Com panies are looking for Technology Foresight (TF) models to focus strategy and innovation management. This paper establishes an "implementation" gap in TF practices based on empirical research in multinational companies in Europe and Japan. The "implementation" gap refers to the neglected use of TF results in strategy and innovation management. Thus the paper suggests a TF model focusing on guiding ideas for a structured approach to eliminate this "implementation" gap. Concepts of "backcasting", "functionalities" and "bottleneck technologies" are introduced to set priorities in the foresight process.
The importance of 'routinized innovation' as a major driver of economic growth, the need for 'ambidextrous organizations' in an uncertain and disruptive business environment, and the importance of contingency for organizations have been widely discussed in management literature. From a business design perspective, practitioners are facing a three-fold challenge to design Innovation structures which meet the requirements of 'designing for routinized Innovation', 'designing for ambidexterity', and 'designing for contingency'. The authors aim at addressing this challenge by introducing the complementary concepts of 'Innovation Factory' and 'Innovation Atelier'. The argument is discussed conceptually and supported by a case study.
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