Radical innovation: triggering initiation of opportunity recognition and evaluation

The gap between a firm's reservoir of technical knowledge and the formation of a project to explore the commercial potential of a breakthrough technical insight or discovery is the first major discontinuity in the radical innovation lifecycle. The first step toward bridging that gap occurs when the researcher with the technical insight recognizes that it might have commercial potential and decides to alert a research manager. In our longitudinal study of eight radical innovation projects in six large, multi‐national, R&D‐intensive firms, the initiation of a radical innovation project was neither frequent nor routine. In fact the participants in the study indicated that the initiation of a project – in their terminology, the 'fuzzy front end of innovation'– was the most challenging and uncertain part of the lifecycle. In this paper we explore the case data to illuminate the nature of the initiation gap. In addition we present an assessment framework that can help researchers decide whether or not to bring their technical idea to the attention of management. If the decision is positive, the assessment tool can help them prepare for the discussion with management and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the case to submitted for evaluation.     

Compensation or Right: An Analysis of Employee “Fringe” Benefit Perception

Past research suggests that employee perceptions of the benefits provided to them by their organization can influence employee attitudes. Three factors that appear to influence the perception of benefits by employees are benefit satisfaction, benefit importance, and the perceived motive of the organization in providing the benefit to employees. However, it also appears that some benefits are perceived as rights that are owed to employees by the organization. This study proposes and tests a model of benefit perception that incorporates all of these factors. Results suggest that benefit satisfaction and the perceived motive of the organization in providing a benefit both have a direct relationship with employee attitudes. The perceived right status of a benefit appears to moderate this relationship.     

Land use Controls: Can Landowners Force Governmental Bodies to Pay?

A governmental body has the right to regulate owners' use of their land by exercising police powers. However, when such regulation substantially deprives an owner of the use of land, the owner can argue that a taking has occurred. Traditionally, a landowner could seek a declaration that the governmental regulation was unconstitutional and should be enjoined. At times an alternative remedy available to the landowner has been to sue for monetary damages. This latter action is called inverse or reverse condemnation.
This article examines two recent United States Supreme Court cases that address whether or not an inverse condemnation action is a permissible means by which a landowner can challenge the excessive nature of a zoning regulation. Although these cases have not directly answered this question, this article concludes that such a remedy would be beneficial and should be allowed.