Centre for Technology Management

Technology Management Process Assessment: A Case Study

R Phaal, CJ Paterson, DR Probert and MJ Gregory

Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, UK

Abstract

The effective management of technology as a source of competitive advantage is of vital importance for many organisations. It is necessary to understand, communicate and integrate technology strategy with marketing, financial, operations and human resource strategies. This is of particular importance when one considers the increasing cost, pace and complexity of technology developments, combined with shortening product life cycles.

A five-process model provides a framework within which technology management activities can be understood: Identification, Selection, Acquisition, Exploitation and Protection . A technology management assessment procedure has been developed which is based on this model. The method, which provides a structured procedure for a top-down investigation into technology management practices in a firm, is comprised of three workshop-based stages:

i) Strategic Overview , where the business unit is segmented in terms of business and technology areas. The impact of each technology area on each business area is assessed in terms of value, effort and risk.

ies are charted for selected technology-business segments. These activities are characterised in terms of the Gregory five-process framework, and assessed in terms of the effectiveness of inputs, process and outputs.

iii) Process Investigation, where specific process areas are mapped in order to identify blockages and barriers, and areas for possible improvement.

The development of the assessment procedure has been undertaken in the context of a 'procedural action research' framework. The various components of the assessment procedure have been developed over a period of two years within a number of participating organisations, and the full procedure is currently being tested across a range of industry sectors.

A case study is presented and discussed, where the technology management assessment procedure has been applied within a high-volume manufacturing business. The impact of applying the procedure is assessed, in terms of benefits to the participating business, together with improvements to the assessment procedure itself, in the context of the procedural action research framework.