Managing technological leaps : a study of DEC's Alpha Design Team

48 Pages·1993·1.3 MB·English

by  Katz, Ralph

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ManagingTechnological Leaps:
AStudyofDEC'SAlphaDesignTeam
RalphKatz*
April 1993 WP#87-93
RevisedJime 1993
INTERNATIONAL CENTER
FOR RESEARCH ON
MANAGEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Sloan School of Management
Cambridge, Massachusetts

The International Center for Research
on the Management of Technology
ManagingTechnological Leaps:
AStudyofDEC'SAlphaDesignTeam
RalphKatz*
WP#
April 1993 87-93
RevisedJune 1993
SloanWP# 3557-93
* NortheasternUniversityandM.I.T.
TobepublishedinResearchAdvances inOrganizationalChange
andDevelopment. JAIPress, Volume 7, 1993
© 1993MassachusettsInstituteofTechnology
Sloan School of Management
MassachusettsInstitute ofTechnology
38Memorial Drive,E56-390
MA
Cambridge, 02139-4307

ABSTRACT
RifeD organizationsarealways trying to makethosecritical 'leaps' in technology thatwill
give theirproducts significantcompetitiveadvantages in the marketplace. Thedilemmais
notin identifyingwhatthesepossibilities mightbe, butingetting thebusiness organization to
committooneofthemwhilethereis stillconsiderable uncertainty as to whetherthey have
chosen the 'right' path orits feasibility. Thedevelopmentofthe AlphachipatDigital shows
how a maverickgroup oftechnologistswasabletoovercome management's initial
cancellation ofitseffortsandbuildthepoliticalbasethatallowedthem toachievetheir
significanttechnicaladvances. Only when theteamlearned tointegratetheirtechnical goals
with thecompany's strategic business interestswere they successful at shifting management's
attention from relying on their 'core' technology to relyingon promised, butunproven,
advancements inamuch less familiartechnology.