Companies need to keep abreast of the latest technical developments in their field if they are to seize new business opportunities and avoid being overtaken by competitors – but knowing exactly how to go about this is not easy. While some companies have established ‘technology intelligence’ systems, many have few formal processes in place. Now a guide has been produced by the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), to help companies improve the way they gather information about such new developments.

The guide, in the form of a workbook entitled “Technology intelligence: identifying threats and opportunities from new technologies,” is aimed at any company in which technology plays a significant role. It is the culmination of a two-year research project at the IfM undertaken in collaboration with a number of companies including Kodak, BT and TWI.