Title: Technical innovation and organisational opportunity

Authors: Elizabeth Garnsey, Stephen M. Wright

Addresses: Lecturer, Manufacturing Division, Department of Engineering, Cambridge University, UK. ' Manufacturing Technology Manager, British Aerospace (Commercial Aircraft) Ltd, Comet Way, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, ALl0 9TL, UK

Abstract: Organisational innovation is needed to facilitate technological innovation. This paper explores the obstacles to innovation in large organisations and argues for widespread recourse to smaller organisational units to stimulate innovation. A solution is proposed to organisational problems of promoting innovation identified in the paper; this involves the circulation of key personnel in innovation teams capable of crossing institutional barriers between large companies, academic departments and small high-technology firms. The authors| analysis of the innovation process questions whether, in the development of new technologies, pre-competitive and |near-market| research are as distinct and separable as is assumed by those framing current funding policies. They raise the question of whether policies aimed at economies of scale in R&D may in certain cases fail to promote organisational conditions conducive to innovation.

Keywords: R&D management; technical innovation; organisational innovation; technology transfer; spin-off companies; research and development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1990.025849

International Journal of Technology Management, 1990 Vol.5 No.3, pp.267 - 291

Published online: 25 May 2009 *

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