Sources of innovation (Cases)

Rev: Sep, 2012

Euiho (David) Suh, Ph.D.

POSTECH Strategic Management of Information and Technology Laboratory(POSMIT: http://posmit.postech.ac.kr)

Dept. of Industrial & Management EngineeringPOSTECH

Contents1 Unexpected occurrence

2 Incongruities

3 Process Needs

4 Industry & Market Change

5 Demographic Changes

6 Changes in Perception

7 New Knowledge

3

Unexpected occurrence (1/2)

■ 3M Post-It– Failed glue which is super weak instead of super strong

Glue which can be lifted off without damaging the papers

4

Unexpected occurrence (2/2)

■ Oil shock in 1970s Rapid growth of solar industry to reduce energy consump-tion

Oil Shock

Solar Collector

Solar Collector

5

Incongruities

■ French Door Refrigerator– Refrigerator applying the principle of air circulation (Hot air rises and cool air goes

down): Inconvenience caused by more frequent use of refrigerator than freezer Bottom freezer refrigerator

6

Process Needs (1/2)

■ FINEX Process– Lack of Raw Material & Fuel with High Quality– Strict Environmental Regulation– Increase of Investment & Operating cost

Needs to use fine material without sinter & coke process

7

Process Needs (2/2)

■ Steam Iron – Spraying water separately to protect the cloth while ironing

Equipping a steam spraying function in the iron

8

Industry & Market Change (2/2)

■ Hybrid Vehicle– Vehicle that combines an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors– Era of High Oil Price, Culture that concerns environment

Increasing purchase of hybrid vehicles despite of their high price and poor efficiency

9

Industry & Market Change (2/2)

■ Personal Printer– Introduce of digital camera

Decreasing use of film Using personal printers, rather than using photo studios to print photos

Photo studio

Film Camera Digital Camera

Personal Printer

10

Demographic Changes (1/2)

■ Adult Diaper by Unicharm (Japan)– Expanded silver industry as entering to an aging society

• Most adult diaper products which are difficult to be changed by the wearer alone• Launching a diaper product for the elderly, “Lifree Rehabili-Pants ( ライフリーリハビリパンツ )”

Replaceable diaper without taking the outer pants off by the wearer alone

11

Demographic Changes (2/2)

■ Increase of Industrial Robots– Decrease of laborer & Increase of the intellectual class

Avoiding sticky floor (“3D Jobs” – Difficult, Dangerous, Dirty) Using industrial robots for the difficult and repetitive tasks

12

Changes in Perception

■ Smart TV (Connected TV/Hybrid TV)– Technology convergence between computers and television sets– Increasing use of smartphone

: People accustomed to using applications and integrated technologies Television where applications can be installed and which can be used with other equipment

13

New Knowledge

■ Wingless Fan– Principle of jet engine:

Sucking air to the lower side using built-in fans and electric motors– Bernoulli’s Principle:

Pushing air to the inside wall of the ring String air flow

Wing

Motor

Air Suc-tion