MT574 - Explain Three Key Topics Arthur, S-Curve, Dominant Design

Assignment Task

Objective

The objective of this assignment is for you to carry out some independent reading and apply your learning from the first few classes to explain three topics that we covered in these classes.

Assignment

Write short notes to apply your learning from the first classes of MT574 to explain each of the three topics below

You should use one of these three examples to illustrate your explanation for each note: The evolution of successive generations of one of … (1) a sweeping brush, or (2) a device to measure temperature, or (3) a device to tell time – all of these in a household context . You can use the same example to illustrate points that you make in each of the three notes below, or you can use a different example for each note – whichever you find easier.

Note that the objective of the assignment is for you to explain your knowledge and understanding of each of the three topics below .

• The three devices are just examples which you can use to illustrate and apply your knowledge of the three topics. You just need to explain three topics (Arthur’s theory, S-curve, and dominant design) – using any combination of the three devices listed
• Don’t expand too much on the brief. That could make the assignment more difficult and obscure the Stick to the context that I have given – i.e. a household context.

The three topics that you should write short notes about are:

1. Brian Arthur’s theory of technology:

“There are three ‘fundamental principles’ of technology (see the notes, pg 7)

A technology has a purpose, a combination of components, an architecture, and embodies a base principle that exploits some base phenomenon

To understand a Technology means to understand its base principle and how this translates into components that share a working architecture”

Apply Brian Arthur’s theory to explain how each of the elements in the quotes above can be applied to your chosen example. Explain briefly what key phenomenon was ‘captured and put to use’ and whether and how each of the elements in his explanation above changed with evolution through successive generations of your chosen example.

Note: you do not need to explain the detailed science of the phenomena involved – just identify at a high level what the basic phenomenon was in each example and whether / how it changed with each successive generation of your chosen example.

2. The S-Curve: Explain how the concept of an S-Curve can be helpful to a manager to make sense of the evolution of the performance of the technology over time or with input of resources such as research &

In your explanation you should be particularly careful about the labels applied to the horizontal and vertical axes of the S-Curve . So, you should think about the performance parameters on the vertical axis, and how they evolved and changed as the underlying technology evolves and changes, and as the needs and wants of the main markets evolve and change.

3. A dominant design: (Abernathy & Utterback, 1975). Use examples to explain the significance of this concept to a manager. For example, what could a manager do with the insight about a dominant design in your explanation?

Each note (i.e. one for each of three topics) should be about words not including references. For each of your notes on the three topics you should

• Assume that you are preparing a briefing note for managers in a business
• Identify, define, and explain the key concepts as well as the relevant analytical frameworks or theories and appropriate diagrams
• I have given some references below but you should do some research in the library to identify other relevant and recent resources that will help in your analysis

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