Organized for Innovation: An Empirical Observation of Innovation Adoption Within Defense Organizations

Abstract

How can defense organizations best position themselves to adopt novel ideas and cutting-edge technologies? Many organizations within the Department of Defense (DoD) require the ongoing adoption of new methodologies and approaches as a part of their core operations. Constant shifts in the operational environment, to include ever-changing adversaries, require DoD organizations to remain fast and agile in the course of mission accomplishment and overall readiness. A history of both successes and failures contains several lessons learned and opportunities to improve the crucial process of adopting innovations. This thesis will analyze the behavior of three organizations in order to better understand the DoDs adoption of other transactions authority (OTA). In order to achieve this objective, a literature review is conducted to examine an existing body of literature surrounding the topic of innovation adoption, to include challenges specific to defense organizations attempting to adopt innovations. An analysis is conducted using Everett Rogers Five Stages Adoption Model, and key themes within the literature are analyzed, in order to assess the adoption of OTA within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx).

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2018
Accession Number
AD1059994

Entities

People

  • Christopher A. Lynn

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Beta Testing
  • Business Administration
  • California
  • Computer Programs
  • Department Of Defense
  • Doctrine
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Governments
  • Graphical User Interface
  • Law
  • Lessons Learned
  • Literature Surveys
  • Marine Corps
  • Military Applications
  • Military Education
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Observation
  • Organizational Structure
  • Procurement
  • Public Policy
  • Students
  • Training
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Defense Technology Research and Development.
  • Theoretical Analysis.

Technology Areas

  • Space