An analysis of disruptive technology management

Abstract

Abstract:

Disruptive technology can cause existing investment, technology, industry and rules to become started again. Disruptive technology has the characteristics of mutation, uncertainty and potential. It can promote a qualitative leap in productivity and combat effectiveness, forming advantages in economic competition and military operations. At present, a new round of technological and industrial revolution is gathering momentum, and disruptive technologies are emerging. How to effectively manage disruptive technologies to promote the emergence of disruptive technologies has become a hot issue that government organizations and research scholars are paying close attention to. This paper analyzes the connotation and the characteristics of disruptive technology in the research and development process.

And this paper points out that disruptive technology in the research and development process has such three characteristics as high risks, high investment and high challenges. There are so many uncertainties about whether and when disruptive technologies will occur. And it is difficult to judge whether they will become disruptive technologies before they have a disruptive effect, which leads to high risks for disruptive technology development. The organizations of disruptive technology require special mechanisms to take the risks. Whether a technology can become a disruptive technology or not needs a certain amount of time to develop and test. In this long-term exploration process, it needs to invest a high amount of capital and resources in the research and development of disruptive technology. High capital investment, on the one hand, needs to deal with the risk of technology research and development failure. On the other hand, high capital investment needs to steadily promote the process of disruptive technology research and development. High resource input mainly comes from the input of human resources.

Compared with traditional technology, disruptive technology has many new characteristics, which bring great challenges to its research and development process. First, the research and development process of disruptive technologies needs to incorporate a diverse, open and inclusive environment of innovative thinking. Second, the research and development process of disruptive technologies need to develop the management system to fit for the characteristics of disruptive technologies. In order to carry out effective management of disruptive technology in the research and development process, all sectors of society and countries around the world have involved in the disruptive technology. Specialized agencies or project organizations are established, which have greatly promoted the process of research and development of disruptive technology.

Finally, this paper combines actual cases to study the management methods of disruptive technology in the research and development process. Four management methods for effective development of disruptive technology in the research and development process are summarized in this paper. The staged management mode can flexibly manage the disruptive technology in the research and development process and deal with the uncertainties in the process. The establishment of special funds for disruptive technology in the research and development process enables the independent management of research and development funds to avoid interference and influence with other scientific and technological research and development activities. The interdisciplinary collaborative research can promote the generation of disruptive technologies. The diversified team building can accelerate the development process of disruptive technologies from different scientific and different thinking dimensions.

Key words: disruptive technology, technology research, technology management

Zheng Yanning, Yuan Fang. An analysis of disruptive technology management[J]. Science Research Management, 2021, 42(2): 12-19.

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