Handling Uncertainties within R&D Modules of a developing Technology

(12/11/2019) Handling Uncertainties within R&D Modules of a developing Technology The paper deals with uncertainties that may arise from previously modularised R&D effort of a new developing technology. The case of teh insulin development technologies has been presented through modularisation of pancreatic extracts, semi-synthesis, and recombinant DNA technologies.Desk research and an interview conducted have generated following. First, the further along the process train a module is, it accumulates uncertainties from previous modules. Second, with the growth of complexity, uncertainties grew as well, resulting in the necessity for companies to seek for knowledge on them externally. Third, the modules that have had always been present in the insulin's R&D, enabled companies to develop mechanism for internal learning and are able to master that part of the process. Finally, in the R&D, outsourcing is related to the whole knowledge acquisition while it seems that minor uncertainties (more or less standardised part of R&D, e.g. latter modules of insulin R&D) are predominantly part of the in-house R&D.