A study of polymer innovation in the chemical industry

Polymer innovations (from dental adhesives to home carpeting) are a part of our everyday lives. The development of new polymer-based products fuels one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. chemical industry, which is one of the most successful American industries. Thus, understanding the factors that influence polymer innovation is important to the chemical industry and the nation's economic vitality. This dissertation explores the idea that a firm's ability to successfully develop polymer innovations depends on the firm-specific factors of strategy, structure, and organizational capabilities. It examines sixteen innovations at seven firms: brightness enhancement films and Vitrebond dental material (3M); biocoatings (Battelle); fiberoptics cable coating (Corning Company); Monosphere(TM) ion-exchange resin and a proprietary material (Dow Chemical Company); CorianRTM closed mold, microporous polytetrafluoroethylene, pigment-based ink for InkJet printers, Stainmaster RTM carpets, and TeflonRTM-coated cookware (DuPont); blended polyethylene and cable coatings (Quantum Chemical Company); and three biodegradable plastics (because of legal proceedings, pseudonyms are used).; To understand the impact of a firm's strategy, structure, and organizational capabilities, this dissertation examines their influence on the behaviors of the innovation units (IUs). An IU is the people within the firm and outside of it who developed and commercialized the innovation, the facilities and equipment employed to make the innovation happen, and the organizational routines used in conceiving and developing the innovation.; This dissertation shows that for the successful innovations, alignment between the firm's and the IU's written and oral strategies is critical. If the strategies are aligned, resources and funding are easier for the IU to obtain. In the cases of strong alignment, the conflicts between the firm and IU are minimal. If the strategies are weakly aligned, more conflicts occur. If the strategies are aimed at different or incompatible goals, the innovation usually fails. The ability to successfully bundle the elements of organizational capabilities and ensure information flow is also important in successful innovation. The alignment of the firm's and the IU's structure has little influence on successful innovation.