A MICROCOMPUTER DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM TO AID INNOVATION ACCEPTANCE

WHEN PROMISING INNOVATIONS ARE INTRODUCED BUT NOT UTILIZED TO THEIR FULL CAPABILITIES, WE FACE A LOSS OF MONEY, MANPOWER, AND PRODUCTIVITY, AND STAND TO LOSE THE BENEFITS OF ADVANCES IN HARD AND SOFT TECHNOLGOES. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROGRAMS THAT EXAMINE SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE INNOVATION PROCESS. HOWEVER, THERE IS LITTLE CUMULATION OF RESULTS, NOR IS THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN A FORMAT EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND MANIPULABLE BY MILITARY RESEARCHERS AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE INNOVATION PROCESS. THE RESULT, FOR APPLIED PURPOSES, IS THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO GENERATE DIAGNOSTIC OR PRESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION ON PROBLEMS IN THE INNOVATION PROCESS FOR INTERVENTION. THERE SEEMS TO BE A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT SCHOLARS HAVE DEVELOPED ON THE INNOVATION PROCESS AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THOSE IN THE R&D ORGANIZATION HAVE TO USE -CERTAINLY A DEFICIENCY IN TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IN ITSELF. THE GOAL OF THE PRESENT RESEARCH IS TO AGGREGATE THIS INFORMATION, DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE MODEL OF THE INNOVATION PROCESS AT A LEVEL OF DETAIL TO SUPPORT DECISION-MAKING AND INTERVENTION, AND ADAPT THIS MODEL TO AN INTERACTIVE MICROCOMPUTER FORMAT. THE END PRODUCT WILL BE A MICROCOMPUTER-BASED DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM WITH DIAGNOSTIC AND PRESCRIPTIVE CAPABILITY TO SUPPORT INNOVATION STRATEGY.