I would reference the source if I could find the first time someone used the "generation, transmission, storage" framework, as I am sure that I am not the first to approach problems and development in this way. This framework is incredibly useful, especially while analyzing the Disruptive Technologies MGI paper.
The essence of the framework is that as technology progresses we see a changes in volume, speed, and origin in the steps of generation, transmission, storage. Take IT processing and your smart phone. The phone processes some information on its own (generation), it sends and receives information (transmission), and it or the cloud saves information (storage). As processing speed improves, it changes the equation of what should be going where and creates new possibilities outside of the IT space. The same can be said for transmission and storage.
A simple way to conceptualize this is to recognize that as the scale, cost, and power at each stage changes, the origin of the generation, the direction of the transmission, and the amount and location of storage changes.
Take the example of solar energy. First, where does the generation of energy occur? A far away solar plant or on top of a house? Is large scale needed for cost effectiveness? Second, does transmission of energy go from the central power plant to the grid, or can the house provide for its own energy needs and transmit the rest to the grid? Third, can the house or power plant save excess energy in a cost-effective manner? Walking through these steps illuminates the potential technological disruption in many of these industries, whether in IT, energy, water, or many other industries.
Dramatically improving one step of this process can disrupt the status quo and provide a leapfrog moment to technological progress. To take the IT example above further, if transmission of information were nearly costless and could be done at current fiber optics speeds or higher, nearly all processing could shift onto the cloud and the cost of a smart phone would plummet. As the cost plummets and the processing power increases (servers are faster than phones), developing countries like India would connect into the global economy at a much accelerated rate. This development would alter the markets in these countries, mostly for the better. One can then start playing through scenarios of these changes in agriculture, banking, etc.
The essence of the framework is that as technology progresses we see a changes in volume, speed, and origin in the steps of generation, transmission, storage. Take IT processing and your smart phone. The phone processes some information on its own (generation), it sends and receives information (transmission), and it or the cloud saves information (storage). As processing speed improves, it changes the equation of what should be going where and creates new possibilities outside of the IT space. The same can be said for transmission and storage.
A simple way to conceptualize this is to recognize that as the scale, cost, and power at each stage changes, the origin of the generation, the direction of the transmission, and the amount and location of storage changes.
Take the example of solar energy. First, where does the generation of energy occur? A far away solar plant or on top of a house? Is large scale needed for cost effectiveness? Second, does transmission of energy go from the central power plant to the grid, or can the house provide for its own energy needs and transmit the rest to the grid? Third, can the house or power plant save excess energy in a cost-effective manner? Walking through these steps illuminates the potential technological disruption in many of these industries, whether in IT, energy, water, or many other industries.
Dramatically improving one step of this process can disrupt the status quo and provide a leapfrog moment to technological progress. To take the IT example above further, if transmission of information were nearly costless and could be done at current fiber optics speeds or higher, nearly all processing could shift onto the cloud and the cost of a smart phone would plummet. As the cost plummets and the processing power increases (servers are faster than phones), developing countries like India would connect into the global economy at a much accelerated rate. This development would alter the markets in these countries, mostly for the better. One can then start playing through scenarios of these changes in agriculture, banking, etc.
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