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Whose Time Is It? Understanding Clock-time Pacing and Event-time Pacing in Complex Innovations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2015

Deborah Dougherty ,
Heidi Bertels ,
Ken Chung ,
Danielle D. Dunne  and
Justin Kraemer
Deborah Dougherty
Affiliation:
Rutgers University, USA
Heidi Bertels
Affiliation:
City University of New York (CUNY), USA
Ken Chung
Affiliation:
California State University, East Bay, USA
Danielle D. Dunne
Affiliation:
Fordham University, USA
Justin Kraemer
Affiliation:
Rutgers University, USA
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Abstract

Time pacing, which refers to the regulation of intensity and direction of people's attention and effort, is central to innovation management. However, in a study of complex product innovation in pharmaceuticals, we find that time pacing is a major source of conflict between managers and scientists over innovation management. Our analysis of this tension reveals that two very different forms of time pacing operate in this complex innovation. Clock-time pacing, which gauges progress by the predictable passage of clock time, is used by strategic managers to reduce unnecessary exploration, focus on necessary questions, and speed up the execution of steps. Event-time pacing, which gauges progress by the unpredictable achievement of learning events, is used by the scientists to develop a deep understanding of how a drug might behave in the body against a disease, to focus on learning by asking many questions, and to integrate emergent results into plausible patterns. We identify four dimensions that differentiate clock-time pacing from event-time pacing, which drive the tension between the two. We summarize negative effects that this tension can have on innovation if left unaddressed, and then suggest ways to integrate clock-time pacing with event-time pacing. We also discuss implications for Chinese management.

Keywords

clock timecomplexityevent timeinnovationpharmaceuticalstime pacing钟表吋间复杂事件时间创新制药业时间节奏
Type
Articles
Information
Management and Organization Review , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , July 2013 , pp. 233 - 263
Copyright
Copyright © International Association for Chinese Management Research 2013

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