Not invented here
Not invented here (NIH) is the philosophy of social, corporate, or institutional cultures that avoid using or buying already existing products, research, standards, or knowledge because of their external origins and costs. The reasons for not wanting to use the work of others are varied, but can include fear through lack of understanding, an unwillingness to value the work of others, or forming part of a wider "turf war."[1] As a social phenomenon, this philosophy manifests as an unwillingness to adopt an idea or product because it originates from another culture, a form of nationalism.[2] The term is normally used in a pejorative sense. The opposite predisposition is sometimes called "proudly found elsewhere" (PFE)[3] or invented here.
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In computing [edit]
An argument for NIH is to guard against an aggressive action by another company buying up a technology supplier so as to create a captive market.[4] This may also guard against future supply issues due to political unrest or other issues.
In programming, it is also common to refer to the NIH Syndrome as the tendency towards reinventing the wheel (reimplementing something that is already available) based on the belief that in-house developments are inherently better suited, more secure or more controlled than existing implementations.
In some cases, software with the same functionality as an existing one is reimplemented just to allow for the use of a different software license.
In popular culture [edit]
In late 2009, Bill Barnes (of Unshelved) and Paul Southworth (of Ugly Hill and You Are Dead) launched a webcomic titled "Not Invented Here" which parodies mistakes made in the software development industry such as overly optimistic schedules, improper specifications, interferences from marketing (and other outside sources or departments) and many others. It is drawn from the experiences of Barnes, who worked in software development for two decades.[5]
The Culture novel Excession by Iain M. Banks features a ship called Not Invented Here.
See also [edit]
- Anti-pattern
- Appeal to spite
- Association fallacy
- Dogfooding
- Editor wars
- Groupthink
- List of cognitive biases
- Protectionism
- Wishful thinking
- YAGNI (You Ain't Gonna Need It)
References [edit]
- ^ "The Innovation Playbook: A Revolution in Business Excellence", Nicholas J. Webb, Chris Thoen, John Wiley and Sons, 2010, ISBN 0-470-63796-X,
- ^ The Cambridge economic history of modern Britain
- ^ HBS.edu P&G's New Innovation Model
- ^ "Electronic Arts plays hardball". Retrieved 2008-12-29.
- ^ "Not Invented Here – About". Retrieved 2011-02-04.
