Thesis (PhD (Civil Engineering))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Radical, far-beyond-the-norm innovation engages unknown developmental frontiers outside the
familiar fields of standardised practice, requiring new and broad perspectives. This implies
significant uncertainty during problem solution – the more radical, the greater the uncertainty. No
systematic procedures for managing radical innovation exist. Research managers agree that
traditional, standardised innovation approaches do not provide sufficient support for managers to
cope with the degree of functional uncertainty typical of radical innovations. An efficient approach
for delimiting and describing its uncertainties and managing the development process during the
radical innovation process is sought. This thesis synthesizes a methodology for radical innovation
from Systems Engineering and Management of Technology theory. Its application in a case study
illustrates how it facilitates efficient strategic decision-making during radical innovation.
Systems Engineering, by its comprehensive perspective, provides a valuable non-intuitive
framework from which required radical innovation functionalities and uncertainties are identified,
delimited, characterised and developed. Management of Technology concerns the core theory of
technology; its perspective on technology provides the radical innovation process with a means of
characterising and delimiting status, potential and uncertainty of functional, technological elements
in the system.
The resulting Radical Innovation Methodology is verified through application to an emerging
renewable energy concept, the Solar Chimney Power Plant, which responds to a demand for
innovation aimed at sustainable energy generation. The radically tall chimney structure required by
the plant, proposed to stand 1,500 meter tall, serves as a fitting case for illustrating the methodology.
Addressing and solving of challenges and uncertainties related to the radically tall structure and
associated costs are required toward competence of this concept in a global energy market.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/1116 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Van Dyk, Cobus |
| Contributors | Van Zijl, G. P. A. G., Retief, J. V., De Wet, G., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Civil Engineering. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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