Analyzing the Impact of Product Evolution

Emergence of the new technological solutions such as software, microchips, bioengineering, nanotechnology resulted in higher emphasis being placed on pharmaceuticals, ICTs, and other high tech industries. At the same time, low tech sectors have also greatly evolved over time. For instance, the Portuguese footwear industry has gone through restructuring process in the 1990s: creative use of micro electronics has been introduced. As a result of this innovation, industry managed to expand despite the raising labor costs. Bioengineering is being widely used in the wine industry through fermentation techniques that enhance quality of wine. Bacteria biotechnology renewed the classic cork technology used traditionally for centuries.

In all of these cases, industry had to adjust to the new technological solutions. Companies that employed new approaches successfully retained and increased their market share, whereas traditional companies have been forced out of business. It should be pointed out that the restructuring process had significant impact on company organizational and business strategies that had to be adjusted accordingly.

Undoubtedly, Schumpeterian theory had a great impact on the current business strategies. The major lesson to be learned by the companies in business is that innovation can be transferred into a sustainable competitive advantage that cannot be easily followed by other competitors in the industry. As such, businesses must remain open minded and develop adaptive capabilities. The theory of “Peter” still remains the milestone of business practices, as the essentials for gaining and treating innovation remain unchanged – business must gain knowledge to create and sustain competitive advantage.

Learning organization – is the direct implication of the Schumpeterian’s “gales of creative destruction”. People in a learning organization must continually expand their capacity to create the results they aim at. Only under this condition organizations are able to adjust to the situations of rapid change: flexibility and productivity. There are five basic steps that distinguish learning organization from the traditional ones: personal mastery, systems thinking, mental model, building shared vision, and team learning. Combined implementation of these five basic steps allows companies to respond to the emerging changes in business environment and turn innovation into a competitive advantage.

Innovation is a continuous process that cannot be controlled or predicted with a certain degree of verifiability. In order for organizations to survive in the dynamic 21st century, they must remain flexible and enhance learning at all stages. Learning organization is the key to a strong position in the dynamic market place.

When to Protect an Innovative Idea

“I have thought through and worked out the innovative concept in my mind. Can I patent it at this stage?” The inventor is typically in a dilemma as to when he/she should proceed to start the patenting process. The life cycle of converting an innovative idea into a product typically runs into many years. During which of these stages should one file for patent protection – when the inventive concept is firmed up, at a first level prototype, mature prototype, early product phase or in the maturity stage of the product lifecycle? Surprise of surprises, the timing for patenting is not determined by the stage of the product life cycle. It is dependent on when you plan to publicly disclose the innovative idea, or market the new product. With intense competitive product development occurring in some of the hot and well funded areas like software, electronics, nanotechnology and biotechnology, it is prudent to protect your idea at the earliest stage, possibly at the point when the innovative or inventive idea is conceptualized.

“Hitting is timing, pitching is upsetting timing,” said Warren Spahn, a famous American baseball pitcher. In every country of the world except the United States, the patent is awarded to the first to file. The US is the only country that grants a patent to the person who was the first to invent and this rule is scheduled to be changed shortly to bring the US in line with the first to file rule.

In many countries, the inventor loses the right to file a patent if the invention is publicly disclosed before the patent application is filed. Therefore, prudence dictates that an invention not be disclosed before an application for it has been filed in the patent office. Developed countries are exposed to developing technologies at an early stage of the technology. They can envision new applications of these technologies ahead of their counterparts from developing countries. Hence, it is to their advantage to patent an innovative idea, at the concept level, before their counterparts in developing countries.

“Can a patent application be filed for a prophetic invention, i.e., for an invention based only on an idea that has not been tried, tested, perfected, prototyped or reduced to practice?” The answer is: Yes. “Does the patent office require one to have a fully working or marketed product before filing a patent application?” The answer is: No. A new concept is patentable provided the concept is workable and the inventor discloses in the patent application how to make and use the invention. An invention comprises an inventive concept plus a reduction to practice of the inventive concept. The courts have held that filing a patent application based only on a workable, inventive idea is the equivalent of a reduction to practice. However, if the invention, on its face, is impossible or unworkable, the patent application will be rejected. When Thomas Edison invented and filed a patent application for the light bulb, he was nowhere close to a robust working light bulb!

In the United States a patent application can be filed within 1 year of a public disclosure of the invention. Under US patent laws there is also a provision to protect your idea by filing a provisional application. The provisional application must be followed up by the filing of a non-provisional application within one year from the date of filing the provisional application. Failure to do so will result in the applicant losing the claim to priority date of the earlier filed provisional application. The period of priority is limited to six months in case of industry design and trademarks. If the non-provisional application cannot be filed within 1 year of filing of the provisional application, the applicant may file for another provisional and get another priority span. However, in this case the original priority date no longer holds.

The time tested and safest route for a company that wishes to protect its innovative idea is to withhold commercialization or publishing details of the invention until a provisional or a non-provisional application is filed and a “patent pending” status is obtained for the innovative idea.

Upcoming Breakthroughs in Battery Technology

Batteries have been an extremely integral part of our daily lives for many years now. And with more and more devices going portable every day, it is easy to see that batteries will continue to be needed for quite some time. However, as research and development continues in fields of science and technology, we may see battery usage change dramatically in the coming days.

Battery breakthroughs are not a new concept by any means. As with all areas of technology, some of the things we take for granted today were once on the cutting edge of technological battery development. Rechargeable batteries are one example of this, and the fact that small lithium batteries could be manufactured to fit into portable devices like telephones was a shocking notion to some people while the technology was still new. Now we hardly see anyone without a small lithium battery in their pocket or purse. With this in mind, here are some promising areas of development that we may take for granted sooner than we think.

Scientists have discovered a way to make a battery that charges in minutes and lasts for years on a single charge. At the time being, size is an issue, although the developers hope to make the batteries economical for devices such as electric cars, laptops, and cell phones. Imagine never having to worry about your computer dying in the middle of a project or your phone going dead while you’re alone on the road. Also, with the energy issue we face as a nation, such technology in vehicles is a top priority.

Batteries are also still becoming smaller and more versatile in their application. The increasing use of lithium batteries in phones and computers has driven developers to design new batteries that are as thin as a piece of paper and also as flexible as one. This will more than likely begin to show up in portable devices very soon since it will allow manufacturers to decrease the size and weight of these devices and allow more freedom in the development process due to their flexibility.

Finally, alternate forms of battery chemistry and technology are constantly being researched in order to find cheaper, more efficient forms of portable energy. Perhaps the most exciting of these is the development of the nanobattery. Nanotechnology deals with energy on the atomic level, and recent advances in this area have created opportunities for such things as wearable battery clothing. Something like this would mean great things for many people as devices would eventually be able to be plugged directly into clothing.

Batteries are moving from being a necessary afterthought of electronic development to an exciting opportunity for advancement and versatility. But hopefully these advancements won’t put companies like ours out of business!

How to Prevent Premature Wrinkles

Have you read about this recently? Premature wrinkles may be caused by a variety of things. The most common cause is overexposure to the sun, illness or treatment for an illness. Contributing factors are common ingredients in cosmetics, such as petrolatum and mineral oil. Incorrect makeup application that causes stretching may also be a cause. But, regardless of the cause, most people simply want to know what they can do to reduce the wrinkling and improve their appearance. Here’s some advice, based on the latest research.

Since the most likely cause is sun damage, much of the research was conducted using volunteers that suffered from sun damage. The point was to determine the effectiveness of various types of topically applied creams. Currently the only prescription cream that is available is an acid form of vitamin A. It causes a variety of unwanted side effects, including increased sensitivity to sunlight. So, it is not typically recommended for premature wrinkles.

Many over the counter creams are available. Most have limited effectiveness. But, according to clinical studies, there are some nutrient combinations that are quite effective. One of the nutrients to look for is the antioxidant coenzyme Q10.

At some point in the future, there will likely be a prescription cream that contains a synthetic analog of coenzyme Q10. It’s called idebenone. Currently most experts believe that coenzyme Q10 is a safer choice. The only problem may be the size of the molecules, but some companies have been able to reduce the size using nanotechnology. They call the compound NANOLIPOBELLE HEQ10.

The size of the molecules determines the nutrients ability to penetrate the skin’s cells, stimulate the production of collagen fibers and repair damage done by free radicals. NANOLIPOBELLE HE Q10 has been shown to penetrate through seven layers of the skin’s epidermis. That gets it where it needs to be in order to help reverse premature wrinkles.

The most effective creams contain a variety of different antioxidants. These molecules have the unique ability to transfer electrons and repair DNA strands. Damaged DNA in the skin’s cells leads to the appearance of age spots, wrinkling and can cause skin cancer.

If there are not enough antioxidants in the skins deepest layers, free radicals can damage, degrade and weaken collagen fibers. This leads to sagging, which causes further wrinkling. Tight, firm skin is less wrinkled and looks younger.

If you have premature wrinkles, look for a cream that contains a proprietary compound called CYNERGY TK. It has been shown to increase the skin’s firmness by over 40% in less than three weeks. If you really want to see results, look for one that contains both CYNERGY TK and NANOLIPOBELLE HEQ10.

Now that you know this, whenever possible avoid overexposure to the sun. Wear a sun-block that contains zinc oxide. Avoid cigarette smoke. Try to use milder cleansers. Harsh ones cause excessive dryness. Use a night cream that contains Shea butter, avocado extract and the two important compounds mentioned above. Sleeping on your back also seems to help with premature wrinkles, as does improving your diet. Try all of these things. It can’t hurt.

Visit my site today to learn about more amazing natural skin care substances you have probably never heard of.

Notebook battery maker gets charged up for cars

The lithium-ion battery maker has raised $45 million in a third round of funding. It also has signed its second contract manufacturing deal, an agreement with China’s GP Batteries, which will give it the capacity to churn out a million batteries a month by the end of 2008. In all, Boston-Power has raised more than $68 million in funding.

Hewlett-Packard plans to release a notebook sporting one of Boston’s Sonata batteries this year, and other large computer makers are currently in the final testing phases with the Sonata, Boston-Power CEO Christina Lampe-Onnerud said in an interview. (Last year, HP was still testing the battery.)

Boston-Power also has hatched plans to move into making large format lithium-ion batteries that could be used in plug-in hybrid cars. The current Sonata batteries for notebooks are based on small format cells, and each cell provides about 4.4 amp hours of power. Conventional notebook batteries provide about 2.6 amp hours. (Amp hours measure how much power a battery can store.)

Plug-in hybrids require batteries with cells that can provide 5 to 10 amp hours. Boston Power, in its labs, has come up with batteries that get into this range, but they are still in the experimental stage. (A battery for a plug-in will also contain far more cells than a typical six- to nine-cell notebook battery.)

“We have solved a fundamental problem for large cells,” Lampe-Onnerud said. “We will take the same time to make sure it is fine-tuned for the appropriate market.”

Boston-Power is one of a number of relatively new companies trying to improve the humble battery, particularly the now familiar lithium-ion ones. A favorite of notebook makers and consumer electronics manufacturers, lithium-ion batteries can hold more energy than competing types of batteries.

Unfortunately, they also come with a glaring side effect. They can short on occasion, resulting in a “runaway thermal reaction” in industry parlance. In layman’s terms, that’s a fire or an explosion. Recalls in 2006 cost Sony millions of dollars.

Some companies have tinkered with the internal chemistry of the batteries. Notebooks contain lithium cobalt batteries. Altair Nanotechnologies and EnerDel have devised lithium titanate batteries, while others have come up with lithium potassium batteries. The change in chemistry lowers the risk of explosions, but also lowers the energy density. Lower energy density directly leads to lower mileage or runtime on laptops. Others are looking at getting rid of lithium altogether and switching to a rechargeable zinc battery.

By contrast, Boston-Power has largely kept the internal chemistry the same and instead fine-tuned the other elements that make up a battery. (Lampe-Onnerud and other members of the Boston-Power executive team have worked in the lithium-ion industry for years.) The can, or outside casing around the battery cells, on the Sonata is made from a metal alloy that is stronger than the iron cans used with conventional notebook batteries and, thus, will remain intact in the case of a thermal reaction or fire, according to the company.

Boston-Power also spent a lot of time on the interrupt system, which prompts the battery to shut down permanently if there is danger of a thermal reaction. The company can’t guarantee the batteries will never have problems, but it has added safety features not seen in ordinary batteries.

In addition, Boston-Power works closely with its contract manufacturers, Lampe-Onnerud said, and has developed a process monitoring system that collects more accurate data about each battery as it goes through manufacturing and assembly.

“Some factories still use very, very rudimental quality measures,” she said.

At the same time, the Sonata will outperform conventional batteries, the company said. It will recharge from depleted to 80 percent capacity in about 30 minutes. The Sonata also will provide like-new performance for three years, according to the company. Most notebook batteries begin to degrade after three to six months.

And runtime? Lampe-Onnerud said she gets four hours out of the conventionally sized Sonata plugged into her notebook on a regular basis in ordinary conditions. The power meters on most notebooks say they get four hours, but in reality the runtime is shorter than that.

There is a catch, however. The Sonata will sell at a premium. Notebook makers always try to minimize component costs. Manufacturers also tend to be skittish when it comes to trying out products from start-ups.

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