Post-Innovation Performance: Technological Development and Competition

312 Pages·1986·29.713 MB·English

by  Luke Georghiou, J. Stanley Metcalfe, Michael Gibbons, Tim Ray, Janet Evans (auth.)

Post-
Innovation
Performance
LUKE GEORGHIOU
J. STANLEY METCALFE
MICHAEL GIBBONS
TIM RAY
JANET EVANS
POST-INNOVATION PERFORMANCE
POST-INNOVATION
PERFORMANCE
Technological Development and Competition
Luke Georghiou
J. Stanley Metcalfe
Michael Gibbons
Tim Ray
Janet Evans
Foreword by
Sir Henry Chi/vel'
~
MACMIllAN
© Luke Georghiou, J. Stanley Metcalfe, Michael Gibbons,
Tim Ray and Janet Evans 1986
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1986 978-0-333-37349-1
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission
of this publication may be made without written permission.
No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied
or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance
with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1956 (as amended).
Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to
this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and
civil claims for damages.
First published 1986
Published by
THE MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 2XS
and London
Companies and representatives
throughout the world
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Post-innovation performance : technological
development and competition.
I. Competition-Great Britain
2. Technological innovations-Great Britain
3. Great Britain-Industries
I. Georghiou, Luke
338.6'048'0941 HD41
ISBN 978-1-349-07457-0 ISBN 978-1-349-07455-6 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-07455-6
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
04 03 02 01 00 99 98 97 96
Contents
List ojTablesand Figures IX
Acknowledgements X
Foreword by Sir Henry Chi/vel' xii
Introduction
PARTI
I WEALTH FROM KNOWLEDGE Revisited 9
1.1 The Queen's Award Study 10
Models ofthe innovation process II
Success in innovation 16
Delay in the innovation process 17
1.2 Some Developments since Wealthfrom Knowledge 21
1.3 Theoretical Inputs 22
Summary 27
References 28
2 CONTINUITY AND COMPETITION IN TECHNO-
LOGICAL DEVELOPMENT 31
2.1 Technological Development 31
Technological regimes 31
Design-configurations 33
Technological trajectories 37
2.2 Competition 38
Technological corridors 40
2.3 The Firm 42
The firm and technological development 44
Summary 46
References 46
vi Contents
3 EMPIRICAL RESULTS 49
3.1 The Approach Used 49
Composition ofthe sample 49
Methodology 52
3.2 Technological Development 54
Incidence of post-innovation improvements 54
The origins of post-innovation improvements 54
Cost reductions 57
Ma~ri~ ~
3.3 Competition 59
Competition between fir.ms with same design
configurations 59
Competition between different design
configurations 60
Changes in relative advantage 64
3.4 The Firm 66
Firm performance 66
Theeffectofthe firm on technological development 67
4 DIFFUSION, SELECTION AND INDUCEMENT IN
THE EVOLUTION OF A TECHNOLOGICAL
REGIME 70
4.1 The Diffusion Mechanism 71
The long-period niche 72
Transition to the niche 73
The secular trend ofdiffusion 76
4.2 The Selection Mechanism 77
Inter-firm differences in process-characteristics 79
Inter-firm differences in product-characteristics 81
Different design configurations 83
A caveat 83
4.3 The Inducement Mechanism 84
Learning, research and development 86
On the co-evolution oftechnology 90
References 91
PARTII CASE-STUDIES
I. Automotive Products: Automatic Transmission Systems 97
2. Bison Concrete: Industrialised Building 105
3. BICC: Continuously Transposed Cable 113
Contents VII
4. Cambridge Instruments:
(A) Stereoscan Electron Microscope 117
(B) Image-Analysing Computer 124
5. DavyMcKee(Sheffield):AutomaticControlofSteelStrip
Thickness 126
6. Flour Milling and Baking Research Association and
Tweedy of Burnley: Chorleywood Bread Process 130
7. Ferranti: Electronic Summation Metering 136
8. Ferranti: Light-weight Inertial Platforms 140
9. Ferranti: Monolithic Microcircuits 146
10. Ferranti: Numerical Control Equipment 156
II. Freeman, Fox & Partners: Severn Bridge Design 164
12. GEC Installation Equipment: Fuses for Semiconductor
Devices 170
13. GEC Telecommunications: Semiconductored Radio
Equipment 176
14. H. S. Marsh and Ethicon: Sterilisation and Irradiation 180
15. Imperial Chemical Industries: 'Procion' Reactive Dyes 187
16. J & S-Stork Pumps: Sealed Motor Pump Units and
Turbine Alternator Units 194
17. Kelvin Hughes: Radar Navigation Aid 198
18. Lambeg Industrial Research Association and McCleery&
L'Arnie: The ATOZ Process 206
19. Lucas Aerospace: Brushless Generators for Aircraft 210
20. The Lucas Electrical Company: High-VoltageTransistors 219
21. Lytag: Light-weight Aggregate from Pulverised Fuel Ash 227
22. TheMarconi Company:The Mark VII Television Camera 233
23. The Martin-Baker Aircraft Company: Aircraft Ejection
~~ ~
24. Mirrlees Blackstone: Large Diesel Engines of Medium
Speed 248
25. Oxford Instruments: High Magnetic Fields and Low
Temperatures 255
26. Plasticisers: Synthetic Material for Cordage 260
27. Renold Power Transmission (Holroyd Machine Tools &
Rotors): Rotor Milling Machines 265
28. Shorts: Seacat Guided Weapon System 269
29. The 600 Group: New Methods of Lathe Manufacturing 274
30. SmithsIndustries:AircraftAutomaticLandingEquipment 279
31. VosperThornycroft(UK) Ltd: Gas-Turbine-Powered Fast
Patrol Boats 284
VIII Contents
32. Beecham Group: New Antibiotics 292
33. Bonas Machine Company: Shuttleless Looms 294
34. Sanders & Forster: Structural Steel Work 295
35. Thorium: Rare Earth Separation 296
Index 299
List of Tables and Figures
TABLES
l.la Type ofinnovation by area oftechnology 13
1.1b Total occurrences in both single and dual types 14
1.2 Relative occurrence of factors of importance in
innovation 16
1.3 Relative occurrence of factors causing delay in
innovation 18
3.1 Classification ofthe case-studies by SIC order 50
3.2 Incidence of post-innovation improvements 53
3.3 Stimulus to improve the technology 55
3.4 Dimensions of technological competition 62
3.5 Survival ofthe Award-winning firms 66
23.1 Post-innovation technological changes inejection seats
at Martin-Baker 244
FIGURES
1.1a Linear model II
1.1b Linear model with feedback 12
2.1 Evolution ofthe technological regime 38
2.2 Technological corridor 42
ix
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the great help provided by
companiesand individualswhichmadethisstudypossible.In particular,
thanksare due to MrW.N.Bainbridgeand Mr D. Killian,Automative
Products; Mr R. J.C. Pugsley and Mr R. Lomas, Bison Concrete; Mr
H. Diamond and Mr T. F. Leadbetter, BICC; Dr W. Henderson and
Mr G. Gardner, Cambridge Instruments; Mr A. Foss and Mr D. W.
Dendle, Davy Mckee (Sheffield); Dr N. Chamberlain, FMBRA; Mr
D. Barker, Tweedy of Burnley; Mr M. Done, CEGB; Messrs H. L.
Harrison, K. R. Brown, D. Nisbett, B. Down, H. Ogden and A.
Armstrong, Ferranti; Dr D. Fisher, Freeman Fox & Partners; Mr E.
Jacksand Mr S. Floyd, GEC Installation Equipment; Mr J. E. Butler,
Dr A. Finney, Mr J. C.Townsend, GEC Telecommunications; Mr R.
Edwards, H. S. Marsh; Mr I. Capperauld, FRCSE, FRCS Glas; Mr
D.A.C. Mackenzie, Ethicon; MrT. Dean, Mr N. D. Steward and Dr
C. V. Stead, ICI; Mr D. Burgoyne and Mr L. G. Waughman, J & S
Stork Pumps; Mr S. R. Parsons and Mr C. Embling, Kelvin Hughes;
Mr R. A. M. Mackinnon, Lamont Holdings; Mr H. A. C.Todd (ret);
Mr R. J.Kennett, Mr B.Parkerand Dr P. Burrows, Lucas Aerospace;
Messrs R. Moult, L. Hughes and P. Markey, Lucas Electrical; Mr P.
K. Jones and Mr W. F. Wright, Lytag; Messrs A. N. Heightman, P.
A.T. Turrall and D.A. Pay, The Marconi Company; Martin F.Wood
MA, DSc, aBE, Oxford Instruments;Mr C. Firth, Plasticisers; Mr R.
S. Ransom and Mr J. Foy, Shorts; Mr P. A. Long, CBE, The 600
Group; Mr C. H. Bardon and Mr R. Ashforth, Smiths Industries; Mr
A. Doreyand MrsC.Whent, VosperThorneycroft; Mr M.J. Cahalan,
aBE, FEng, FIMM, (formerly Rio Tinto-Zinc); and to the many
others who helped us, including those who preferred to remain
anonymous. We would like to make it clear that matters of fact and
opinion are based on the authors' impressions and do not necessarily
represent the views of the named individuals or their companies.
Thanks are also due to Jim Keane who did some background work
for the ICI case-study, Bobby Georghiou for wrestling with our
x