Open innovation in the US Air Force

Thesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, May, 2020

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Chimento, Charles William,III.
Other Authors: Fiona E. Murray.
Format: Thesis
Language:eng
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/127168
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author Chimento, Charles William,III.
author2 Fiona E. Murray.
author_facet Fiona E. Murray.
Chimento, Charles William,III.
author_sort Chimento, Charles William,III.
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description Thesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, May, 2020
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spelling mit-1721.1/1271682022-01-31T19:01:25Z Open innovation in the US Air Force Open innovation in the United States Air Force Chimento, Charles William,III. Fiona E. Murray. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Data, Systems, and Society. Technology and Policy Program. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Data, Systems, and Society Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Technology and Policy Program Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division Institute for Data, Systems, and Society. Technology and Policy Program. Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Thesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, May, 2020 Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, May, 2020 Cataloged from the official PDF of thesis. "May 2020." Includes bibliographical references (pages 121-127). If the Air Force is to maintain lethality and readiness, we must learn to adapt technologies and praxis within an increasingly diffuse knowledge landscape. This thesis examines two efforts orchestrated through AFWERX that seek to invigorate grass-roots problem-solving and reform research and development partnerships with small businesses. Stepping back, chapter one motivates and characterizes the ideological shift within the Department of Defense (DoD) towards agility, highlighting pioneering efforts and their challenges. Chapter two turns to the Squadron Innovation Fund (SIF), introduced in 2018 to empower mission-oriented units to address capability and efficiency gaps. The chapter contributes a data-driven perspective on the spending trends, draws lessons from analogous efforts in industry, and offers practical steps to leverage the potential of the SIF as a bottom-up signal for heavier funding sources. Chapter three evaluates the state of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and traces its rapid reform under AFWERX, thereby setting up a rigorous econometric evaluation of these reforms in chapter four. Together, these chapters chart out a way forward for the SIF while providing evidence that AFWERX's modifications to SBIR are drawing a more desirable applicant pool. by Charles William Chimento III. S.M. in Technology and Policy S.M. S.M.inTechnologyandPolicy Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 2020-09-03T18:47:40Z 2020-09-03T18:47:40Z 2020 Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/127168 1191625897 eng MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 127 pages application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.
Technology and Policy Program.
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Chimento, Charles William,III.
Open innovation in the US Air Force
title Open innovation in the US Air Force
title_full Open innovation in the US Air Force
title_fullStr Open innovation in the US Air Force
title_full_unstemmed Open innovation in the US Air Force
title_short Open innovation in the US Air Force
title_sort open innovation in the us air force
topic Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.
Technology and Policy Program.
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
url https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/127168
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