Learning adjustment speeds and inertia in the cycle of discovery A case study in Defence-related State / industry / academic research interaction

Transcription

1 Learning adjustment speeds and inertia in the cycle of discovery A case study in Defence-related State / industry / academic research interaction D.W. Versailles & V. Mérindol Research center of the French Air Force dversailles@cr-ea.net & vmerindol@cr-ea.net PICMET Portland, OR Aug 08th, 07

2 Ideas developed in this communication do not commit in any way the French ministry of Defense nor the French Air force

3 The problem Defence innovation and knowledge networks Understanding the dynamics of innovation between public and private actors committed to stable and recurrent relationships The Defence networks as a specific Triple Helix coordination DWV VM / PICMET 07 3

4 The reference... Exploration and exploitation dynamics Exploration Exploitation New knowledge Risk, diversity Experimentation Existing knowledge Valorisation Rationalization, selection exploration Dynamics networks and learning processes in Defence innovation exploitation DWV VM / PICMET 07 4

5 Methodology case study based on a qualitative research Interviews, archives, observations Darpa and the Sea Shadow program Emergence of nanotechnology and the relation with the French Defense Ministry «research strategy» confront scientific literature to real life investigation exploration DWV VM / PICMECT 07 5 exploitation

6 The article on PICMET Proceedings I. State / Industry / Academic research interaction and the specific complexity of Defense innovation processes II. Defense related discovery and Innovation paths III. Inertia in the dynamics of change IV. DARPA and the Sea Shadow program V. Defense and the emergence of nanotechnologies in France DWV VM / PICMET 07 6

7 Agenda for the communication I. References and methodology II. Defense related discovery and Innovation paths III. Inertia in the dynamics of change IV. DARPA and the Sea Shadow program DWV VM / PICMET 07 7

8 The complexity of Defense R&D Military programs require the systematic search for radical / incremental innovation in order to preserve the soldiers superiority on the battlefield Technologies need to be mature enough in order to allow the war fighter cope with an environment full of constraints, pain, danger Technological superiority may be appraised as a (military) strategy as such (e.g. in the USA) Military programs last for decades Defense related RDTE occurs in an on-going process with (potential) military competition on the battlefield DWV VM / PICMET 07 8

9 The complexity of Defense R&D Technological assets emerge in networks mobilizing the actors of the TH; they converge around program teams where workload is managed according to competences prevailing in R&D and in production The TH actors' specialization and complementarity are structured by a lead system integrator who coordinates all actors and mediates their knowledge bases. The State defines the final expectations, refers to «smart buyer» behavior, runs budget constraints DWV VM / PICMET 07 9

10 Complexity of Defense R&D Military and civilian infrastructures (dual use) Labor market Skills & competencies Budget, Technology policies Acquisition Industry R&D Procurement PICMET 2007 DWV/VM 10

11 Agenda I. References and methodology II. Defense related discovery and Innovation paths III. Inertia in the dynamics of change IV. DARPA and the Sea Shadow program DWV VM / PICMET 07 11

12 Nooteboom's cycle of discovery Exploration CHAOS Novel combinations Closing the variety of content(s) Opening the variety of content(s) Reciprocation Differentiation Nooteboom 2002 the key variable is the cognitive distance between the actors interacting together in a network Consolidation Generalization Opening the variety of context(s) INERTIA Exploitation DWV VM / PICMET 07 12

13 Defense and inertia in Nootebooms's cycle of discovery The dynamics of change refers mainly to relationships with the system integrator Inertia and the MoD: risk adversity rules as a counterpart to the irreversibility of decisions. Competences and knowledge dynamics refers to the MoD's absorptive capacities (exploration / exploitation) Inertia and universities / R&D facilities: governance balances between open science activities (open networks) and closed partnerships with the industry - the issue is about decision rights on knowledge assets Inertia and the industry: the management of risk and the strategy of the firm on Defence markets rule the decisions DWV VM / PICMET 07 13

14 Agenda I. References and methodology II. Defense related discovery and Innovation paths III. Inertia in the dynamics of change IV. DARPA and the Sea Shadow program PICMET 07 14

15 DARPA and the Sea Shadow program An instance of a test craft program combining DARPA, the US Navy and Lockheed Martin, not a prototype Program initiated in the mid-1980ies in order to explore a variety of new technologies for surface ships (ship control, structures, automation for reduced manning, signature control, stealth, integration of NCW technologies) Test for active radar, passive sensor, data link 11 and 16, prototypes for ACIDS and TAA PICMET

16 Inertia and the Sea Shadow program AEGIS 1 st R&D steps started in the early 1970ies with Lockheed Martin selffinanced budgets US Navy systematically rejected Lockheed s proposals because they were inherently associated to sharp revisions of the naval operational doctrine (mainly in relation with C2) Lockheed s program director presented the Sea shadow to the Under Secretary of Defense for RDTE who managed DARPA to finance Lockheed because DARPA has not to follow the constraints ruling for other DoD acquisition services In 1993 (end of CGN), the program was merged with DD 21 by the US Navy PICMET

17 Nooteboom's cycle applied... INERTIA Reconsideration of prevailing paradigms and of the TH actors' reference patterns INERTIA USN's reluctance towards LM's transposition of aeronautics & C4ISR competences Exploration Risk adversity in RDTE management (user innovation) INERTIA R D PICMET NC G USN concerned with the evolution of operational doctrine C Networks will not automatically evolve: USN maintains closure Exploitation Issues in system integration and in strategy INERTIA INERTIA Search for efficiency (K standardization) INERTIA INERTIA

18 Inertia and the Sea Shadow program AEGIS Inertia: US Navy with consolidated competences vs Lockheed Martin as a challenger competing for a revision of the prevailing technological and tactial paradigm Interaction between the industry and the State: DARPA has brought a crucial support to the constitution of Lockheed Martin s competences in C2 system integration and in stealth systems Stable network with a reduced number of actors, tightly related, with low cognitive distance and explicit public strategies Innovation started with component technologies and ended at the level of architectures PICMET

19 DARPA in the Sea Shadow program DARPA s role remains central because its intervention has preserved the potential for novel context and novel R&D content. DARPA is not the origin of the creation of new knowledge but its action is crucial to open the variety of contexts and R&D technological options (incl. the emergence of breakthrough results) The interaction between DARPA and Lockheed Martin has shifted contexts in providing the DoD with new actors and with a redistribution of R&D decision rights. DARPA preserved the possibility to overcome dead-ends and inertia in decision-making PICMET

20 Industry in the Sea Shadow program The clue lies in Lockheed Martin s agility to learn and combine: ability ot generalize, differentiate and reciprocate in a new context on the basis of the competences gained in the aerospace sector. Lockheed s position may characterize the situation of system integrators As far as learning processes are concerned, this is the mark of the ability to learn from new contexts and from new user needs in order to elaborate new technological answers PICMET

21 Next and further developments March s and Nooteboom s reference to exploitation and exploration highly relevant to investigate learning processes and patterns for novelty in the dynamics of innovation between heterogeneous actors in stable and recurring relationships Defense programs a relevant instance for the interaction between the industry, administration and R&D actors The reference to learning determinants favoring explorative or absorptive capacities at the kernel of further analysis of the various roles in the innovative process PICMET

22 David W. VERSAILLES dversailles@cr-ea.net tel : Valérie MERINDOL vmerindol@cr-ea.net tel : Research centre of the French Air Force Base aérienne 701 F SALON de Provence AIR France fax :