Introduction
Very often, innovations are not readily embraced by society because there is no eco-system that can help consumers easily use these products. This issue is analyzed in the article “When Technology Gets Ahead of Society,” written by Tarun Khanna. This author argues that entrepreneurs should actively work with regulators and customers to create the infrastructure required for the widespread adoption of new technologies (Khanna).
Overall, Khanna is justified in saying that businesses should try to change legislation when it hinders innovation; nevertheless, the scholar fails to consider the responsibilities of legislators who can significantly facilitate the work of many companies. To prove this thesis, one should identify the valid arguments advanced by Khanna and show how they can be elaborated.
The Summary
In this article, Khanna makes several points to show that entrepreneurs should focus on preparing society for technological innovations. The scholar refers to the example of the drone industry to demonstrate that sometimes new technologies can be ahead of the existing regulatory and social norms (Khanna). It should be noted that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were initially developed for military purposes. Businesses quickly recognized the potential commercial value of these technologies. The key problem is that there were no adequate regulations that could describe the legal uses of UAVs. As a result, entrepreneurs could not quickly translate the latest technology into commercial products.
The companies that manufactured drones adopted several strategies. In particular, they emphasized the benefits of allowing the commercial use of UAVs (Khanna). Moreover, they lobbied legislators and urged them to relax existing regulations (Khanna). Their efforts eventually produced positive effects, and the drone industry began to grow. The scholar refers to other cases in which such a strategy can be effective (Khanna). For instance, he mentions autonomous vehicles that are not fully allowed by policy-makers. By focusing on this issue, Khanna strives to show that entrepreneurs should actively persuade society to embrace innovations.
Argument
To a large degree, Khanna’s argument can be accepted; this writer does highlight an important problem affecting the adoption of technological innovations. The scholar is justified in saying that in many cases, the regulatory framework cannot adequately support entrepreneurs who offer breakthrough products. The examples of autonomous vehicles and drones demonstrate that existing laws sometimes prevent consumers from using new technologies.
One should also be aware of such a phenomenon as resistance to changes since it also blocks the process of innovation. Very often, people prefer to adhere to old practices and tools even if they are no longer adequate for attaining various goals. Under such circumstances, entrepreneurs have to ensure that consumers and regulators know about the benefits of their products.
Nevertheless, it is possible to say that Khanna overlooks a crucial point. The writer does not discuss the duty of legislators to create an environment in which technological innovations can be easily put on the market. These professionals should also remove the barriers that often hinder the work of businesses. Furthermore, one should keep in mind that in some cases, entrepreneurs may not have sufficient financial resources for lobbying their interests and reaching politicians.
Therefore, the recommendations given by Khanna may not benefit them in any way. Very often, they have to rely on the expertise of officials who should be able to recognize new technological trends and make timely adjustments to existing laws. It is critical to remember that these people can anticipate the potential benefits of new products. Thus, they should be ready to change existing regulations in those cases when they hinder the technological process. At least, they should identify the steps that business leaders have to take to remove the restrictions on the use of innovations. In this way, they can save companies many inconveniences.
The approach advocated by Khanna should not be overlooked because sometimes, it can help firms achieve their objectives. It is relevant to those organizations that can impact the decisions of policy-makers. However, the focus of Khanna’s discussion is misplaced because the writer does not analyze a factor that is essential for promoting innovations. By emphasizing the role of legislators, the scholar could have addressed an issue that is more important for technological innovation.
Conclusion
On the whole, the thesis advanced in this essay has been proven with the help of several premises. Firstly, much attention was paid to the valid arguments made by Tarun Khanna in the article. In particular, one should speak about the regulatory challenges that have a negative impact on technology companies. Nevertheless, it was also vital to identify the responsibilities of legislators and the roles that they could play.
The thesis discussed in this paper is important because it is related to the work of many companies. If policy-makers recognize the need to facilitate innovations, various businesses will be able to grow. This topic creates opportunities for additional research; for instance, one can study the factors that improve the adoption of technological innovations. Additionally, it is possible to analyze the barriers that usually slow down this process.
Work Cited
Khanna, Tarun. “When Technology Get Ahead of Society.” Harvard Business Review, 2018. Web.