The Aero Engine Industry exhibits many characteristics of Rothwell’s 5th generation innovation process, including collaborations and industry networks. In addition to fostering the development of new product concepts, technology development is separated from product development, allowing companies to focus resources on the later. One common focus is the development of engine demonstrators, which test new technologies before they are fully developed. Such demonstrators are still in their early, immature stages, but they are a key part of the overall process.
A first workshop, involving multiple stakeholders, suggested using a design process as a stage gate and developing a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) to gauge output readiness. This model was based on the observation that technologies tend to expand into sub-technologies of increasing detail and concretization. These findings informed the development of a stage-gate model that was then applied in various industrial contexts. The findings were used in the development of recommendations and gate formulation.
Innovation is a major driving force of technological development. This is because technology is innately scalable, and it has consistently led to new innovations and improvements of current ones. Product life cycles show that new innovations generate substantial economic returns, and companies are motivated to capitalize on these economic benefits. As a result, technology development is a key to economic growth. If technology is properly used, it can transform a country’s economy and create thousands of jobs.
Although technology development is difficult to understand, it is an essential component of innovation. By contrast, product development follows well-defined processes and builds a foundation for innovation. The thesis compares the stages of technology development with those of product development. The analysis provides insight into both processes and the challenges that both have to overcome. The thesis also addresses the role of dialogue in an organization. While management needs control, developers need exploration and rationality. Ultimately, both parties need to work within the constraints of the development process.
Despite its recent achievements, China is a tech giant, and is already showing signs of becoming a leading innovator globally and domestically. Innovation in four broad categories is fueling new industries and re-configuring existing ones. China is making gains in manufacturing, digital platforms, biotechnology, and basic science R&D. Its efforts are spurred by new technologies that solve societal problems and advance existing businesses. If China has the technology and the resources to do this, it will soon become a global competitor.
This final phase of technology development involves the validation of the process and its results. During the process, new features may be discovered, which can feed back into the next requirements phase. If a project is successful, the team should evaluate the success of the project and make changes accordingly. Then, if necessary, they can implement the new technology and see if it meets the customer’s requirements. It is important that the new technology meets all the requirements set forth during the first phase of development.
