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126 Long Range Planning Vol.

25 June 1992

technology transfer? How can we organize so as to enhance strategies to manage change in mature organizations would
technology transfer? What should be the roles of U.S. have provided even greater credibility.
universities, state agencies, and industry as players in the
technology transfer environment? and What is distinctive
about the communication process of technology transfer?
Answers contained in 14 closely argued papers; unfortunately Telemanage Your Customers: A System for Telephone Account
written more for the academic, rather than managerial, Management, MERLIN STONE, ANNA THOMSON and CHRIS
market. WHEELER, Gower (1990). 170 pp., A45.00.

Two other studies that consider the same subject from a A well presented hand book that shows how the telephone,
different perspective are: The Strategic Management of Techno- combined with modern information technology, can become
logical Innovation, RAY LOVERIDGE and MARTYN Parr (Eds), a central component of the modern marketing mix. An area
John Wiley (1990), 404 pp., A39.95, which attempts, through where more professionalism is badly needed.
16 international papers, to draw together the themes of
strategic management, technological innovation and the
management of change. The Innovation Marathon, MARIANN
JELINEK and CLAUDIA BIRD SCHOONHOVEN, Basil Blackwell People G Work: European Demographics into the 21st Century,
(1990), 469 pp., A35.00, looks at how five top U.S. electronics BSL Business Strategies (1990), 51 pp., ~215.00.
corporations (Hewlett-Packard, Intel Corporation, Motorola
Inc., National Semiconductor Corporation, and Texas Instru- Demographic changes are likely to have a profound impact on
ments Inc.) manage repeated innovation, while controlling the Europe in the decades ahead. This brief analysis begins to look
most demanding mass production process ever designed. at some of the issues and their implications. It is such an
Drawing on extensive field interviews, the authors provide a important subject that annual reviews of progress are essential
map for managing innovation by focusing on four key for anyone interested in, or affected by, these trends. One point
questions: Where do innovative ideas come from? How do for any future report is to reconcile the almost continual
companies nurture an innovative environment? How do these decline in fertility rates over the past four decades, with the
firms organize for innovation? How can innovation lead to expectation (UN Population Projections, Table 7, p. 49) that
competitive advantage? Useful and readable answers around this trend will be reversed between now and 2020125. If the
the paradox: ‘Innovation is controlled only by opening up the trends of recent years are continued (and there are reasons to
process of strategic management and sharing control.’ (p. 422) believe they could be) the long term picture could be radically
different. (Although, perhaps, tax incentives will be used to
All three books, particularly the latter, are recommended for prevent any further decline going too far?) One subject about
anyone seriously involved with the issues; especially as which there is likely to be no disagreement is the increasing
mistakes in this area can be extremely expensive. (Note: It is a importance of older workers, hence, The Older Worker,
pity-and omission?-that none of the studies seemed aware NOREEN HAr.E,Jossey-Bass (1990), 175 pp., Al6.50. Designed
of Creating and Managing New Ventures published in The Best of to assist professionals in serving the training, education,
Long Range Planning Series!) development, and personnel requirements of employees aged
over 50. And the growth of activities such as Third Age
Network (Quadrant Arcade Chambers, Romford RMl
3EH). Also relevant are E&tive Ways of Recruiting and
Retaining Women: A Survey of Practice from Recruitment and
Development Report, Eclipse Publications (1990), 68 pp.,
Smart Moves: Successful Strategies and Tactics &for Career A40.00; and Making a Comeback: A Women’s Guide to
Management, GODFREY GOLZEN and ANDREW GARNER, Basil Returning to Work after a Break, Margaret Korving, Business
Blackwell (1990), 228 pp., ,&lS.OO. Books (1991), 133 pp., Al5.99 hardback, E5.99 paperback.

A practical examination of the choices that all employees make


in their careers and the obstacles they must overcome. A book
that should be read by all those involved in corporate pyramid Managing Innovation: A Study of British andJapanese Factories,
climbing. D. H. WHI~AKER, Cambridge University Press (1990),
205 pp., A25.00.

Innovation is the key to corporate success and this study


The Machine that Changed the World, JAMES P. WOMACK, compares the use of innovative technology (particularly
DANIEL T. JONES and DANIEL Roos, Maxwell Macmillan computerized machine tools) in nine British and nine Japanese
(1990), 323 pp., $22.50. firms. Full of academic detail, but the 13 pages of references
show little sign of taking note of the managerially orientated
Based on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology $5m work on innovation and managing change. Pity.
5-year study on the future of the automobile. Argues that
being defeatist about the Japanese threat, and tougher
protectionism are not the answers to U.S./European problems.
Maintains that ‘lean production’ is the Japanese secret weapon,
‘Lean production’ being the ability to weld the activities of Theories ofcreativity, Edited by MARK A. RUNCO and ROBERT
everyone from top management to line workers, to suppliers, S. ALBERT, Sage Publications (1990), 276 pp., R14.95.
into a tightly integrated whole that can respond almost
instantly to marketing demands from consumers. The authors All participants either psychoanalysts or psychologists (except
consider that, if Western companies are to survive in the 1990% on-an anthropologist). They agreed on the need to train,
they must learn and adapt to ‘lean production’. Convincing up encourage, and educate people to become psychologically able
to a point, but more attention to life cycle analysis and the to free latent creativeness. Unfortunately, heavy going to get

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