Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2011. / This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 107-111). / Passenger car use is a major driver of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fossil fuel consumption in the United States. Vehicles continue to incorporate increasing levels of technology, these advances do not translate directly into improved fuel economy. Vehicle weight, interior volume and performance have all grown substantially in the past 30 years, as has feature content. This thesis shows that safety features, emissions controls, and optional equipment account for a total mass that mirrors growth in vehicle mass during this time period. Chief among these are optional features designed to improve the comfort and convenience of passenger cars. This thesis also examines historical deployment rates of vehicle features. Safety features and emissions controls achieve faster deployment rates than other optional features. While these features are those most governed by regulation, it is not clear that regulations push technology deployment rates higher. Automotive product development is complex and features require significant time to overcome deployment constraints. This lag time, from first production use to most rapid deployment across the vehicle fleet, is found to be exponentially decreasing for all feature types and has dropped to approximately a decade. These analyses provide two countering assessments. New vehicles will continue to grow heavier due to the continued incorporation of new features, but technology that may improve overall efficiency can be brought to market ever faster. / by Stephen M. Zoepf. / S.M.in Technology and Policy

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2009. / This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 80-83). / Engineers have deemed creative thinking a necessary skill in their line of work, and ABET, the accreditation board for engineering schools, can evaluate a program based on how it attempts to teach it in its courses. And yet, many students and professors feel that creative thinking is a skill often overlooked by the traditional engineering curriculum. This thesis investigates student acquisition of creative thinking skills in four engineering design courses taught under the Mechanical Engineering and the Aeronautics/Astronautics Departments at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Quantitative research methods (surveys, assessments) and qualitative methods (interviews, focus groups) are combined to identify factors that influence student creativity in the classroom and retention and use of creative thinking skills beyond the classroom. Student reflections are used to tie theories of creativity with educational theory on student learning. Common themes discussed by students in relation to creativity include the interactive lecture and lab environments, the involvement of the professors and confidence and hands-on practice. Data shows the relationship between perceptions of team creativity and individual creative development. Recommendations on course structure and supportive institutional policies encouraging creative classroom environments are made based on the experiences of the students and teaching staff of these courses. / by Monica R. Rush. / S.M.in Technology and Policy

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2011. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 76-78). / Large incentive competitions are becoming increasingly popular amongst policymakers and philanthropists as a mission-orientated tool for inducing innovation, particularly in areas of national priority where market incentives and conventional tools such as patents and procurements tend not to be sufficient. Using inducement mechanisms (motivators) such as a large financial reward, demanding deliverables, and technical support, incentive competitions seek to motivate innovators to exert effort and develop creative solutions to pre-defined problems. According to the literature, these motivators can be powerful mechanisms for influencing effort and creativity but their effectiveness very much depends on the combination of motivators used and conditions under which they are executed. There is a serious lack of empirical evidence on the motivators and conditions of large incentive competitions and their effectiveness to influence behaviour and outcomes. Therefore, we cannot fully appreciate the role of large incentive competitions in the innovation policy tool kit. A small body of empirical data exists on the impact of motivators within small online prizes but these prizes are very different to large incentive competitions in terms of the intended motivators incorporated and the competition environment. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis of one large incentive competition- the Progressive Automotive XPRIZE (PIAXP), this thesis aims to explore the motivators incorporated into PIAXP and their ability to orient people towards a specified mission and induce innovative behaviour. In turn, this thesis aims to 1) better understand the role incentive prizes as an innovation tool and 2) identify the motivators and prize design that can be used in incentive competitions to promote desired outcomes. My research identifies two unique features of PIAXP, which can provide insight into large incentive competitions in general. 1) PIAXP effectively attracted and focused a diverse set of solvers on a specific problem, who otherwise would not or could not pursue the prize objective(s). For example, 35% of teams did not exist before. Of those teams that did exist, 30% were informal and 17% were non-vehicle- related, all turning to formal vehicle teams for the PIAXP; 2) PIAXP facilitated the development of participating teams and ideas, and actively induced innovative behaviour during the competition. These findings emphasize the important of motivators and prize design to attract and support the development of solvers and solutions. In terms of competition design, participants and organizations were influenced in different ways. Influential motivators included: recognition (validation, publicity, and personal pride), performance accelerators (business and personal), and intrinsic passion for the cause. Other elements of design that influenced entry levels and behaviour included: structure (length/ barriers to entry), categories (broad, specific or multiple), collaborative events, and support (for the organization and individual). Success within PIAXP was positively correlated with compensation and competition but negatively correlated with recognition. Effort was positively correlated with reputation but negatively correlated with fun. / by Georgina A. Campbell. / S.M.in Technology and Policy

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2011. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 131-134). / The biomanufacturing industry is changing due to increasing globalization. However, it is changing differently from other high tech industries like software/ semiconductor/ automobiles. In this study we use global biomanufacturing investment data, industry survey data as well as interviews with members of industry and academia to understand the extent of microbial biomanufacturing activity (total volume, number of facilities, type of facilities) and nature of biomanufacturing activity (complexity of products and processes across both mammalian and microbial production) in different regions of the world today. The study shows that traditional centers of expertise in US and EU still house most of the worlds biomanufacturing capacity. The facilities in US and EU perform a larger number of operations within their facilities and also more technically complex operations than facilities in Asia. US facilities support the most complex products (median unit operations =13) and processes (cell culture, purification) and maximum average products per facility(12.2). Asian facilities support simpler products (median unit operations =7), simpler processes (fermentation, fill/finish) and fewer products per facility on average (3.25). These results support the idea that managing technical complexity is one of the biggest challenges in biomanufacturing today and it can determine where a biologic can be manufactured. While economic forces push manufacturing of biologics to low cost locations, the need to develop expertise may prevent manufacturing from scattering across the world. Instead, there may be a more guided flow to locations with an expertise in certain types of products and processes. / by Rachna Pande. / S.M.in Technology and Policy

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2011. / This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. / Cataloged from student submitted PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 119-123). / Electric vehicles (EVs) have the potential to reduce transportation sector CO₂ emissions in São Miguel, an island in the Azores, while simultaneously reducing mobility operating costs. This thesis attempts to quantify the cost and environmental impacts of using EVs on São Miguel, using an economic dispatch and unit commitment model. The number of EVs and the ways that they charge are varied. The composition of São Miguel's electric power generation portfolio is varied from its current composition to one that incorporates higher levels of renewable generation. Emissions reductions stemming from EVs vary according to how the vehicles are charged and when renewable generation, which is less expensive and less CO2- intensive than thermal generation, is available. Charging "optimally" can save hundreds of thousands of Euros in system mobility costs per week and, in some cases, halve transportation CO₂ emissions. Optimal charging results also show that, in certain cases, charging during periods of high electric demand is acceptable. This result is contrary to previous literature on vehicle charging, and is due primarily to the limited number of generators on S~ao Miguel. CO₂ abatement costs stemming from the use of EVs vary from 26 to 160 Euros per tonne of CO₂. Portugal's tax on gasoline and subsidization of EVs make calculating the exact cost of EVs in São Miguel difficult, but a simple discounted cash flow shows that, for a 950 electric vehicle fleet, the internal rate of return over a ten year period is 8.24%. Other costs associated with EVs, including the installation of new grid infrastructure and charging stations, are also considered. / by Maximilian Parness. / S.M.in Technology and Policy

Thesis: S.M. in Management of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2017. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 77-79). / Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) often leave companies struggling to reach financial targets in part due to the need to deal with complex and disconnected information systems. This study examines post-M&A IT systems integration to identify critical factors for success in this process, focusing on improving understanding of the role of alignment between M&A strategy as a whole and IT integration decisions. Decision-making with respect to IT system consolidation is discussed in the context of the Wijnhoven et al. 2006 article, "Post-merger IT integration strategies: An IT alignment perspective." This study looks at eight companies in different industries with revenues ranging from $100 million to over $80 billion and varying levels of acquisition experience. The study highlights several key success factors, including strategic rationale, early IT involvement, cultural fit, and mature IT processes. Experienced "serial acquirers" were observed to put less of a premium on following strict, conventional guidelines on ensuring the alignment of M&A and IT integration objectives, being more willing to keep IT systems independent if that solution best matched the acquisition's general value goals. In contrast, less experienced acquirers tended to have an aspiration to adhere more rigidly to the alignment model laid out by Wijnhoven et al. (2006). / by Maria E. Botchkova. / S.M. in Management of Technology

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2012. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 142-148). / Many government agencies have adopted the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale to help improve technology development management under ever increasing cost, schedule, and complexity constraints. Many TRL-based cost and schedule models have been developed to monitor technology maturation, mitigate program risk, characterize TRL transition times, or model schedule and cost risk for individual technologies as well technology systems and portfolios. In this thesis, we develop a 4-level classification of TRL models based on the often-implicit assumptions they make. For each level, we clarify the assumption, we list all supporting theoretical and empirical evidence, and then we use the same assumption to propose alternative or improved models whenever possible. Our results include a justification of the GAO's recommendations on TRL, two new methodologies for robust estimation of transition variable medians and for forecasting TRL transition variables using historical data, and a set of recommendations for TRL-based regression models. / by Bernard El-Khoury. / S.M.in Technology and Policy

Thesis: S.M. in Management of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2018. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 136-142). / Recent years have seen important changes in the way corporates compete and the dynamism of this competition. Companies are facing increasing pressure to innovate and generate value for customers in over-satisfied societies demanding more complex business propositions and faster response. These changes lead to greater horizontal and vertical uncertainty, that corporations have to manage while sustaining investment in core assets to ensure short term performance. Open innovation strategies, levering on the internal and external entrepreneurial drive, have been proposed to increase the resilience of corporates while opening the opportunity for nascent ventures to grow in new markets. The design of these programs is an area of active research. This thesis proposes a specific open innovation program. The design implements an integral strategy combining inside-out and outside-in transitions to lower costs and enhance efficiency. The design is sequential and staged, resulting in a flexible, modular program architecture with multiple, specifically designed components (accelerator, innovation center, incubator and CVC) enabling the management of a wide range of deal flows. / by Roberto José Vázquez Lucerga. / S.M. in Management of Technology

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2012. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 151). / One of the key impediments to the development of enhanced geothermal systems is a deficiency in the tools available to project planners and developers. Weak tool sets make it difficult to accurately estimate the cost and schedule requirements of a proposed geothermal plant, and thus make it more difficult for those projects to survive an economic decision-making process. This project, part of a larger effort led by the Department of Energy, seeks to develop a suite of decision analysis tools capable of accurately gauging the economic costs and benefits of geothermal projects with uncertain outcomes. In particular. this project seeks to adapt a set of existing tools, the Decision Aids for Tunnelling, to the context of well-drilling, and make them suitable for use as a core software set around which additional software models can be added. We assess the usefulness of the Decision Aids for Tunnelling (DAT) by creating two realistic case studies to serve as proofs of concept. These case studies are then put through analyses designed to reflect project risks to which geothermal wells are vulnerable. We find that the DAT have sufficient flexibility to model geothermal projects accurately and provide cost and schedule distributions on potential outcomes of geothermal projects, and recommend methods of usage appropriate to well drilling scenarios. / by Keith A. Yost.. / S.M.in Technology and Policy

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2010. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p.112-115 ). / Recent scholarship has suggested that trade secrecy may be as important, if not more important, than patenting as an intellectual property protection mechanism in the United States economy. While patent protection has always been an institution in the United States as a result of its inclusion in the Constitution, trade secret protection has only been statutorily recognized by the federal government in the last half-century. Similarly, while there has been extensive theoretical and empirical research on the incentives patent protection creates for firms to innovate, and the resulting effects on economic growth, there have been comparatively few theoretical studies and only a handful of empirical papers investigating the effects of trade secrecy. This leaves policy makers with little to no understanding of the effects of trade secrecy on the economy or how to influence trade secrecy through policy. This thesis provides insight into the second question by investigating the effect of implementing statutory trade secret law on patent application and trade secrecy litigation rates. Specifically, this thesis performs a difference in difference analysis on the implementation of the Pennsylvania Uniform Trade Secrets Act with respect to the above metrics. While the effect of trade secret litigation is inconclusive, this thesis finds that patent application rates and the rate of growth of patent applications decrease in response to the implementation of statutory trade secret law. This implies a theorized, but never before measured, substitution effect between patents and trade secrets. In addition, this shows that the level of trade secret protection can be influenced by policymakers through statutory law. When combined with an empirical study on the welfare effects of trade secret protection, this thesis will give policymakers a reference point from which to consider the benefits of further statutory trade secret law. / by Mackey Craven. / S.M.in Technology and Policy