. Commercialization is the conversion of an idea from research into a product or service for sale in the marketplace. Example: Innovations created by Lead Users—Beckman Instruments (page 143)

Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process Needs/Problem Research Development Commercialization Diffusion and Adoption Consequences Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process

5) Diffusion and Adoption Innovation Gatekeeping is controlling whether or not an innovation is diffused to an audience of potential adopters. Issues in Releasing Too Early: reputation, credibility, beneficial consequences, unintended consequences Examples: Experiment Stations in Agriculture, Consensus Development Panels in Health, Clinical Trials in the FDA

Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process Needs/Problem Research Development Commercialization Diffusion and Adoption Consequences Six Main Stages of the Innovation Development Process

6) Consequences Consequences are changes that occur to an individual or social system as a result of the adoption or rejection of an innovation. Socioeconomic Status, Equality, and Innovation Development— What are the possible unintended consequences of innovations? Examples: Toshiba Laptops, Hard Tomatoes in California

Tracing the Innovation Development Process Tracer studies generally show that major technological advancement in a field requires not just one innovation, but a cluster of innovations. For example, the heart pacemaker was an innovation cluster that relied upon prior inventions of transistors, compact batteries, etc. There is often a lot of time between development of an innovation and the subsequent impact, twenty five years for hybrid corn; thirteen for insecticides. Oftentimes it is serendipity that leads to innovations, not applied research.

Future Research on the Innovation Development Process Look at pp 164-165. What types of questions might we ask related to the innovation development process? Future Research on the Innovation Development Process

Pulling it all Together… The Agricultural Extension Model An integrated system for the innovation development process Research subsystem of professors—develop new methods and ideas to solve problems in the state County extension agents– Change agents who work at the local level and are known by local people State extension specialists– Link the researchers to the county agents

The Land Grant University System Federal Legislation created this system: Morrill Land Grant of 1862– Gave land to each state to create a public university for the “common man.” Texas A&M University is the land grant university in Texas. A list of others can be found here. Hatch Act of 1887– Created experiment stations to focus on research in areas like agriculture and engineering. Smith-Lever Act of 1914—Created the extension service to communicate research from universities and experiment stations to the common people.

The Land Grant University System People of the State Experiment Station Extension Service

Overview Discussed the steps in the innovation development process Analyzed examples related to each step in the innovation development process Discussed the impact of innovations on socioeconomic status and equality Described tracer studies and future research questions related to the innovation development process Analyzed the agricultural extension model and its impact on the innovation development process

Summary/Reminders Today we analyzed the innovation development process and discussed examples related to each step. Next week we will have a special guest, Yakut Gazi, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Engineering Remote Education from the Dwight Look College of Engineering will be here to discuss technology enhanced advising tools and change management. We will also discuss Chapter 5, The Innovation Decision Process. Please email a link/attachment to the paper you will use for your Research Review and Reflection. We will not meet on October 13.

Questions about your innovation project Questions about your innovation project? Oct 20 these will be presented by Angela, Marie, Lauren, Matt, and Ely. Identify one innovation in a business, industry, or educational context. Visit the entity where the innovation occurred. Interview people impacted by the innovation and take pictures to document your work. Describe the characteristics of the innovation and analyze the innovation from the perspective of the Innovation Development and Decision Process. Were there road blocks to adoption for this innovation? Why was adopted? What problems did it solve? You will present to your classmates in 10-15 minutes. You will turn in a PowerPoint/Prezi with all of the above content included with pictures, 10- 15 slides.

Questions about your Change Engagement Activity Questions about your Change Engagement Activity? Nov 3: Kristen, Marie, Amber, Justin Each of you will have the opportunity to engage our class in an activity of your choosing. The activity should be aimed at “change” broadly defined. It could focus on culture, innovations, conflict, or related material. You will have 10-15 minutes to engage our class in your activity. The activity will be graded based on engagement of your audience, desired outcome/learning achieved, and reinforcement/connection to the concepts discussed in ALEC 640. Need some examples? Visit these websites: http://workshopbank.com/change-management-activities http://www.isixsigma.com/training/training-materials-aids/change-game-engaging-exercises-teach-change/ http://quixoteconsulting.com/teambuilding_descrip/change_up.html