Thesis (MScEng (Industrial Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / In today’s business environment it is widely accepted that innovation is key to improving the
economic performance of companies (Van der Panna et al. 2003) and for achieving and
sustaining a competitive advantage in the market place.
Based on the definition of radical innovation, a radical innovation project involves a high level
of “newness” (Damanpour 1996), which in turn leads to high levels of complexity and
uncertainty. However, it is difficult to manage these high levels of complexity and uncertainty
within the structured framework of the traditional project management bodies of knowledge
(Williams 2005). The following problem was thus formulated: Project management concepts
alone, captured in the various bodies of knowledge, are not sufficient enough to successfully
manage radical innovation projects. Companies therefore struggle to gain a competitive
advantage through innovation, as the implementation of the radical innovation is seldom
successful.
The thesis presents a methodology termed the “Innovation Implementation Methodology”
(IIM), which combines a range of components and concepts that support radical innovation
projects. The IIM combines concepts such as knowledge management, project and team
integration, project principles, design objectives, prototypes and risk and change
management into four main components. Each component provides a different view of the
radical innovation project. These views include:
• A view of the different levels of detail required,
• A view of the roles and responsibilities,
• A view of the project structure and team integration, and
• A scientific and experimental view.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2065 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Katz, Bernard |
| Contributors | Du Preez, N. D., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1441311 bytes, application/pdf |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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