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Encyclopedia > Technology lifecycle

Most new technologies follow a similar technology lifecycle describing the technological maturity of a product. This is not similar to a product life cycle, but applies to an entire technology, or a generation of a technology. Mature technology is a technology that has been in use for long enough (for years or more likely decades or longer) that most of its initial faults and inherent problems have been removed or reduced by further development. ... This article is about managing the life of a product in the market. ...


Technology adoption is the most common phenomenon driving the evolution of industries along the industry lifecycle. After expanding new uses of resources they end with exhausting the efficiency of those processes, producing gains that are first easier and larger over time then exhaustingly more difficult. Industry lifecycle is a theory linking the intensity of competition in a particular market with the time since the breakthrough innovation that made that market possible. ...


Technology perception dynamics

There is usually technology hype at the introduction of any new technology, but only after some time has passed can it be judged as mere hype or justified true acclaim. Because of the logistic curve nature of technology adoption, it is difficult to see in the early stages whether the hype is excessive. Technological hype is sensational promotion of technology. ... The logistic function or logistic curve is defined by the mathematical formula: for real parameters a, m, n, and . ...


The two errors commonly committed in the early stages of a technology's development are[citation needed]:

  • fitting an exponential curve to the first part of the growth curve, and assuming eternal exponential growth
  • fitting a linear curve to the first part of the growth curve, and assuming that takeup of the new technology is disappointing

Similarly, in the later stages, the opposite mistakes can be made relating to the possibilities of technology maturity and market saturation. In mathematics, exponential growth (or geometric growth) occurs when the growth rate of a function is always proportional to the functions current size. ... Mature technology is a technology that has been in use for long enough (for years or more likely decades or longer) that most of its initial faults and inherent problems have been removed or reduced by further development. ... In economics, market saturation is a term used to describe a situation in which a product has become diffused (distributed) within a market; the actual level of saturation can depend on consumer purchasing power; as well as competition, prices, and technology. ...


Technology adoption typically occurs in an S curve, as modelled in diffusion of innovations theory. This is because customers respond to new products in different ways. Diffusion of innovations theory, pioneered by Everett Rogers, posits that people have different levels of readiness for adopting new innovations and that the characteristics of a product affect overall adoption. The technology adoption lifecycle is a sociological model, originally developed by Joe M. Bohlen and George M. Beal in 1957 at Iowa State College. ... The study of the diffusion of innovation is the study of how, why, and at what rate new ideas spread through cultures. ... The study of the diffusion of innovation is the study of how, why, and at what rate new ideas spread through cultures. ... Everett M. Rogers (1931 in Carroll, Iowa - Albuquerque, New Mexico, 21 October 2004), communications scholar, pioneer of diffusion of innovations theory, writer, and teacher. ...


Stages

From a layman's perspective, the technology life cycle can be broken down into five distinct stages.

  1. Bleeding edge - any technology that shows high potential but hasn't demonstrated its value or settled down into any kind of consensus. Early adopters may win big, or may be stuck with a white elephant.
  2. Leading edge - a technology that has proven itself in the marketplace but is still new enough that it may be difficult to find knowledgeable personnel to implement or support it.
  3. State of the art - when everyone agrees that a particular technology is the right solution.
  4. Dated - still useful, still sometimes implemented, but a replacement leading edge technology is readily available.
  5. Obsolete - has been superseded by state-of-the-art technology, maintained but no longer implemented.

In computer science, bleeding edge is a term that refers to technology that is so new (and thus, presumably, not perfected) that the user is required to risk reductions in stability and productivity in order to use it. ... For other uses, see White elephant (disambiguation). ... The state of the art is the highest level of development, as of a device, technique, or scientific field, achieved at a particular time. ...

See also


  Results from FactBites:
 
Technology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2646 words)
The notion of appropriate technology, however, was developed in the twentieth century to describe situations where it was not desirable to use very new technologies or those that required access to some centralized infrastructure or parts or skills imported from elsewhere.
Intermediate technology, more of an economics concern, refers to compromises between central and expensive technologies of developed nations and those which developing nations find most effective to deploy given an excess of labour, and scarcity of cash.
Persuasion technology, in economics, definitions or assumptions of progress or growth are often related to one or more assumptions about technology's economic influence.
Technology lifecycle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (384 words)
There is usually technology hype at the introduction of any new technology, but only after some time has passed can it be judged as mere hype or justified true acclaim.
Because of the logistic curve nature of technology adoption, it is difficult to see at in the early stages whether the hype is excessive.
Technology adoption typically occurs in an S curve, as modelled in diffusion of innovations theory.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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