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How Not to Innovate

Last post 02-19-2009, 11:36 AM by NG-Hydrocad. 1 replies.
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  •  10-17-2008, 7:47 AM 30171

    How Not to Innovate

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    Andrew Hargadon has innovation figured out. Hargadon, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at UC Davis, has studied the way big-name innovators such as Edison and Ford were able to come up with a steady stream of noteworthy developments that rocked the world.

    Hargadon put his insights in a book called How Breakthroughs Happen: The Surprising Truth about How Companies Innovate. His book caused enough of a stir to land him a gig as a keynoter at the recent NI Week festivities put on by National Instruments.

    One of the things Hargadon found was that the popular image of the supremely analytical genius innovator was largely hogwash. Most innovators don’t come up with their breakthroughs looking at the ceiling. A lot of their ideas instead are actually well known — elsewhere. The process of innovation is often one of borrowing existing concepts from one industry and applying them to another.

    Ford and his employees, for instance, got their inspiration for assembly lines from Chicago slaughterhouses, even using some of the same equipment to automate their operations. Edison’s electric lighting combined ideas from the telegraph, the arc light, and the gas-lighting industry.

    The lesson, says Hargadon, is that ideas spawning revolutions needn’t be revolutionary, but technologists need open minds. In fact, the not-inventedhere syndrome is often the result when organizations focus too narrowly on a problem. They fall into the NIH mode of thinking that no outsider can have useful insights.

    You might say that when it comes to knowing how to go about innovating, Hargadon “gets it.” That brings us to Pulitzer-winning journalist Thomas Friedman, a guy who apparently just doesn’t get it when the subject is innovation.

    Friedman, author of The World is Flat and The Lexus and the Olive Tree, is now on a green-energy kick with his latest book, Hot, Flat, and Crowded. He was quoted recently as advocating we invent our way out of a dependence on fossil fuel by having “100,000 people in 100,000 garages trying 100,000 things.”

    So far, so good. But he also calls current efforts at devising green-energy sources “hopelessly haphazard and piecemeal.” He argues green energy will take a coordinated systems approach, from the White House to corporations to consumers. (Left unexplained is how he would “coordinate” 100,000 people in garages.)

    The problem with the vision of a coordinated effort is that it smacks of choosing winners. It doesn’t allow for the revolution-spawning ideas that often come from outsiders. And there are already several of these floating around for green energy.

    For a case in point, consider Shai Agassi, a software guy and one-time honcho with SAP AG. Agassi has suggested blanketing the country with smart charge spots for electric vehicles. Drivers could plug in anywhere, anytime, and would subscribe to a plan modeled after those in the cellphone industry. Just as you pay for minutes on your cell phone, you would buy miles on your car, for a cost less than the equivalent cost of gas. You’d receive your wheels, and perhaps even lease its battery, from your juice provider. Drivers who didn’t want to wait for a charge would be able to pull into a car-washlike shed and get a fresh battery in a few minutes.

    Of course, Agassi probably would never get the time of day from organizers of a “coordinated effort” on green energy. After all, his ideas are NIH.

    — Leland Teschler, Editor

  •  02-19-2009, 11:36 AM 30562 in reply to 30171

    Re: How Not to Innovate

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    Let us make a Small Step ahead at what Shai Agassi suggest to make

    a Big Step for Mankind.

    “Drive The Future” – Innovation In Forming Business Model.

    Refill Your Car With Electric Fuel.

        

    1) Preface Story.                                    

    It is quite last years that we relate Moore’s Low to the increase of Transistors in a computer processor that doublet itself every 18 – 24 months. To be honest the truth must be disclosed and admit, in spite of that it is not adopted by all technological sectors, the evolution and innovation behaves similarly to Moore’s Low deferring by the multiply and duration. The evolution and innovation highly depended of resources and market needs. Herewith a few examples:

    1.1) transfer of massages started by Human Messenger, Semaphore (flags),

           Letters,  Radio,  Telephone,  Cables,  Telex,  Facsimile,  Electronic   Mail, 

           Internet, Satellite Communication and the promising future is in pipeline.

    1.2) Walking by foot, Riding Animals, Wagons, Ships, Bicycles, Cars, Trains,

           Planes, Spaceship and the promising future is in pipeline.

    1.3) Heating and Cooling, by burning wood, Fuel, Electricity, Solar  and the

           promising future is in pipeline.

    1.4) Manual One Shift Transmissions, Multi Gear Shift, Automatic Gearboxes,

           Infinite Variable Gearboxes and the promising future is in pipeline.

    In any case Evolution and Innovation supported by Inventiveness based on technology and know-how available, doubled itself every defined period, characterized the future.

     

    2) Automotive Machines driven by Electric Fuel and Alternative Energy.

    During the Middle Ages transportation was based on Wagons using “Horse Energy”. The limitation was that was needed to “Refuel” the Wagons by replacing horses at intervals that was a function of distance and road conditions. When Locomotives were developed, in every station or between, “Refueling Stations” were constructed in order to supply Wood Coal and Water. When Automotive Machines appears, “Refueling Stations” were constructed that fits, more or less, the fuel tank capacity. To day Moore’s Low exist in all different parts of technology used to-day.

     

    3) Electric Fuel.

    If we shall be able to gather Car Manufacturer, Electric Batteries manufacturers, Refueling Stations and Designer that will be able to offer a Battery Replacement at the same time (a few minutes) similar to refueling petrol to day, we shall be able to offer the next generation of Cars using Electric Fuel. I am sure that the technology is available, Electric Hub Wheels (Bental and GM on Hydrogen Car), Zinc Air batteries (Electric Fuel and Arotech), Refueling Stations (Shall, BP, Exxon...), design and development company that will develop the Battery Replacement Tool and create Standardization  for size, weight and quick plug in and out (S.A.E., DIN....), then we shall be able to present the ultimate Electric Car as the Hybrid Cars, cars using alternative fuel  (Ethanol, Bio-Diesel, Natural Gas, Propane, Hydrogen) are just a temporary solution similar to facsimile and electronic mail.

     

    4) The contribution to life quality, preventing pollution and watching our Ozone Layer.

    In the future a New or Used car will have a new battery. When arriving refueling station the battery will be checked for manufacturing date and  amount of remaining electricity and then the driver will be charged for Remaining Electricity, Age of Battery and service. At the other hand, the discharged batteries will be charged during night, when electricity consumption is low considering that turbines in electric power stations are running anyway. In addition car parking lots in companies and public anyone will enable (for certain cost) to charge battery during parking time and of course at home.

     

    5) Standardization.

    First of all a Standardization Committee consisting of Car Manufacturers, SAE, Petrol refueling companies must define a standard size for Electric batteries (like Tires, batteries etc’.) that will enable a quick “Plug In” to any car. Every Electric Car will have two batteries, main replaceable on rear and a smaller one on front in order to enable emergency 30 miles drive and weight on front wheels in order the have enough friction on steering wheels and standard configuration of  2 wheel and 4 wheel drive cars.

     

    6) The Goal.

    The aim of this  abstract is to  create a deeper awareness to our planet air pollution created by automotive cars mainly on urban regions around the world.  I shall be happy to discuss this issue in deep in order to realize and to carry a feasibility study and production of a prototype for concept approval.

     

    7) References. 

    www.chevrolet.com/electriccar, www.electric-fuel.com, www.arotech.com

    www.eere.energy.gov/afdc , www.gm-volt.com , www.projectbetterplace.com

    www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/alternative_fuels

     

    8) The Marketing Formation.

    This issue will be discussed between share holders, car manufacturer, refueling chain stations and user groups like transportation companies, taxi drivers groups, in order to decide about marketing strategy.

     

    9) The technology vision.

    The absence of engine in front and space on rear will be used for battery or batteries. In addition the electric hub wheel and advanced electric motors will not use gear transmission.

     

    10) Comparison , Pros & Cons.

    The can be done in order to compare between Electric Fuel concept described in this abstract, to green fuel based on Ethanol, Bio-Diesel, Natural Gas, Propane, Hydrogen and  Biodegradable Oil and aspects of expected life , MTBF-mean time between failures, maintainability, risk assessments and improved our planet environment.

    Please don’t hesitate to contact me for further queries and information.

     

    By: Nahum Goldenberg info@hydrocad.com
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