Innovation Culture, Technology
Policy and The Uses of History
byThomas Wieland
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
Innovation Systems & Culture
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Systems
Organizational &
institutional structures
Directs rate and direction
of innovation
National, regional,
sectoral
Industrial R&D labs,
Universities, Govt.
agencies, patent systems
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Culture
Technological vision
Use of products
Value systems of
individuals and groups
Research traditions
Affects innovation
systems
Not recognized much,
hence policies ineffective
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
Innovation Culture
• Group’s or society’s framework that determines
how things are viewed and how things are done
by its individual members
• Neither invariant nor universal
• Produced and reproduced in social interactions
by group or society members
• Innovation Culture: Group’s or society’s
framework that channels the perception of
economic and technological challenges and
provides strategies to meet them
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
Innovation Culture
• Made of technological visions, values,
research traditions of those who are part
of innovation process
• Reservoir of ideas
• Provides proven strategies
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
Institutions
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Formal
Consciously built with
specific purpose and
hence can be easily
changed
Actively participate in
innovation
Codified and explicit
Patent laws,
university curricula
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Informal
Implicit, less visible
Emerge
spontaneously
Internalized through
socialization
=culture
Customs, traditions
Affects the formal
systems
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
Post WW II - Western Germany
• Technology-taker in nuclear power plants,
biotechnology, computers
• Strengths in automobiles, machine
tools,chemicals
• Role of cultural factors for shaping
technology policies
• Computers & Biotechnology
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
Case Study - Computers
• 1960s – IBM 70%, German players 10%
• Siemens and AEG-Telefunken, two eletrotechnical firms asked for public funding
• Govt. accepted as widening technological
gap
• Data Processing Programmes (DPP)
launched in 1967, 1971, 1976
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
Goals of DPPs
• National computer industry to compete with US
players
• Use data processing to modernize industry and
administration
• Academic environment in computer science for
training and cutting-edge research
• 42% funds in industrial R&D, 29% data
processing applications
• Siemens and AEG benefited – national
champions to develop mainframe computer
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
DPPs …
• Research Ministry – data processing
system 70/72 – military command, process
control, weather control etc
• Siemens, AEG refused to collaborate
• Lot of money spent on mainframe as that
was the vision
• Transistors & ICs made smaller computers
• Siemens & AEG both tried to compete with
IBM
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
DPPs…
• Siemens – JV with RCA – RCA withdrew
• AEG – developed on own, but no business
customers
• 3rd DPP – focus on minicomputers
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
Disparity between goals & means
• Goal of winning technology race in short
term, means not commensurate
• Siemens – elcetro-technical –
power/transportation – $2.1Bn Vs $5.3 Bn
of IBM
• Technology development focus over
marketing & user support
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
Culture
• Symbols of scientific & technological superiority of USA
• Self-esteem of Germany challenged as takers from
makers
• Glorious electro-technical industry – historical resource
• “One must not undervalue the capacity of the German
industry”
• Decline in imagined hierarchy of nations
• Competing with IBM – technological , hence
marketing/support not developed
• Business customers ignored for scientific/engineering
purposes
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
Biotechnology
• University Biology
• Chemical Industry – ‘found’
• Pharmaceutical Industry - playground
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland
Thank You
Innovation Culture, Technology Policy and the uses of History by Thomas Wieland