Gunfire at Sea: A Case Study of Innovation by Elting E. Morison

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Gunfire at Sea A Case Study of Innovation by
Elting E. Morison
2
Overview

• Background
• Profile of an Innovator
• Relating to Society
• Conclusion
• Our Thoughts

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Background

• American society, and societies around the world
  in the last century, are in a time of tremendous
  technological development
• Encourages and discourages acceptance of
  innovation
• This article looks at human change and our
  responses to it
• Used the Navy from 1900-1902 as controlled
  example
• Concept of Continuous-aim firing
• Gun-mounted vs continuous-aim

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Profile of an Innovator

• Admiral Sir Percy Scott
• Introducing the innovation
• William S. Sims
• Implementing the innovation
• Responses to the innovation
• No Response
• Getting Attention and Rebuttal
• Accusational Period and External Support

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Relating to Society

• People with entrepreneurial ideas, ability to
  stand up to and argue with authority
• Opposition to change
• Process for changing a society
• Resistance
• Identification
• concept (old design guns, sights, etc)
• convention (way of life)
• attitude (act of revolt, itself)
• Acceptance (thru individual agreement or through
  higher authority/outside push

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Conclusion

• The group exists for a purpose
• Individuals need to have a similar purpose, which
  is communicated throughout the group
• Serves as a unifying agent
• Complication of change
• U.S. not yet an adaptive society
• America is fundamentally an industrial society
  in a time of tremendous technological development

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Our Thoughts

• The tone of the article was humorous Morison
  was sarcastic and opinionated
• Detail on Navy example and tone made it hard to
  follow at times
• Overall messages very relevant
• human reaction to change
• ability of society/group to be adaptable