OPPORTUNITIES THE AGE OF DISCONTINUITY

Inflexion points change directions . Opportunities explode at inflexion points. Disruptive technologies and meta changes are creating flux. Globalization. Information revolution. The current times are similar to age of industrial revolution. Reduction in transaction costs due to globalization. Strategic response is required. Transformation and change key to survival. Innovations cause discontinuity as technological developments are triggers of change.

BRIC Theory: Progressive shift of world power centers to happen within next 3 decades.
GDP of Brazil, Russia, India & China - expected to cross G-6 by 2036. China - Expected to attain global # 1 status in 2041 India - Expected to attain global # 3 status in 2032
50000 45000

2032 : India takes over Japan

2041 : China takes over the US

CHINA
US

GDP (USD - Bn)

40000 35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050

INDIA
JAPAN

BRAZIL
RUSSIA

Source: Goldman Sachs Global Economy

WAVES OF CHANGE
Sectors of economy go through different waves of change . several of these waves are exogenous caused by external factors Several times organizations change as a response to the environmental changes or as a response to the changes in operating conditions. Mature organizations are slow to respond to change and the pace of response becomes the cause of withering of these organizations.

INNOVATIONS
The constant interaction of major transformations creates an extremely turbulent environment. Only organisations adept at innovations and implementation of innovations are going to survive. The sustainable competitive advantage is ability to innovate and ability to implement innovation.

BACKGROUND OF PROPOSED RESEARCH

KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPED BY RAILWAYS TO MEET SPECIFIC GOALS IN RESPONSE TO EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
The implementation of railway reservation system led to development of several competancies in computer databases and networking which could be used by several other organisations. The technology for computer networking was developed as a computer network was required to be set up in rail coach factory kapurthala to provide communication infrastructure to state of factory automation in early ninetees. Rail coach factory kapurthala was a state of art factory set up to manufacture railway coaches of next generation design using contemporary technology. The planners envisaged a state of art factory with computer integrated manufacturing to achieve 100 %productivity improvements .The computer networking was the backbone of such an advance manufacturing initiatives. Over 500 computers and more than 60 cnc machines were required to be connected in a seamless network. Computer networking was not aligned with the core business of indian railways the vast knowledge .Developed in planning ,building and then operating the network. Was not leveraged further and has become locked intellectual capital. The tunneling technology developed by konkan railway has been used for construction of tunnels in mumbai-pune express highway.

BACKGROUND OF PROPOSED RESEARCH

The proposed research will examine the availability of locked intellectual capital in organisations. It is proposed that knowledge acquisition is looked from a fresh perspective of multiple uses knowledge which is required for meeting specific goals.

The various methods of knowledge acquisition will be evaluated keeping in view the hitherto unexplored possibilities of unlocking knowledge that gets generated in the course of implementing technical inventions to meet specific goals.

BACKGROUND OF PROPOSED RESEARCH

A framework is proposed for evaluating knowledge acquisition, keeping in view the possibility of leveraging of locked knowledge base. There is potential of multiple uses of locked knowledge/competencies . Leveraging of knowledge would require suitable enhancements to make available knowledge useful and marketable.

HYPOTHESIS UNLOCKING VALUE

In an environment of information explosion and knowledge revolution organisations are repositories of knowledge, skills ,and competencies. These knowledge, skills ,competencies are developed by continuous learning and to achieve specific goals in response to ever changing external environment. The knowledge developed as a response to changes in external environment is termed knowledge response The knowledge response has a component which is not aligned to the core business area. This knowledge is of tactical use to the organization and is used for specific purpose only. The knowledge thus developed is available as locked intellectual capital in organisations However there are strong possibilities of leveraging this knowledge and marketing it after suitable enhancement. A framework is proposed for evaluating knowledge acquisition, keeping in view the possibility of leveraging of locked knowledge .

FRAMEWORK FOR PROPOSED RESEARCH

Development of an integrated methodology for evaluation and develoment of locked knowledge into marketable products. Application of the integrated methodology retrospectively to the development of knowledge of computer networking for manufacturing at RCF kapurthala to validate the methodology.

The methods developed for evaluating, the potential of locked knowledge will be applied to evaluate knowledge acquisition for development of technology for using bio diesels for railway locomotives

DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTEGRATED METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATION AND DEVELOMENT OF LOCKED KNOWLEDGE INTO MARKETABLE PRODUCTS

Examination of locked knowledge/competencies using the technique of multiple perspective. Generation of different products using core technology by using the technique of morphological synthesis. Generation of marketable intellectual capital using the technique of transformations to convert locked up knowledge potential into useful products for meeting customer needs after complementary enhancements. Use the technique of paradox to convert vestigial knowledge structures to useful artifacts. Identification of markets for the unlocked intellectual capital using the technique of analogy The market size and total revenue streams will be calculated using the technique of scenario building for use of specific technology after suitable enhancements. The net present value of technology will be arrived at after taking into account the uncertainty and cost of enhancement of basic technology.

VALIDATION OF METHODOLOGY BY APPLICATION OF THE INTEGRATED METHODLOGY RETROSPECTIVELY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF KNOWLEDGE OF COMPUTER NETWORS FOR MANUFACTURING AT RCF KAPURTHALA

The process of development of knowledge of computer networking for manufacturing at rcf kapurthala will be examined. It will examine whether the knowledge thus developed had a component which was not aligned to the core business area of rcf kapurthala (indian railways). It will examine whether the knowledge thus developed was used subsequently by RCF kapurthala (Indian Railways) or became locked intellectual capital. The integrated methodology developed will be applied to the knowledge developed for computer networking for manufacturing at RCF kapurthala

APPLY THE VALIDATED INTEGRATED METHODLOGY TO KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION FOR DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOILOGY OF BIO DIESELS FOR RAILWAY TRACTION

Examination of different uses of technology of bio fuels for railway traction using the technique of multiple perspective. Identification of markets for the technology of bio fuels for railway traction using the technique of analogy Generation of different products from the core technology of bio fuels for railway traction by using the technique of morphological synthesis. Generation of marketable intellectual capital using the technique of transformations to convert technology of bio fuels for railway traction into useful products for meeting customer needs after complementary enhancements. The market size and total revenue streams will be calculated using the technique of scenario building for use of specific technology after suitable enhancements. The net present value of technology will be arrived at after taking into account the uncertainty and cost of enhancement of basic technology.

ACUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE OF COMPUTER NETWORKING.

A computer network was required to be set up in rail coach factory kapurthala to provide communication infrastructure to state of factory automation in early ninetees. Rail coach factory kapurthala was a state of art factory set up to manufacture railway coaches of next generation design using contemporary technology. The planners envisaged a state of art factory with computer integrated manufacturing to achieve 100 %productivity improvements .The computer networking was the backbone of such an advance manufacturing initiatives. Over 500 computers and more than 60 cnc machines were required to be connected in a seamless network. The knowledge of computer networking was not available at that time with the indian railways , however the knowledge was developed for planning ,building and then operating the network. Computer networking was not aligned with the core business of indian railways the vast knowledge .Developed in planning ,building and then operating the network. Was not leveraged further and has become locked intellectual capital.

Several innovations in factory and office automation were developed in rcf kapurthala including provision of connectivity between design computers and factory floor devices

LOCKED KNOWLEDGE OF COMPUTER NETWORKING

The development of knowledge of computer networking for manufacturing at RCF kapurthala will be examined. The knowledge of computer networking was not available at that time with the Indian Railways , however the knowledge was developed for planning ,building and then operating the network.

It will examine whether the knowledge thus developed had a component which was not aligned to the core business area of RCF kapurthala (Indian Railways). It will examine whether the knowledge thus developed was used subsequently by RCF kapurthala (Indian Railways) or became locked intellectual capital. The possibility of leveraging and marketing these competencies after complementary enhancement would be examined through scenario building exercises and study of contemporary market share of similar technologies

EXAMINATON OF BIODIESEL
Biodiesel are promising alternative fuel for railway traction. Today large number of research projects are going on in various institutions, organisations and universities. Development of biodiesel technology would require inputs from diverse fields like biotechnology, internal combustion engines, new materials, computational fluid dynamics,heat flow Forecasting of future technology trends based on technology for bio diesels for railway locomotives. To achieve implement able level of technology expertise will required to be developed in areas like biotechnology, internal combustion engines, new materials, computational fluid dynamics, heat flow. This competence inventory may become locked after the biodiesel project becomes operational.

OUTCOMES OF PROPOSED RESEARCH LEVERAGING KNOWLEDGE

An integrated methodology for evaluation and development of locked knowledge in organizations into marketable products Alternative methodologies of technology acquisition The methods developed for evaluating, the potential of locked knowledge will provide a new tool for evaluation of knowledge acquisition How to leverage current and future technological developments . Technological forecasting . How to build an innovative organisation.