A methodology for radical innovation : illustrated by application to a radical civil engineering structure

[摘要] Radical, far-beyond-the-norm innovation engages unknown developmental frontiers outside thefamiliar fields of standardised practice, requiring new and broad perspectives. This impliessignificant uncertainty during problem solution – the more radical, the greater the uncertainty. Nosystematic procedures for managing radical innovation exist. Research managers agree thattraditional, standardised innovation approaches do not provide sufficient support for managers tocope with the degree of functional uncertainty typical of radical innovations. An efficient approachfor delimiting and describing its uncertainties and managing the development process during theradical innovation process is sought. This thesis synthesizes a methodology for radical innovationfrom Systems Engineering and Management of Technology theory. Its application in a case studyillustrates how it facilitates efficient strategic decision-making during radical innovation.Systems Engineering, by its comprehensive perspective, provides a valuable non-intuitiveframework from which required radical innovation functionalities and uncertainties are identified,delimited, characterised and developed. Management of Technology concerns the core theory oftechnology; its perspective on technology provides the radical innovation process with a means ofcharacterising and delimiting status, potential and uncertainty of functional, technological elementsin the system.The resulting Radical Innovation Methodology is verified through application to an emergingrenewable energy concept, the Solar Chimney Power Plant, which responds to a demand forinnovation aimed at sustainable energy generation. The radically tall chimney structure required bythe plant, proposed to stand 1,500 meter tall, serves as a fitting case for illustrating the methodology.Addressing and solving of challenges and uncertainties related to the radically tall structure andassociated costs are required toward competence of this concept in a global energy market.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University