Search

Since it was first proposed by Christensen, disruptive innovation theory has provoked considerable debate in academia and industry. Initially limited to low-end innovations, most of the controversy around the theory has focused on other types of innovations that the theory excludes. This article examines both high-end and low-end disruptive innovations. Instead of technological development, the focus of analysis is on market groups, known as adopter categories. Adopter groups have various characteristics and sizes that play a critical role in the diffusion process of disruptive innovation. In addition, high-end and low-end should be very different in terms of relative advantage, one of the innovation attributes influencing the rate of adoption. To successfully 'disrupt' an incumbent, an innovation should have the potential to cross a critical chasm between early niche markets and majority mainstream markets. We conducted case studies on the rigid disk drives and the computer industry to illustrate the analytical approach based on the innovation diffusion process theory and the characteristics of various adopter categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering a company’s limited time and resources, an effective training method that improves employees’ ability to make ethical decision is needed. Based on social cognitive theory, this study proposes that employing games in an ethics training program can help improve moral reasoning through actively engaging learners. The experimental design with an ethic board game as the experimental group and ethics instructions as the comparison group was conducted to examine the effectiveness of a game-based ethic training method on improving moral reasoning. Results show that using games in an ethics training program significantly decreases respondents’ importance rating on issues associated with lower stages of an individual’s cognitive moral development (CMD) and increases their importance rating on issues associated with the highest stage of CMD. In addition, a game-based ethics training program was found to produce significantly greater change on the importance rating towards issues associated with the middle stage of CMD than a non-game based ethics training program. These findings suggest that a game-based ethics training program could effectively develop moral reasoning, and shape moral views better than a non-game-based training program. Discussions and suggestions for future research were included to conclude this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valuable lessons can be learned from the comparison between Kodak and Fujifilm in terms of how the two companies confronted the digital disruption, with one failing and the other thriving. Through a series of theoretical propositions rooted in literature and tested with case studies on Kodak and Fujifilm, this article suggests a systematic way for incumbent firms to navigate technological disruptions. A disruptive technological change does not necessarily render all technological competences embedded in the firm's products obsolete. Further, a competence disrupted in the home market does not have to be abandoned. By analyzing a firm's technological system and closely studying its innovation capability, an incumbent can nurture certain technological competences and diversify into new fields where such competences are valued and can distinguish the firm from its competitors. The challenge lies in a timely redefining of the firm's core business and restructuring the organization to ensure consistent execution of the strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasingly important role that technologies play in today's business success is well known. To ensure proper selection and development of the key technologies, a deliberate technology plan is needed. In this paper, a strategic technology planning framework is proposed. A hierarchical decision model and its sensitivity analysis are presented as two major steps of the framework to provide effective technology assessment and to generate technology scenarios. The hierarchical model links an organization's competitive goals and strategies in evaluating the technology alternatives' overall contributions to business success; the sensitivity analysis helps to forecast and implement possible future changes in the economic environment, industry policies, and organization strategies. With the proposed framework, organizations can start to implement their technology plans synoptically and follow up with incremental adaptations as necessary. A case study on Taiwan's semiconductor foundry industry is presented to demonstrate the model in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytic hierarchy process model was developed to operationalize a theoretical framework and was applied to a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) firm diversifying into foundry business. Results indicate that the non-pure-play foundry diversification is viable if the firm's organizational structure fits the shared competitive strategy. However, the diversifying firm needs to be capable of deploying a wide range of technologies to cover both businesses. The research provides strategic insight to deploy emerging technologies to cover both DRAM and foundry businesses. Application of the approach to industries other than semiconductor manufacturing is possible and should yield similar management insight as well. The modeling process can be used as a strategic tool for technological planning within a high-tech manufacturing organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-precision neurosurgical targeting in nonhuman primates (NHPs) often requires presurgical anatomical mapping with noninvasive neuroimaging techniques (MRI, CT, PET), allowing for translation of individual anatomical coordinates to surgical stereotaxic apparatus. Given the varied tissue contrasts that these imaging techniques produce, precise alignment of imaging-based coordinates to surgical apparatus can be cumbersome. MRI-compatible stereotaxis with radiopaque fiducial markers offer a straight-forward and reliable solution, but existing commercial options do not fit in conformal head coils that maximize imaging quality. We developed a compact MRI-compatible stereotaxis suitable for a variety of NHP species (Macaca mulatta , Macaca fascicularis , and Cebus apella) that allows multimodal alignment through technique-specific fiducial markers. With the express purpose of compatibility with clinically available MRI, CT, and PET systems, the frame is no larger than a human head, while allowing for imaging NHPs in the supinated position. This design requires no marker implantation, special software, or additional knowledge other than the operation of a common large animal stereotaxis. We demonstrated the applicability of this 3D-printable apparatus across a diverse set of experiments requiring presurgical planning: 1) We demonstrate the accuracy of the fiducial system through a within-MRI cannula insertion and subcortical injection of a viral vector. 2) We also demonstrated accuracy of multimodal (MRI and CT) alignment and coordinate transfer to guide a surgical robot electrode implantation for deep-brain electrophysiology. The computer-aided design files and engineering drawings are publicly available, with the modular design allowing for low cost and manageable manufacturing. • We present a compact MRI-compatible stereotaxic frame for large nonhuman primates. • The design is 3D printable, inexpensive, and matches size of an adult human head. • Enabled real-time, accurate, MRI-guided deep-brain viral vector injection. • Facilitated multimodal alignment for deep-brain electrophysiology planning. • All computer-aided-design files are modularized and publicly available and editable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]