In this paper we analyse the development of zinc air fuel cells (ZAFC) and their transfer from research laboratories to large mass production. ZAFC are a new 'environmental technology', proved to have a commercial value, that can be used for building zero emission vehicles (ZEV). Difficulties in funding ZAFC engineering and 'moving' them from laboratories to production caused some years delay in their diffusion. On the bases of this 'paradigmatic' case, we argue that existing economic and organizational literature concerning technological innovation is not able to fully explain steps followed in developing environmental technologies. The following aspects play a fundamental role in developing environmental technologies: regulations concerning introduction of ZEV create market demand and business development for new technologies; they impose constraints that can be met only by segmenting transportation market at each stage of technology development; each stage of technology development requires alternative forms of division and coordination of innovative labour; upstream and downstream industries are involved in new forms of inter-firm relationships, causing a reconfiguration of product architecture and reducing effects of path dependency; product differentiation increases firm capabilities to plan at the same time technology introduction and customer selection, while meeting requirements concerning network externalities; and it is necessary to find and/or create alternative funding sources for each research, development and design stage of the new technologies.
Commercial development of environmental technologies for the automotive industry towards a new model of technological innovation
International Journal of Technology Management ; 21 , 5-6 ; 565-585
2001
21 Seiten, 30 Quellen
Article (Journal)
English
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