Developing an integrated technology roadmapping process to meet regional technology planning needs: the e-bike pilot study

Smart grid is a promising class of new technologies offering many potential benefits for electric utility systems, including possibilities for smart appliances which can communicate with power systems and help to better match supply and demand. Additional services include the ability to\ud better integrate growing supplies of renewable energy and perform a variety of value-added services on the grid. However, a number of challenges exist in order to achieving these benefits.\ud Many utility systems have substantial regulatory structures that make business processes and technology innovation substantially different than in other industries. Due to complex histories regarding regulatory and deregulatory efforts, and due to what some economists consider natural monopoly characteristics in the industry, such regulatory structures are unlikely to change in the immediate future. Therefore, innovation within these industries, including the development of\ud smart grid, will require an understanding of such regulatory and policy frameworks, development of appropriate business models, and adaptation of technologies to fit these emerging requirements. Technology Roadmapping may be a useful method of planning this type of future development within the smart grid sector, but such technology roadmaps would require a high level of integrated thinking regarding technology, business, and regulatory and policy considerations. This research provides an initial examination of the process for creating such a type of integrated technology roadmapping and assessment process. This research proposes to build upon previous research in the Pacific Northwest and create a more robust technology planning process that will allow key variables to be tested and different pathways to be explored

Design methodologies for space systems in a System of Systems (SoS) architecture

L'abstract è presente nell'allegato / the abstract is in the attachmen

A Conceptual Foresight Model to Investigate the Adoption of Radio Frequency Identification Technology in the English National Health Service

Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID) adoption in healthcare settings has the potential to reduce errors, improve patient safety, streamline operational processes and enable the sharing of information throughout supply chains. RFID adoption in the English NHS is limited to isolated pilot studies. Firstly, this study investigates the drivers and inhibitors to RFID adoption in the English NHS from the perspective of the GS1 Healthcare User Group (HUG) tasked with coordinating adoption across private and public sectors. Secondly a conceptual model has been developed and deployed, combining two of foresight’s most popular methods; scenario planning and technology roadmapping. The model addresses the weaknesses of each foresight technique as well as capitalizing on their individual, inherent strengths. Semi structured interviews, scenario planning workshops and a technology roadmapping exercise were conducted with the members of the HUG over an 18-month period. An action research mode of enquiry was utilized with a thematic analysis approach for the identification and discussion of the drivers and inhibitors of RFID adoption. The results of the conceptual model are analysed in comparison to other similar models. There are implications for managers responsible for RFID adoption in both the NHS and its commercial partners, and for foresight practitioners. Managers can leverage the insights gained from identifying the drivers and inhibitors to RFID adoption by making efforts to influence the removal of inhibitors and supporting the continuation of the drivers. The academic contribution of this aspect of the thesis is in the field of RFID adoption in healthcare settings. Drivers and inhibitors to RFID adoption in the English NHS are compared to those found in other settings. The implication for technology foresight practitioners is a proof of concept of a model combining scenario planning and technology roadmapping using a novel process. The academic contribution to the field of technology foresight is the conceptual development of foresight model that combines two popular techniques and then a deployment of the conceptual foresight model in a healthcare setting exploring the future of RFID technology

Assessment of innovation ecosystems for technology roadmapping at firm level

RÉSUMÉ: L'environnement économique n'est plus le même et sa complexité évolue à une vitesse défiante aux entreprises basées sur la technologie. Même les entreprises non technologiques souffrent indirectement des conséquences du changement technologique et social. La relation entre les acteurs du marché est plus dynamique, elle est “en ligne”. En quelques secondes, les informations stratégiques peuvent être entre les mains d'un concurrent d'un simple clic sur un bouton de la souris. De nos jours la façon dont nous envisageons la concurrence de points de vue industriels, sectoriels ou des clusters a ses limites ignorent de nombreux aspects commerciaux tels que la valeur capturée des relations informelles des acteurs sociaux, la coévolution entre entreprises concurrentes, les communautés sociales créant de la valeur pour les entreprises et autres qui montrent l'obsolescence de ces perspectives et des outils associés. Depuis le travail fondateur de James Moore intitulé “The Death of Competition” publié au début des années 90, on a beaucoup conjecturé sur la “nouvelle” innovation. Selon Moore, nous nous trouvons dans un scénario où la frontière de l'entreprise n'a aucune signification, mais son interaction intense avec d'autres acteurs indique sa capacité à innover dans un lieu appelé “écosystème de l’innovation”. Ce lieu est l'endroit où l'innovation a son importance grâce à un flux continu de connaissances qui capturent et créent de la valeur pour le client. Tout cela est articulé à travers des modèles commerciaux ouverts impliqués dans les interactions entre tous les acteurs participant à l'écosystème. Mais comment cartographier un écosystème, ses relations? Ses modèles d'affaires? Et surtout, comment identifier et évaluer ses stratégies bénéficiant uniquement aux entreprises et aux acteurs qui intègrent ce lieu ? Ces questions constituent cette recherche. Dans notre revue de littérature, nous identifions “l’état de l’art” des écosystèmes d'innovation (article 1). Pour comprendre les aspects empiriques de ce nouveau lieu d'innovation, nous avons développé une analyse de terrain à travers des tests, des conjectures précédentes, des comparaisons et une évaluation des résultats trouvés (article 2). En identifiant les concepts par l'observation sur le terrain et une revue littéraire systématique, nous avons développé un outil d'analyse pour l'évaluation de l'écosystème de l'innovation intégrée à la planification stratégique technologique (article 3). Les considérations de cette expérience sont partagées dans la section de discussion générale de la thèse et la dernière section concerne nos conclusions. Cette section identifie les principales contributions de la recherche entreprise par les limitations de la recherche, mais aussi les opportunités à saisir pour la recherche future dans le domaine de l'innovation technologique.----------ABSTRACT: The economic environment is no longer the same and its complexity changes at a challenging speed for technology-based companies. Even non-technological companies suffer in some indirect way the results of technological and social change. The relationship between market players is more dynamic, it is “online”. In a few seconds, strategic information can be in the hands of the opponent with just a click on the mouse button. Nowadays, the way we view competition from industrial, sectoral or cluster perspectives has its limitations and ignores many business aspects like the captured value from informal relationships of social actors, the co-evolution between competing companies, the social communities creating value for companies and others that show the obsolete of these perspectives and related tools. Since James Moore's seminal work entitled “The Death of Competition” published in the early 1990s, much has been conjectured about the “new” innovation. According to Moore, we are inside of a scenario where the frontier of the firm has no significance but its intense interaction with other actors indicates its ability to innovate in a locus named the “innovation ecosystem”. This locus is where innovation takes place through the continuous flow of knowledge that captures and creates value for the customer. All of this is articulated through open business models involved in interactions between all actors participating in the ecosystem. But how to map an ecosystem, its relationships? its business models? And above all how to identify and assess its strategies benefiting only the companies and actors that integrate this locus. These issues make up this research. In our literature review, we identify the “state of the art” of innovation ecosystems (article 1). To understand the empirical aspects of this new locus of innovation, we develop a grounded analysis and speculations by testing, comparing and evaluating the results found (article 2). By identifying constructs through field observation and a systematic evidence literary review we developed an analytical tool for assessment of innovation ecosystem integrated with technological strategic planning (article 3). The considerations of this experience are shared in the general discussion chapter of the thesis, and the final chapter is concerning our conclusions. This chapter identifies the main contributions of the research undertaken by research limitations but also opportunities to be taken in future research in the field of technology innovation