kiki
28 May 2010
Idea-driven & market-driven –> potential exploitation
Posted in applied researchRecent years, I’m in an embarrassing situation of developing hi-tech products in an institute. Those so-called hi-tech products are also defined as market-driven products, whose developing method makes my group members and me puzzled. When some industrial partners call for cooperation to develop some hi-tech products for their markets. Immediately are our possible methods and results limited by all kinds of critical requirements, including various performances, appearance, cost, raw materials, production procedures, testing standards, and so on.
According to my experience of doing academic research, it’s efficient and useful of making my ideas come true by trying again and again with less limits. With the progress of research works, we may get what we want. Or even if we can not obtain the expected results, we might gain other surprising outcome. I name it as idea-driven research.
Just like a forest hunter, academic research of idea-driven is to walk all sorts of ways and obtain various results, including expected and unexpected results. It’s so wonderful to enjoy all possible outcomes. However, the above product development of market-driven is to walk on one or several limited ways and strive for one appointed result. I’m wondering which one is better for exploiting our potential capabilities.
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29 May 2010 9:36, Mirjam
I don’t think one approach is better than the other, they just serve a different purpose. The thing to be aware of is their embedding in the right environment. Thus, real product development should not be done in an institute for fundamental research. This does not mean however that there can’t be collaborations with industry to solve certain problems with restrictions…
12 Jul 2010 14:49, kiki
@ Mirjam: Agree with what you said.
31 May 2010 4:08, CY
Hi Kiki. I signed up for my current industrial, market-driven postgraduate research without realizing its inherent limitations, out of naivety. I must say I was very disappointed when just months into the research, I became fully aware of the boundaries and restrictions. Thankfully, I’ve completed the bulk of the research and am currently just waiting to defend my thesis. I’ve learnt my lesson and will be pursuing an idea-driven research with a university (no more industrial research for me!) in a few months’ time 🙂
12 Jul 2010 14:47, kiki
@ CY: it’s also a good idea to carry out the idea-driven research and market-driven development at the same time. However, market requirements change too quick. And so it’s not easy.
7 Jun 2010 13:33, danxian
Perhaps we should accept the reality —— they funding the projects for their own targets,not for compassion or love.
For long-term goal,there might be exception.
Pray for our ideals! Before research, we have to survive……
12 Jul 2010 12:31, kiki
@ danxian: Yeah, that’s right. The industrial partners sponsor a project with their own targets. However, most of them want to get more than that of they sponsor, owing to the business point of view. This makes the project be more difficult to complete. Project coordinator / project investigator might get no tangible results, such as paper, patent or product, at the end of the project. Good news is they will have many experiences of developing various products.