Technical Impacts and Business Effects of the Electric-Gasoline Engine

By the conclusion of this activity you will be able to:

1. Evaluate new technical constraints imposed by the innovation and compare them to those of the existing design

2. Put an innovation technology in context by studying how an end product is perceived by the buyer

3. Determine when the existence of supporting infrastructure is integral to the success of the innovation

Though the electric-gasoline engine allows better miles per gallon relative to a traditional gasoline engine, it is not without technological tradeoffs. Regarding the first electric-gasoline cars to market, much of the mpg achieved was due to styling not the ability to run on electricity, which from market surveys not as appealing as the styling of a sleeker vehicle body design. New and limited infrastructure for servicing these vehicles was created, which may have deterred buyer acceptance.What fundamental technical constraints are lifted when incorporating an electric-gas engine into a vehicle design?

Guiding Question to Consider Prior to the Discussion

1. What fundamental technical constraints are added when incorporating an electric-gas engine into a vehicle design?

2. Is the inventive concept itself diluted or enhanced by the embodiment required, especially in regards to vehicle styling?

3. What new business operations are needed to support the new engine design?

4. What will drive both acceptance and sales of this new type of vehicle?

Read R I-4, " Management Criteria for Effective Innovation".

Summarize the technologically innovative success of the first few electric-gasoline cars to market, addressing the questions posed under ''Guiding Questions''. As part of your response, compare the technical constraints of the electric-gasoline engine to the conventional gasoline engine.

Post your response (250-300 word minimum) to the Discussion Board.

Compose your work using a word processor and save it frequently to your computer. When you are ready to make your initial posting, please click on the "Create Thread" button and enter a relevant subject line. Then copy/paste the text, which you have grammar and spell checked, from your Word document into the message field and click Submit. Your initial posting should be no more than one typed page in length. Then, reply to the postings of class members. You may agree or disagree, but you need to support your statements with facts, experience, information and/or references. Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the "Start Here" section of the course for more information on grading criteria.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pg7o8i0kizrrfl8/Module.rar?dl=0