Managing the Innovation Process Technical Communication Overview • Take-Away • Required Readings • Supplemental Readings • Caveats 2 Take-Away • Innovation can be fostered in R&D labs • Innovation is driven by scientists and engineers • Innovation requires organizational boundary roles • Innovation benefits from technical communication 3 (Allen, 1977) • “Managing the flow of technology – Chapter 3: The communication system in technology: An overview” • Scientists vs Engineers (learning for learning’s sake vs professional preparation) • Science vs Technology (literature-based knowledge vs firm-based knowledge) • Gap-Filling Science (reduce delay of technical communication between science and technology) 4 (Tushman, 1977) • “Special boundary roles in the innovation process” • Boundary Roles (link internal network to external sources of information) • Internal Communication Stars (consulted most frequently on technical matters) • Two-Step Process (technical staff communicate with internal stars, who in turn communicate outside of the organization) 5 (Ebadi & Utterback, 1984) • “The effects of communication on technological innovation” • Technological Innovation (projects funded by National Sea Grant Office) • Researcher Communication (higher individual frequency of communication across projects associated with greater project success) • Project Centrality (higher project centrality scores associated with greater project success) 6 (Pelz & Andrews, 1966) • “Scientists in organizations: Productive climates for research and development – Chapter 3: Communication” • R&D Labs (services/equipment or interacting scientists?) • Effective Scientists (sought and received more contact with colleagues) • Controlling for… (experience, supervisory status, PhD, and lab type) 7 (Sosa, Eppinger, et al. (2002) • “Factors that influence technical communication in distributed product development” • Communication Drivers (interdependence, organizational bond) • Communication Barriers (physical distance, overlapping time, cultural differences) • Communication Media (preferences shift depending on physical distance) 8 Caveats • How are scientists and engineers similar? • When are boundary roles counter-productive? • What if nobody wants to communicate with you? • Does the content of communication differ by media? 9