And there are other benefits to an innovative entrepreneur. It is the payoff from more original invention. This is because the innovative entrepreneur must cut prices to compete with existing firms, thus driving up sales.
Greater sales then lead to greater returns from improved products and more efficient production processes. Implications for Public Policy and Management Spulber, who is completing The Innovative Entrepreneur , a book slated for publication next year, notes that his work has public policy implications. That fact makes patents even more important. Entrepreneurs benefit from patent protection. Corporate executives should also take note. Spulber refers to Shuji Nakamura, the engineer who invented blue, green, and white light-emitting diodes LEDs and the blue laser.
Nichia Corporation, the small Japanese company that employed him, gave him very little help. The information he published—even though his company did not want him to—had a lot of value. But his effort must have involved a lot of tacit knowledge known to him alone. Employers should consider involving those employees in the process of developing their inventions rather than just taking the inventions and running with them.
To help students see what inventors have to think about when making an invention, particularly the kinds of effects they can have on people. This lesson is the second of a two-part series on technology and inventions. Students are introduced to the world of inventions and how their ongoing development continues to affect all aspects of living—in both good and potentially bad ways. In Inventions 1: Edison and the Light Bulb , students learn how inventions are created to solve problems or improve the way things are done.
The revolutionary invention of the light bulb by Thomas Edison is used as an example. In Inventions 2: The Impact, students focus on the process of inventing, particularly on what short- and long-term issues inventors have to consider before developing an invention.
They examine a number of other revolutionary American inventions and are encouraged to evaluate the effects of their own invention ideas in terms of their usefulness and public impact. At this early level, it is important to introduce students to the idea of technology, and help them to identify its various forms and ongoing effects on society.
It is also worthwhile to help them see that technology, including the invention of processes and tools since the beginning of time, shows that people have some control over their destiny and can handle problems by searching for better ways to do things, inventing solutions, and taking risks.
Benchmarks for Science Literacy , p. Having students take part in simple design projects gives them interesting opportunities to solve problems, use tools well, measure things carefully, make reasonable estimations, calculate accurately, and communicate clearly.
They are also given the opportunity to ponder the effects that their inventions or projects might have, particularly on their surroundings. Ask students review questions covering material from the first lesson about inventions, how they help to solve problems, and how they continue to affect and improve the quality of people's lives.
Questions may include:. The History of Invention Direct students' attention to The History of Invention , a resource in a timeline format providing a brief history on significant inventions from ancient times to the present.
To help orient students, begin by showing them the light bulb, reminding them of what they previously studied. Then show and have them learn about very important and highly influential inventions like the pencil, bicycle, telephone, automobile, and television. During the discussion and while clicking on photos of these recommended inventions, ask students questions like these:.
If you were to design something that would benefit people in need, what do you think you would design? What problem would you solve with your invention? You never know what people are going to find interesting or fascinating. It may surprise you to know that there is a virtual toaster museum online! It can be difficult to evaluate the importance or worth of an invention. Many timelines of inventions exist, and all of them include and exclude different inventions. Henry George said, "The march of invention has clothed mankind with powers of which a century ago the boldest imagination could not have dreamt.
All of this talk of making stuff may have you itching to try to build something yourself. Who knows? Maybe you'll invent a better way to do it! There are several invention competitions geared to kids and teens. Find more information about some of them here:. This series of lessons was designed to meet the needs of gifted children for extension beyond the standard curriculum with the greatest ease of use for the educator. The lessons may be given to the students for individual self-guided work, or they may be taught in a classroom or a home-school setting.
Assessment strategies and rubrics are included at the end of each section. The rubrics often include a column for "scholar points," which are invitations for students to extend their efforts beyond that which is required, incorporating creativity or higher level technical skills. The power of invention Download the PDF version of this lesson plan.
Introduction Guiding Questions What are some important inventions? What leads people to invent? How are our lives impacted by inventions? How do inventions change over time? Learning Objectives After completing the lessons in this unit, students will be able to: Describe the development of inventions. Compare and contrast the value of different inventions. Evaluate the usefulness and appeal of various inventions.
Design an invention. Devise a solution to a problem using an invention. Identify connections among inventions. Search and extract data from a worldwide database of inventions.
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