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Abstract
Skilbeck and Cruickshank (1997) have three levels within the organization where
extended Gregory’s five-process model, technology management processes apply:
linking the framework to business activities
within a systems context, and identifying
Table II. Relationship between effort and risk, value and risk, value and effort
The main strength associated with the The timing of the assessment was an
successful acquisition of the dry-powder important factor contributing to the success
technology was the strong project of the assessment procedure within the
management process for new product company, which was at that time
development, based on multidisciplinary undertaking an extensive product strategy
teamwork, supported by in-house initiative, including product road mapping.
knowledge of the technology. On the other The culture in the company was conducive
hand, there was a history of cyclic to this type of workshop-based procedure,
acquisition and outsourcing for the wet- which also requires the support of an
paint process, which has not been managed internal assessment ``champion’’.
as a formal project. The low-volume wet- The company planned to undertake
paint process was not considered to be a further technology management process
core technology, although technical assessments internally. Other areas of
difficulties associated with the required interest identified during the assessment
high quality finish have made outsourcing include plastic conversion technologies,
difficult. The decision to outsource this together with identification, selection and
technology was largely driven by financial protection of finishing technologies.
considerations.
Technology management process model
6. Discussion and conclusions
The generic five-process model for
Company experience technology management (i.e. identification,
The feedback from the company during selection, acquisition, exploitation and
this pilot study was positive at each stage of protection) was accepted to be useful by the
the technology management process company. However, few companies appear
assessment: to actually manage technology explicitly in
The strategic overview provided a terms of this framework. The five
means of assessing the impact of technology management processes, which
technology on the business. generally comprise many different specific
The process overview and activity types in different parts and levels
investigation stages identified within the organization, are typically
technology management activities, embedded in other business processes (such
and areas of strength and potential as new product development projects for
weakness, in terms of the generic acquisition). Thus, in order to bridge the
processes involved in technology gap between the existing business processes
management and for the specific and the conceptual framework provided by
processes that were mapped. the five-process model, it is necessary to
The workshop format resulted in identify the technology management
enhanced awareness and activities by means of devices such as the
communication of technology activity charting exercise.
management issues. The challenge for managers wishing to
integrate technology into the business more
effectively is to ensure that technology