Driverless Technology in Farming: Market Entry Strategy and Technology Adaptation Lifecycle

This report discusses the implementation of driverless technology in farming, including market entry strategy and technology adaptation lifecycle. It also explores how innovation and technology are commercialized in the farming industry. The report analyzes the opportunities and challenges of this technology and suggests the best approach for entering the market. The report also explains how the marketing strategy can incorporate lessons learned and how innovation and technology are commercialized.

MBA INNOVATION &
TECHNOLOGY

TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
TASK...............................................................................................................................................4
A) Emerging Technology............................................................................................................4
B) Market entering strategy........................................................................................................5
C) Adaptation of technology in market.......................................................................................7
D- How will strategy incorporate lessons learnt?.......................................................................8
E) explaining how are innovation and technologies commercialised.........................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Driverless technology is the technology in which the vehicles are operated with the help of
artificial intelligence. Implementation of this technology in the farming practices will be an
innovation. Marketing entry of this technology will require strategy for adapting the different
approach of consideration. The technology adaptation lifecycle is the method which helps in
understanding how a new technology is adopted.

INTRODUCTION
Innovation and technology are concepts which are dependent on each other. There are many
business organizations which are dependent on technology for bringing innovations in their
operations and products. For this project the idea of technological innovation which is considered
is the driverless vehicles for the being used as a farming equipment. The producer of farming
vehicle organization is John Deer. This project will start with the development of idea and
organizational analysis. In this project a market analysis will be provided. This project will also
develop a technological analysis. This project will discuss how the technology is commercialised
and explain the Go-To-Market Strategy.
TASK
A) Emerging Technology
Driver Less vehicle technology has been the trend in the technological era which has been
programmed to independently operate on its own and fulfil the requirements for which an
individual is required through self-intelligence. This driverless technology in Farming vehicles
will have the purposes of cultivation and other agricultural tasks (Gowthami and et.al., 2019).
This will be driverless because this vehicle will be operating on its own without the present of a
human inside. The driverless technology has been very successful to the ground vehicles and has
been developing itself since then for perfection.
Opportunities for this technology are as follows,
 The area of opportunity for this technology will revolve around the purpose for which it
is going to be used. Its utilization will be in the Framing process which will help in
increasing the productivity of the Farms. This is due to the lack of time boundation for
performance which will be present with this technology. Implementation of this
technology will bring the organization increase in the production and eventually also
expansion of their business. This will help the users to set the speed of the operations
according the necessities of the crops. It will also reduce the chances of wastes (Malo,
2020).
 It will reduce the efforts of the farmers and also eventually reduce the cost of production.
The cost the framers incur for hiring a person which can operate a tracker is an additional
expense for them. Implementation of this technology will help them to not only reduce
the cost but also utilize the technology for more production. Due to the capabilities of this

technology to identify the difference between the plants, cattle’s and other blocks on the
farms it will also make sure that it is not causing any type of loss to the organization.
 There is some broader opportunity linked with similar technology in which the
agricultural robots which will work in similar type of programming can help the farmers
ease their operations in a different kind of way. This will help the farmers in proper
management of weed and also the in effective harvesting. They can be very useful for the
monitoring of the quality of the crops, soil and other factors which are concerned with the
production.
The factors which are considered to be actual blockage for the implementation of this
technology is safety. This is due to the controversial considerations of the terms of safety and
public acceptance. The driverless technology for general vehicles have also faces this issues
which is the reason why they are preferred only in certain areas of the country. Same goes with a
tracker which will be automated makes some people nervous about the mess they can create to
their crops (Lujak, Sklar and Semet, 2021). This technology is still under major development this
is the reason why there are concerns regarding the safety of this innovation in the agricultural
practices. Creation of technology which is safe in all scenarios in which failure can occur is
always a time taking method and takes a lot of programming for an organization like John Deer.
B) Market entering strategy
Marketing entry strategy for entering the marketing with new technology of Driverless
vehicle in farming practices will utilize the following approach,
Source : Friar and Balachandra, 1999
Customer Groups :
The customers groups of this technology are the farmers which use vehciles like tracktor
for the purpose of cultivation of crops and other farming activites. These customers for the

organization will be divided into two categories, Existing the ones which are already into
farming practices utilizing old technology. New will be those customers which will establish new
start ups with the help of this technology (Wu and Wang, 2021).
Technological Application :
Application of the technology is a factor which will affect the ways in which the
organization will be able to enter the market with the help of this new technology. There will be
two application of this technology. Existing in which the Driver less technology will be installed
in a existing vehicle. New means a brand new product will be launched which will have this
technology.
The combination of these factors will be able to develop 4 outcomes on the basis of this
approach.
Substitution:
This will be the approach of entering the market with Driverless technology in which the
organization will prepare a substitute product for the existing tractors and other framing vehicles.
This strategy will be easy to implement and there will not be a need to develop a new product
only installing the driverless technology will be effective enough for the success of this
approach.
Expansion:
In this strategy the organization will be selling the products to the existing customers
groups but will develop a new model for the product which will not be anything like the old
vehicles. It will not only have the new technology but will also be equipped with other features
which will make it more effective.
Diffusion:
This will be the market entry approach in which the organization will be focusing on
entering the marketing with a new customer group. This can be through the expansion of their
products in new country or market. However, the technological application will be on the
existing vehicles with no new features (Thomas and Maine, 2019).
Creation:
This approach of market entry will be through entering a new market or country with a
new product with the innovative technology of driverless vehicle. It can be said that this is the

riskiest approach of entering the market as will require lots of capital and resources. In this
technology the business will start a new organization with lack of experience.
Out of the following approaches which are discussed it is going to be very important for
the organization to consider the correct approach of entering the market (Park and Kim, 2021).
The best approach which will be important for entering the market can be through expansion.
This is due to the less risk involved in the market. As the new technology is still under
development it will be important for the organization to test it out in the existing market rather
than into a new market.
C) Adaptation of technology in market
The adaptation of this technology in the market can be better understood with the help of the
technology adaptation lifecycle. This is sociological model which describes the adoption or
acceptance of a new product or innovation. This cycle has the following stages which are
according to the customer’s categorization that is based on the determination of how fast are they
ready to adopt to a new product.
Innovators 2.5%:
The innovators are the ones which are included in the stage of technology adaptation life
cycle for being known as the customers that are eager to try and adopt new products. These
customers are always in the mind set of taking risks. They are generally younger and also have
the financial flexibility to take the risk which related to the adaptation of the new technology.
They are mostly entrepreneurs that take the risk of adopting a new technology like the Driverless
Vehicle.
Early Adopters 13.5%:
These are the very next group of customers which try out the new technology. They are
also very early adapters and thus are also young and curious (Aversa, Huyghe and Bonadio,
2021). They might also have financial flexibility that allows them to take the measured risk.
However, they more likely to be opinion leader. They are amongst the group which closely
studies the innovation in the market before getting their hands onto it.
Early Majority 34%:
This is considered to be the first half of the bell curve of adaptation of new technology.
They are more conservative and risk averse in nature when it is financial decision. They are

always looking up to the influencers an early adopter for the feedback related to the technology.
They are very active in research and more active than the upcoming stages of customers.
Late Majority 34%:
This is the stage of customers which tries to catch up to the new innovation and thus have
the behaviour of the average customer (Technology Adoption Lifecycle, 2021). They can be
considered to be the scepticism of the benefits of the new products or services which are
financially less flexible and thus is able to adopt to the late majority and the common interactions
with the early majority. If the technology is able to reach this stage of adaptation lifecycle, then it
can be successfully said that it has reached maturity in the market.
Laggards 16%:
This is the last group that adapts the technology hence the individuals which can be
considered to be late bloomers in the world of technology. They are considered to show aversion
which is towards the change and is not influenced by the opinion of the leaders for the financial
flexibility of the risks which is take for buying the innovative products. This is the final group of
individual thus tend to be only in contact with trusted close friends and family instead of the
influencers before trying out the new technology.
D- How will strategy incorporate lessons learnt?
In the recent time, it is quite essential for a company, whether it is small or large, private or
public, to develop the best marketing strategy as it put direct impact on their business success,
productivity and growth. In case of John Deer new technology such as Driverless Vehicles,
marketer may conduct a lot of efforts in term of developing beneficial and useful advertising
strategy that will incorporate lessons learnt (Belhadi and et.al., 2021). This term combines 10
different types of lessons such as value of time. With this strategy individual person, especially
marketer who accountable to develop this tactic may gain knowledge about time value as timing
is everything in business. It may drive the attention of individuals toward conducting appropriate
and effective actions that in turn provide a lot of benefits to them.
Another lesson that a person may learn from marketing strategy for new technology is
related to change that may occur slowly and put impact on success of tactic, in term of gaining
consumers attention and building wide customer base. It can be said that change is a part of
business growth and success, which is important for each stakeholder to consider, as it occur
slowly put impact at high extent. The third lesson that marketing tactic incorporate is importance

of collaboration, which is also included in list of lessons learnt via tactic that is develop to
promote driverless vehicles for purpose of farming (Schoemaker and Day, 2011). Effective
collaboration plays significant role related to success of an idea, which individuals tend to
conduct into practical manner, for purpose of achieving strategic aims and objectives.
The current strategy will incorporate lessons learnt such as innovation takes many types,
which is beneficial and essential for a firm or enterprise. It is fact that innovation transform
different terms such as service or product that a user may use to satisfy the needs and
requirements of target audience. Creative thinking matters a lot, that also combine with strategy
and learn about the same via marketing tactic. It can be said that when a person thinks beyond
limitations and boundaries they may obtain key advantages in bulk in varied terms. By thinking
beyond industrial boundaries, marketer and other stakeholders may gain knowledge about
creative thinking. Lesson learn term refer to new understanding development phase that provide
greater knowledge of individual person about varied things. It will cater benefit to develop
understanding about sharing related to knowledge, process, etc. Ambidextrous is the best
example of lesson that individual learn and incorporate with tactic that aid to promote new
technology. It is essential for marketer to implement this lesson understanding further, which in
turn bring more benefits for them.
E) explaining how are innovation and technologies commercialised
John deer who is producer of farming vehicles equipment has developed a new digital
technology product that is driverless Al farming vehicles, the company also employ to
commercialise by using new technologies and innovation. Technological commercialization is
the systematic process of transitioning technologies from the lab of research to the industries.
This method is used by company in different ways majorly from publishing and ensuring that
innovations are developed into useful services to meet the goals for the benefit of people.
Basically, innovation and technology commercialization is the systematic process of improving
new products, processes, systems, policies and services to satisfy the customers or market trends.
Commercializing innovation and technology plays a vital role to see the ability of the
company and to reach the masses to accomplish social benefit (Meijer and et.al., 2019). There
are different types of barriers that can impact the commercial success of the company’s product
or services. By using go to market strategy company can evaluate its commercial opportunity
and provide benefit to society (Commercializing your innovation, 2022). In the current scenario

of the report, the best way to acquire technologies is through a permission which include license
permission.
Licensing of new technologies- Acquiring new technologies is important to because it
will grant permission by the owner to another person so that they can use IP (intellectual
property) on agreed terms and conditions. When existing commercial business across all
industries use research and development method to extend product lines then it is known as
licensing the technology to an industry partner (Sutopo, Astuti and Suryandari, 2019). Here,
they may first invest additional funding into research and development procedure to get it closer
to commercialization of innovation and technology. By using this method, john deer can easily
employ its new discoveries in the market.
If the company use other strategy which is licensing the technology to an existing start up
firm, then they can easily strengthen their value proposition. By using this method, the company
can save its investing time and efforts plus resources also. The major reason behind choosing this
method includes:
Benefits of licensing
 By using licensing method, the company can easily create an opportunity for income
earning and improve an ongoing stream of passive revenue which is beneficial for
company’s profitability (Wong, 2020). Here, john deer need to just sell licenses after
developing the intellectual property.
 It also creates new business opportunities and meet the market trends by reducing risks
for both parties. In the current scenario they can easily purchase a license instead of
outright ownership and after that can accomplish its objectives (Teece, 2018). There are
fewer risks in manufacturing, product development, testing of marketing and distribution
channels.
 With the help of this method, company can create an easier entry into emerging countries
and can expand its business operations into international markets. By using this method,
company can reduce barriers to entry which includes tariff barriers.
 The major benefit of using this method includes it offers the freedom to improve and
develop uniqueness into company’s marketing approach.
Drawbacks-

 The major disadvantage of this method is it increase an opportunity for IP theft because
the company is exposing themselves to higher exposure levels. It will create more
chances of misusing, theft and piracy because the company have no full control over the
operations.
 Due to mismanaged with licensing procedure, both parties have to face challenges and it
can damage the reputation also. If multiple licenses are being offered by parties, then they
have to suffer a lot which can impact potential management. Before implementing any
important strategy, the cited organisation needs to focus on these challenges.
CONCLUSION
From the above project it can be concluded that the driver less technology has high scope for
growth as an innovative technology specially in the sector of farming. In this project the trend of
driver less technology and its opportunities for being implemented as the farming equipment has
been explained with possible blocks in its way. The strategical market entry and its approach has
been suggested and recommended to this organization. This project explained the adaptation of
this technology with the help of technology adaptation lifecycle. The lessons learned from the
marketing of this new technology and incorporation of the technology has been explained. This
project also explained the ways in which the business will be able to commercialised this
technology.

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Commercializing your innovation. 2022. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.innovation.pitt.edu/commercializing/commercializing-your-innovation/>

Technology Adoption Lifecycle, 2021. Online < https://www.gainsight.com/glossary/what-is-
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