Keeping the Technological Edge by Hunter Andrew P.;Crotty Ryan; & Ryan A. Crotty

Author:Hunter, Andrew P.;Crotty, Ryan; & Ryan A. Crotty
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 4086073
Publisher: ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD

DoD has challenges assimilating outside direct innovation for both cultural and structural reasons. Culturally, there is a “not invented here” syndrome that discounts technology and solutions that do not derive directly from DoD needs. Interviews suggested that there is a belief in many places in the Department that military and Departmental needs are so unique that only purpose-built approaches are appropriate. Structurally, the contracting practices required to pull in commercial technology may prove too onerous or take too long to keep the commercial firm involved due to the shorter time horizons expected in the commercial space. In some cases, the contracting mechanisms may be available, but workforce risk aversion or workforce training gaps

Outside-Indirect Innovation includes processes and technology developed by commercial vendors that are not seeking to sell to DoD and in some cases may actively resist such sales (Figure 11). This is the most challenging center of innovation in the matrix, as well as the one that may offer the greatest possible rewards if DoD better optimizes its process to harness it. It is so challenging because the players are so disparate, the technologies are so varied, and the tools to reach them are nascent or limited. But it is important because the world of outside innovation is so vast. The worlds of inside-direct, inside-indirect, and outside-direct innovation encompass, at its largest possible expanse, $150 billion in R&D inputs and another $115 billion in procurement. The global R&D enterprise drives $1.6 trillion in R&D and $11 trillion in manufacturing production. While input metrics like spending levels do not account for R&D productivity differences or risk of failure, with this order-of-magnitude difference, it is clear that DoD should organize itself to continue to better leverage this outside innovation.

Figure 11: Outside-Indirect Innovation

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