Copy Right for Flight: Patterns of Technological Adaptation in Military Aviation
Abstract
Technological adaptation in aviation happens when one organization feel the need to copy and adapt an existing technology for its missions. In a world of competition, where winning is usually the desired goal, technological adaptation is natural and frequent. And since aviation is particularly reliant on technology, this process is even more critical in the third dimension. For both civilian and military air organizations, copying and adapting technology is necessary to remain competitive. In both cases, it can also mean surviving or disappearing. The aim of this research is to provide a better understanding of technological adaptation in aviation. To do so, the study suggests two theoretical frameworks to grasp the process. A first cognitive approach is based on John Boyds model for competitive cognition: Observe, Orient, Decide, Actusually referred to as the OODA loop. Boyds model not only provides a way to break up and analyze each step of the process, but its chronological motif also provides a reasonable platform for narrative. Then the concept of sustainable development offers a second cognitive apparatus to assess the value and limits of an instance of technological adaptation. These two different approaches represent an attempt to build a theory of technological adaptation that can then be applied to the case studies. But the theory and the case studies are iterative. On one hand, the theory should facilitate understanding and assessing most instances of technological adaptation, and on the other hand, the case studies will validate and reveal the limitations of the theory.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- AD1019393
Entities
People
- Laurent Neumann
Organizations
- Air University