Profiling innovation velocity in automotive and hydrogen production settings

Abstract

Companies are interested in efficient ways to assess how quickly external technologies will become relevant and accessible to their organisation’s innovation activities. This research used iterative and collaborative methods involving literature and practice review over four years to develop a profiling approach for assessing new technologies. The approach has 16 dimensions in four areas (Market, Business, Technology and Wider Environment) which can be scored against a temporal scale for innovation velocity (slow to fast) to support the development of future technological innovation opportunities. This approach has been tested using historical and current views from the global automotive industry, and current and future views of hydrogen production in the UK and EU. Learning is discussed and conclusions drawn with respect to the benefits of the approach and its generalisability.