We recently discussed Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Trade Secrets in our class. We have also discussed the strategic importance of each. We learned from our guest speaker that there is quite a backlog at the patent office.
We have also discussed collaboration, and the importance of collaboration to innovation. One of the tools for collaboration is the WIKI
A recent article in FORTUNE entitled: "Patent Review Goes WIKI" suggested that one of the ways to reduce the backlog is to use a WIKI. MICROSOFT and IBM both endorse the concept according to the article.
What do you think of the concept?
What is your favorite use of a WIKI?
What do you think about using WIKIs for Innovation?
Gene A. Wright
Friday, November 10, 2006
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Web access for autos goes on the road
This posting was contributed by a student who could not make it to class. Thank you Mike.
We have been talking about new technology and its adoption as well as challenges. This article introduces us to an inevitable innovation which is Web Access for Autos.
Web Access for Autos
The article goes on to talk about the fact that 14% of prospective drivers under 30 are looking for web and email access in their car. The article promises "explosive changes". Humm.
Whare are some of the challenges with introducing this technology?
Anything GOOGLE should introduce for this application? GOOGLE AUTO?
Gene A. Wright
We have been talking about new technology and its adoption as well as challenges. This article introduces us to an inevitable innovation which is Web Access for Autos.
Web Access for Autos
The article goes on to talk about the fact that 14% of prospective drivers under 30 are looking for web and email access in their car. The article promises "explosive changes". Humm.
Whare are some of the challenges with introducing this technology?
Anything GOOGLE should introduce for this application? GOOGLE AUTO?
Gene A. Wright
Trademarks
Trademarks
This week we will be talking about trademarks as well as other intellectual property. Seth Godin has written a blog post regarding "What every entrepreneur, geek, brand manager and marketer needs to know about trademarks...".
Yes, the article does talk about the iPod[TM]as we have in class. He also goes on to discuss a number of other common terms as well.
How important are trademarks?
Where do you think decisions on trademarks should be made in the innovation process?
Gene A. Wright
This week we will be talking about trademarks as well as other intellectual property. Seth Godin has written a blog post regarding "What every entrepreneur, geek, brand manager and marketer needs to know about trademarks...".
Yes, the article does talk about the iPod[TM]as we have in class. He also goes on to discuss a number of other common terms as well.
How important are trademarks?
Where do you think decisions on trademarks should be made in the innovation process?
Gene A. Wright
Monday, October 16, 2006
GOOGLE's New Product Process
An article in Business Week gives us some insight into GOOGLE's New Product Development process.
The article "Inside GOOGLE's New Product Process" talks a bit about strategy as well as some ideas about what might be next.
What do you think?
Are they effective at developing new products? What makes it effective, or not?
What are the Lessons Learned?
Gene A. Wright
The article "Inside GOOGLE's New Product Process" talks a bit about strategy as well as some ideas about what might be next.
What do you think?
Are they effective at developing new products? What makes it effective, or not?
What are the Lessons Learned?
Gene A. Wright
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Open Innovation and Collaborative Development
Open Innovation is getting "in the news" once again, mostly because it seems, because of "Open Source. The concept however, has been around for a while.
This McKinsey Quarterly article "Creation nets: Getting the most from Open Innovation" talks about a number of examples as well as a bit of the history. NOTE: You may need to register for a newsletter to read this article.
We can also learn a bit more about "Open Innovation" from the PDMA Blog. In fact, PDMA's Blog has a category on Open Innovation.
What do you think about "Open Innovation"?
Do you see "Open Innovation" growing in concept and usage, or rather, do you see it falling from favor because of the "security" and IP issues? Why?
Gene A. Wright
This McKinsey Quarterly article "Creation nets: Getting the most from Open Innovation" talks about a number of examples as well as a bit of the history. NOTE: You may need to register for a newsletter to read this article.
We can also learn a bit more about "Open Innovation" from the PDMA Blog. In fact, PDMA's Blog has a category on Open Innovation.
What do you think about "Open Innovation"?
Do you see "Open Innovation" growing in concept and usage, or rather, do you see it falling from favor because of the "security" and IP issues? Why?
Gene A. Wright
GOOGLE's Position on Making Design Simple
Forbes' article entiltled "GOOGLE's Simple Life" discusses their plans for growth in terms of products and services, however, they approach the design of their interfaces and products as "easy to use".
What do you thik of this design philosophy?
How will GOOGLE fare?
Gene A. Wright
What do you thik of this design philosophy?
How will GOOGLE fare?
Gene A. Wright
Strategic Brand Building and Product Development
Check out this posting regarding the alliance between APPLE, MOTOROLA, DISNEY, and Cingular. (The title above is the link)
What do you think of these companies as collaborators in Product Development?
How strategic is this?
Why can this work?
Why might it not work?
Gene A. Wright
What do you think of these companies as collaborators in Product Development?
How strategic is this?
Why can this work?
Why might it not work?
Gene A. Wright
Saturday, September 30, 2006
iPod's Closed System
One of the big questions a Technology Strategist needs to ask and answer is if they want their product or service for that matter, to be part of a "closed" or "open" system.
An article in FORTUNE by Devin Leonard entitled "The Player" talks about the decisions that APPLE has made related to this topic.
APPLE is famous for its closed system decisions. The article states (March 20, 2006) that iPod now has 73% of the market. A number estimated by Fulcrum Global Partners.
The iTunes and iPod system has been a tremendous success.
What do you think about "closed" systems?
Gene A. Wright
An article in FORTUNE by Devin Leonard entitled "The Player" talks about the decisions that APPLE has made related to this topic.
APPLE is famous for its closed system decisions. The article states (March 20, 2006) that iPod now has 73% of the market. A number estimated by Fulcrum Global Partners.
The iTunes and iPod system has been a tremendous success.
What do you think about "closed" systems?
Gene A. Wright
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Disney Videos Via iTunes
A student in our class as sent me a "snipette" as a follow-up to the factoid and discussion that iTunes is now selling Disney Videos. A news story "Disney Sells Films Through iTunes Store" tells us that "they have already sold 125,000 Disney videos and generated a million dollars in a week."
The story tells us that "Disney expects revenue of $50 million in the first year from its iTunes partnership".
Is this a trend in "strategic technology partnerships"?
Should this kind of activity be part of a Strategic Technology Plan?
Gene A. Wright
The story tells us that "Disney expects revenue of $50 million in the first year from its iTunes partnership".
Is this a trend in "strategic technology partnerships"?
Should this kind of activity be part of a Strategic Technology Plan?
Gene A. Wright
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Design and Innovation
As we discuss the "sources of innovation" we often wonder where do the innovative ideas and designs come from. We often think of APPLE and that one of their core competencies is design. A Business Week article in September 25, 2006 issue called "The Man behind Apple's Design Magic" introduces us to Johnathan Ive, APPLE Senior Vice President for Industrial Design. The article also talks about Steve Jobs as one of "Apple's most unique weapons". Also it states that "design can be a valid business model".
What do you think?
Is APPLE better at "design" and innovation than their competitors?
What is the role of "Job's high standards"?
You also might find the "slide show" ("An Ive for Design")in the article context interesting.
Another interesting link is to "Why you love your iPod".
Gene A. Wright
What do you think?
Is APPLE better at "design" and innovation than their competitors?
What is the role of "Job's high standards"?
You also might find the "slide show" ("An Ive for Design")in the article context interesting.
Another interesting link is to "Why you love your iPod".
Gene A. Wright
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Outsourcing, Design? Engineering?
One of the hot topics in technology management is the subject of "outsourcing" often used as a synomyn for "off-shoring". They are NOT the same. However, the topic is a hot one because of its political, economic, and emotional factors. However, from a strategic standpoint, outsourcing (functions that are NOT one of our core competencies) is a highly viable and hugely effective strategic option. The article, "How to Be an Outsourcing Virtuoso" has a number of ideas worthy of discussion, especially after reading "The World is Flat".
What do you think of Outsourcing as a strategic option?
What elements of a "technology strategy" would we consider for outsourcing?
What elements of a "technology strategy" would you NOT consider? Why?
Gene A. Wright
What do you think of Outsourcing as a strategic option?
What elements of a "technology strategy" would we consider for outsourcing?
What elements of a "technology strategy" would you NOT consider? Why?
Gene A. Wright
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
The "Flat" World and Innovation
Thomas Friedman has some very interesting thoughts on globalization and in his words, the "flattening" of the earth. His book, "The World is Flat" discusses a number of concepts that pertain to the spread of innovation as well as the globalization of technology and competition.
Wired Magazine has a summary that presents some of the concepts in an article "Why the World is Flat".
What do you think about these concepts?
How do they apply to the subject of "Technological Innovation"?
Is the world becomming flat, or is it already?
Gene A. Wright
Wired Magazine has a summary that presents some of the concepts in an article "Why the World is Flat".
What do you think about these concepts?
How do they apply to the subject of "Technological Innovation"?
Is the world becomming flat, or is it already?
Gene A. Wright
Saturday, September 09, 2006
APPLE iPod and Design
Apple iPod and iTunes is forgive me, a "fruitful" discussion in many ways. Design, and the importance of differentiated design can be HUGE when it comes to the success of a new product platform. By the way, is iPod/iTunes a service or a product?
The linked article from FAST COMPANY "FASTER TALK: Apple in their eyes", a number of people discuss the impact of design, the iPod, simplicity, quality, "out cooling" the competition etc.
What do you think? How important is design? How important is cool? Can any product be only a product, or is everything a service?
Gene A. Wright
The linked article from FAST COMPANY "FASTER TALK: Apple in their eyes", a number of people discuss the impact of design, the iPod, simplicity, quality, "out cooling" the competition etc.
What do you think? How important is design? How important is cool? Can any product be only a product, or is everything a service?
Gene A. Wright
Apple iPod Patents Fail
We often discuss platform developments. The APPLE iPod and iTunes platform are a great discussion topic because of the may dimensions of product/service development we can approach.
One of the areas to discuss is protecting innovation. In the article "Apple Fails in Patenting iPod Technology", we can see the hyper-competitive arena these titans are competing in, and how difficult it may be to protect innovation.
What are your thoughts on protecting innovation? What should APPLE have done? Why was MICROSOFT successful? Did APPLE actually "fail"?
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Gene A. Wright
One of the areas to discuss is protecting innovation. In the article "Apple Fails in Patenting iPod Technology", we can see the hyper-competitive arena these titans are competing in, and how difficult it may be to protect innovation.
What are your thoughts on protecting innovation? What should APPLE have done? Why was MICROSOFT successful? Did APPLE actually "fail"?
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Gene A. Wright
Friday, September 08, 2006
Welcome to Strategic Technology Management
This Blog will be used to discuss issues related to Strategic Technology Management. The postings will be used to spur discussion related to our classroom topics. Everyone is welcome to comment to the postings. Only those postings that are thoughtful and serious will be published.
We will be using a textbook for this class. The text, "Strategic Management of Technological Innovation" written by Melissa A. Schilling has a great outline and wonderful content related to this subject.
The issues posted will not necessarily follow the outline of the text or the class syllabus. Where possible, they will be used to illustrate or apply an important concept related to the subject.
Anyone wishing to understand the base subject matter of our discussions need only review the Table of Contents of the text.
Engage and Enjoy.
Gene A. Wright
MSOE
We will be using a textbook for this class. The text, "Strategic Management of Technological Innovation" written by Melissa A. Schilling has a great outline and wonderful content related to this subject.
The issues posted will not necessarily follow the outline of the text or the class syllabus. Where possible, they will be used to illustrate or apply an important concept related to the subject.
Anyone wishing to understand the base subject matter of our discussions need only review the Table of Contents of the text.
Engage and Enjoy.
Gene A. Wright
MSOE
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