Papers by James Utterback
Long Range Planning, Dec 1, 1995
International Journal of Innovation Management, Mar 1, 2005
In honour of the late Keith Pavitt, we introduce this Special Issue of International Journal of I... more In honour of the late Keith Pavitt, we introduce this Special Issue of International Journal of Innovation Management. We discuss the impact of Pavitt's work in technology and innovation on the management field. He showed empirically a number of core principles of technological change and knowledge, and how these affected managerial and organisational tasks. His influence is indicated by his publication channels, citations to his work and the other authors with whom he was cited. Pavitt had signalled several themes for future research in the management of technology and innovation. This introduction explains how the articles of this special issue make contributions to all these ongoing research agendas.
Design-Inspired Innovation, 2006
Design-Inspired Innovation, 2006
Design-Inspired Innovation, 2006
Design-Inspired Innovation, 2006
Design-Inspired Innovation, 2006
Design-Inspired Innovation, 2006
What makes products great? What is the role of design firms in creativity and innovation, and how... more What makes products great? What is the role of design firms in creativity and innovation, and how is this role changing? What accounts for design firms' successes? How is the process of innovation and design changing? Does this differ between products and services? This paper reports the results of a study undertaken by the author and six others to address such questions, and is based on interviews of the founders of nearly one-hundred design firms in four countries and several industries. The sample ranged from three divisions of the largest international design firm to some of the smallest and newest ones. Manufacturers are responding to changes in technology and market demands by trying to introduce new products into the market more rapidly. They are struggling with new technologies and converging technologies that are creating opportunities for development of whole new product categories and for the entry of new types of competitors. While larger firms enjoy great resources in technology and science, these resources seem to be growing more available and open to all. There is also a growing richness of variety in the component supply environment, which enables greater creativity, combination and variety at the system level, but at the same time also widens competition; doubly so when new materials and software capabilities are considered. The innovation process seems to be becoming more networked, involving a greater number of actors including users, design firms and suppliers. The spread of roles across boundaries appears to be aided and abetted by open standards and increasing use of open source innovation processes. There is greater availability of a widening variety of sophisticated design tools such as computer aided design, simulation and visualization techniques, conferring innovative capabilities on smaller groups and organizations. In addition to the industrial design services they historically offered, many design firms are now providing turnkey services for new products and even entire product lines. That is they are more actively providing material and component choices and sources and marketing concepts to manufacturers in addition to product designs. We conclude that to be successful today products must be distinguished by more than sufficient function, consistent quality and low costs. A few of the welter of products in the market seem to account for the bulk of sales and profits in many categories. We believe that these examples emphasize customer delight, elegance and enduring value. They may even acquire increasing value over time. Our findings and examples imply that much competitive advantage might be gained by reconsidering traditional products with a fresh eye and approach using newer materials and design techniques.
Design-Inspired Innovation, 2006
Design-Inspired Innovation, 2006
Research Policy, Feb 1, 1988
15 Technology and industrial innovation in Sweden: A study of technologybased firms formed betwee... more 15 Technology and industrial innovation in Sweden: A study of technologybased firms formed between 196 Od 1980 James M. UTTERBACK Industrial Liaison Program, School of Engineerm Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 01139, USA. ik ME ER College of ...
IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 1995
Proponents of time-based competition argue that a firm will be most successful if its development... more Proponents of time-based competition argue that a firm will be most successful if its development times are shorter and products generated faster than its competitors. Intensive research in one firm shows that rapid development times are not correlated with expected commercial success, and that forcing rapid development when technological and market uncertainties are high may produce failure. Difficulties in technology integration, which occur when multiple core technologies must be combined, slow the speed of developing new products. New channels of distribution will also extend the time required to develop and bring new products to market. Shortened cycle times may be associated with commercial success, but to pursue reduced cycle time in isolation from underlying organizational and technical foundations will not lead to improved performance. These foundations include the longer term development and renewal of functional product architectures and manufacturing processes from which specific products can be efficiently and rapidly synthesized, as well as a product planning and control system that reaches beyond single product, single period thinking. Without these, the effort to drive down cycle time may drive the firm out of business.
IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 1976
The study examines the relationship between outside influences and the firm's innovation proc... more The study examines the relationship between outside influences and the firm's innovation process. A sample of commercially successful and unsuccessful R&D projects of a number of firms is discussed in terms of diverse market, resource, technical and organizational factors. The stimulus for a project, the sources of ideas used and the influences of competition and regulatory constraints were expected to vary among industries, and these differences are described. The authors suggest that their findings might be understood based on the evolution of a business from one having initially fluid and independent product and process technologies to one having a highly automated process technology designed for a specific standard product. Consequently, the relationship between product and process will shape and constrain the firm's ability to innovate in response to a changing environment.
RePEc: Research Papers in Economics, 1992
RePEc: Research Papers in Economics, 1992
Uploads
Papers by James Utterback