Assessing a Multidimensional Measure of Radical Technological Innovation

Abstract

For almost 30 years, innovations have been characterized as radical or incremental. Nevertheless, the construct has not been precisely defined and ad hoc measures have been the norm in the literature. This paper describes the development of measures which address multiple dimensions of the concept of innovation radicalness and treat it as a continuous variable. A rigorous process of item development, reliability analysis, and both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used. The developed measures meet psychometric standards, demonstrate criterion-related validity, and capture four dimensions of radicalness: technological uncertainty, technical inexperience, business inexperience, and technology cost. Findings support the conceptualization of radicalness as a continuum with multiple dimensions, and suggest that those dimensions may be differentially related to project characteristics and outcomes. The utility of these measures and dimensions as diagnostic tools in project management is discussed. Radicalness as a multidimensional concept is also discussed as a valuable tool in project planning, project evaluation, and understanding the strategic implications of pursuing radical innovation. © 1995 IEEE