IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/oup/scippl/v44y2017i5p707-721..html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Island + Bridge: how transformative innovation is organized in the federal government

Author

Listed:
  • Avery Sen

Abstract

Careful organization of research and development (R&D) is the key to transformative innovation. Among US federal R&D programs, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E), and the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) were designed to empower groups of people to tackle complex problems and realize broad societal benefits. This article offers a taxonomy of heuristics that guide the work of these three agencies, grounded in qualitative accounts of management practices. At the heart of each agency is the duality of isolation and interaction, or ‘Island’ and ‘Bridge’. The Island clusters heuristics that isolate R&D programs from the concerns of operations (as well as those of basic research). The Bridge clusters heuristics that connects R&D to broader institutional contexts. Island + Bridge is a framework for understanding a range of practices at organizations that aim to create radical change.

Suggested Citation

  • Avery Sen, 2017. "Island + Bridge: how transformative innovation is organized in the federal government," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 44(5), pages 707-721.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:scippl:v:44:y:2017:i:5:p:707-721.
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/scipol/scx007
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Grimpe, Christoph, 2012. "Extramural research grants and scientists’ funding strategies: Beggars cannot be choosers?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(8), pages 1448-1460.
    2. María Isabel Berenguer Maldonado & Santiago Carbó Valverde & Miguel Ángel Fortes Escalona, 2005. "Cournot Competition In A Two‐Dimensional Circular City," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 73(1), pages 40-49, January.
    3. Mowery, David C. & Nelson, Richard R. & Sampat, Bhaven N. & Ziedonis, Arvids A., 2001. "The growth of patenting and licensing by U.S. universities: an assessment of the effects of the Bayh-Dole act of 1980," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 99-119, January.
    4. Fong Glenn R., 2001. "ARPA Does Windows: The Defense Underpinning of the PC Revolution," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 3(3), pages 1-26, November.
    5. Andrew H. Van de Ven, 1986. "Central Problems in the Management of Innovation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(5), pages 590-607, May.
    6. Leydesdorff, Loet, 2000. "The triple helix: an evolutionary model of innovations," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 243-255, February.
    7. Ebers, Mark & Maurer, Indre, 2014. "Connections count: How relational embeddedness and relational empowerment foster absorptive capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 318-332.
    8. Unknown, 2005. "Review of National Competition Policy Reforms," Inquiry Reports 31898, Productivity Commission.
    9. Bolli, Thomas & Somogyi, Frank, 2011. "Do competitively acquired funds induce universities to increase productivity?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 136-147, February.
    10. John E. Ettlie & William P. Bridges & Robert D. O'Keefe, 1984. "Organization Strategy and Structural Differences for Radical Versus Incremental Innovation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(6), pages 682-695, June.
    11. Oecd, 2005. "Competition Issues in the Electricity Sector," OECD Journal: Competition Law and Policy, OECD Publishing, vol. 6(4), pages 81-181.
    12. David H Guston, 1996. "Principal-agent theory and the structure of science policy," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 23(4), pages 229-240, August.
    13. Fernández, Marco A., 2005. "Condiciones generales de competencia en Panamá," Estudios y Perspectivas – Sede Subregional de la CEPAL en México 4957, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    14. Van de Ven, Andrew R., 1986. "Central Problems in the Management of Innovation," Agricultural Research Policy Seminar 139708, University of Minnesota Extension.
    15. Fong, Glenn R., 2001. "ARPA Does Windows: The Defense Underpinning of the PC Revolution," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 3(3), pages 213-237, November.
    16. William Bonvillian & Richard Atta, 2011. "ARPA-E and DARPA: Applying the DARPA model to energy innovation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 36(5), pages 469-513, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Watson, Anna, 2022. "Designing publicly funded organisations for accelerated low carbon innovation: A case study of the ETI, UK and ARPA-E, US," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    2. Nicolas Bunde & Nina Czernich & Oliver Falck & Clemens Fuest, 2020. "European public goods: The US ARPA system as a role model for promoting disruptive innovation in Europe?," ifo Forschungsberichte, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 117, November.
    3. Pierre Azoulay & Erica Fuchs & Anna P. Goldstein & Michael Kearney, 2018. "Funding Breakthrough Research: Promises and Challenges of the "ARPA Model"," NBER Chapters, in: Innovation Policy and the Economy, Volume 19, pages 69-96, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Du, Jian & Li, Peixin & Haunschild, Robin & Sun, Yinan & Tang, Xiaoli, 2020. "Paper-patent citation linkages as early signs for predicting delayed recognized knowledge: Macro and micro evidence," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 14(2).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dovev Lavie & Israel Drori, 2012. "Collaborating for Knowledge Creation and Application: The Case of Nanotechnology Research Programs," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(3), pages 704-724, June.
    2. Colatat, Phech, 2015. "An organizational perspective to funding science: Collaborator novelty at DARPA," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(4), pages 874-887.
    3. Stephen J. Mezias & Mary Ann Glynn, 1993. "The three faces of corporate renewal: Institution, revolution, and evolution," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(2), pages 77-101, February.
    4. Jörn H. Block & Christian Fisch & Walter Diegel, 2024. "Schumpeterian entrepreneurial digital identity and funding from venture capital firms," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 119-157, February.
    5. Onexy Quintana-Martinez & Antonio-Rafael Ramos-Rodriguez, 2016. "Changes in the Axes of Convergence of Innovation Management Research," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(5), pages 1-96, April.
    6. Bernardo Batiz-Lazo & Kassa Woldesenbet, 2006. "The dynamics of product and process innovations in UK banking," International Journal of Financial Services Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(4), pages 400-421.
    7. Jose Albors-Garrigos & Juan Ignacio Igartua & Angel Peiro, 2018. "Innovation Management Techniques And Tools: Its Impact On Firm Innovation Performance," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 22(06), pages 1-31, August.
    8. Iansiti, Marco, 1995. "Technology integration: Managing technological evolution in a complex environment," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 521-542, July.
    9. Sarooghi, Hessamoddin & Libaers, Dirk & Burkemper, Andrew, 2015. "Examining the relationship between creativity and innovation: A meta-analysis of organizational, cultural, and environmental factors," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 714-731.
    10. Tat'yana Kovaleva, 2012. "Identification of the leading branches in the economy of Perm territory as potential clusters," Economy of region, Centre for Economic Security, Institute of Economics of Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, vol. 1(1), pages 181-186.
    11. Justin J. P. Jansen & Frans A. J. Van Den Bosch & Henk W. Volberda, 2006. "Exploratory Innovation, Exploitative Innovation, and Performance: Effects of Organizational Antecedents and Environmental Moderators," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(11), pages 1661-1674, November.
    12. Kessel, Maura & Hannemann-Weber, Henrike & Kratzer, Jan, 2012. "Innovative work behavior in healthcare: The benefit of operational guidelines in the treatment of rare diseases," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(2), pages 146-153.
    13. Yu-Shan Su & Eric Tsang & Mike Peng, 2009. "How do internal capabilities and external partnerships affect innovativeness?," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 309-331, June.
    14. Liu, Zhiqiang & Yan, Miao & Fan, Youqing & Chen, Liling, 2021. "Ascribed or achieved? The role of birth order on innovative behaviour in the workplace," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 480-492.
    15. Cécile Fonrouge & Cécile Ayerbe, 2005. "Les transitions entre innovations : études de cas et proposition d'une grille d'interprétation," Post-Print halshs-00696111, HAL.
    16. Anil K. Gupta & Paul E. Tesluk & M. Susan Taylor, 2007. "Innovation At and Across Multiple Levels of Analysis," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(6), pages 885-897, December.
    17. Brigitte Charles-Pauvers & Nathalie Schieb-Bienfait & Caroline Urbain, 2004. "La compétence du créateur d’entreprise innovante : quelles interrogations?," Post-Print hal-01416605, HAL.
    18. Simona Alfiero & Laura Broccardo & Massimo Cane & Alfredo Esposito, 2018. "High Performance Through Innovation Process Management in SMEs. Evidence from the Italian wine sector," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2018(3), pages 87-110.
    19. Yoshida, Masayuki & James, Jeffrey D. & Cronin, J. Joseph, 2013. "Sport event innovativeness: Conceptualization, measurement, and its impact on consumer behavior," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 68-84.
    20. Tanja Lepistö & Tiina Mäkitalo-Keinonen & Tiina Valjakka, 0. "Opportunity recognition in a hub-governed network – insights from garage services," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-24.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:oup:scippl:v:44:y:2017:i:5:p:707-721.. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Oxford University Press (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://academic.oup.com/spp .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.