Technology management

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Technology management encompasses the planning , implementation and control of the development and application of (new) technologies to create competitive advantages that are effective for success .

Terms

Technology management - innovation management - R&D management

Structure of technical systems

The terms technology management , innovation management and research and development management (R&D management) are used in a vague manner in the relevant literature. The planning and development of new technologies is often seen as a rather application or market-remote phase in the entire innovation process. Innovation management, on the other hand, extends to the market launch of new products ready for series production or the use of new production processes. Research and development creates the knowledge base for the market launch. R&D management can therefore also be seen as a link between technology and innovation management.

Technology management also includes the external procurement of technological know-how , e.g. B. through the purchase of patents , the use of licenses and the integration of suitable suppliers. In contrast, innovation and R&D management are primarily aimed at internal company processes. At the same time, R&D results can emerge that are not useful for your own company, but can be exploited through the granting of licenses or the sale of patents. In this understanding, technology management is the expansion of R&D management to include external technology acquisition and external technology utilization.

Technologies as objects of technology management

Technologies can generally be understood as the solution principles on which products or processes are based. Accordingly, a distinction is often made between product and process technologies. A technology realizes a function (or several functions) or a sub-function (several sub-functions) in a technical system . See the figure "Structure of technical systems". The technology of a gasoline internal combustion engine enables vehicles to be provided with propulsion . This can be used to propel and move the vehicle. “A technology in this sense is a form of solution to a customer's problem.” However, diesel internal combustion engines , hybrid drives , fuel cell drives and other technologies are also functionally suitable as drive technologies. For companies that develop and manufacture vehicles and engines, a central task within the framework of their technology management is the timely selection and promotion of such technologies that can provide them with a performance and / or unit cost advantage for their products in future competition.

Complex products and systems consist of numerous components. The components are based on a component technology . The superordinate system principle, according to which a technical system is built, is called system technology or architecture . The classification as a higher-level system or subordinate component technology depends on the company-specific position in the value chain. From the point of view of generator / alternator manufacturers such as Bosch or Magneti Marelli, the technology of a three-phase generator in a vehicle is a system technology. In contrast, a car manufacturer such as Volkswagen or BMW sees the alternator more as a component of the higher-level system "electrical system ".

Technical systems and the technologies incorporated in them form the central building block of successfully marketable products. In addition to technology, supplementary services (e.g. service) and additional ideal factors (e.g. brand image) can be important for the market success of a product. However, these aspects are usually not seen as topics of technology management, but as objects of strategic marketing .

Fields of activity of strategic technology management

Technology early detection

The aim of early technology detection is to identify relevant (new) technologies and technological developments that may represent opportunities or risks for your own company. Strategic technology early detection does not focus on "static trend extrapolation", rather it is about the early detection of technological trend breaks . Often radical technological changes originate outside of known industry structures and are therefore difficult to identify as relevant trends .

  • Example: For Zumtobel , a supplier of luminaires and lighting systems, the observation of an employee who recognized a report as relevant in 1994 that blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with strong light levels were available was decisive . The technology change from incandescent lamps to LEDs is now clearly becoming apparent.

Technology assessment

The technology assessment serves to assess the current and, above all, future market attractiveness of alternative technologies and technological competencies. Significant influence on the so-called technology attractiveness have (z. B. natural, socio-cultural, political, legal, macroeconomic effects) (1) factors from the parent environments of the company, (2) Customers with specific customer requirements, and (3) the functional and cost-related potential (further development potential) of technologies.

Useful methods for use in the context of technology assessment include: the technology portfolio analysis , the environment analysis and the scenario analysis .

  • Example: At the beginning of the 2000s, Volkswagen was faced with the task of evaluating common rail and pump nozzle technology as competing alternatives for injection systems in vehicle diesel engines. A significant political and legal influencing factor was the foreseeable tightening of EU emissions legislation . Pump-nozzle technology reaches its limits when it comes to the limit values ​​of the Euro 5 standard. A further development would have become very expensive, the unit costs of the unit injector would have been higher than those of common rail systems. In the long term, the technology attractiveness of common rail technology is to be rated higher than that of pump-nozzle technology. Volkswagen announced at the beginning of 2006 that it would withdraw from the development of pump-nozzle technology.

Formulation of technology strategies

The strategic planning process for (new) technologies is concluded with the formulation of technology strategies. Technology strategies involve several decisions:

(1) Investment and divestment decisions

The starting point for the formulation of technology strategies is the selection of technologies in whose research and development (further) investments are to be made. Technologies that are, on the one hand, still in an early stage of development, but on the other hand are ascribed a decisive role in future competition, are called pacemaker technologies. The available research and development costs are to be concentrated on these . In addition to investment decisions, non-investment and divestment decisions must be made to ensure that available company resources are not wasted.

  • Example investment decision: Pfeiffer and others show the necessity of an early investment in new technologies using the example of the manufacturers of mechanical locking systems. In view of the progress in microelectronics , by the mid-1980s at the latest, they faced the decision to invest in the development of electronic and biometric access control systems or to withdraw in the long term from numerous fields of application for mechanical locking systems. In electronic locking systems invested z. B. Kaba , Siemens introduced a car locking system based on a chip card in the mid-1990s .
  • Example of a divestment decision: In November 1984, the Intel management decided not to invest in the development of the 1 megabit memory chip and thus to exit the memory chip ( DRAM ) market.

(2) Definition of time-oriented competitive strategies and technology roadmaps

In the competition between technology-oriented companies, the timing of the introduction of new products or products based on new technologies is of great importance. Opposing time-oriented competitive strategies are the pioneer strategy on the one hand and the follow-up strategy on the other. Technology -oriented companies often design technology roadmaps with long-term planned development stages (milestones) for new technologies and successive technology generations for the strategic control of future development and marketing activities .

(3) Technological make-or-buy decisions

Based on fundamental investment decisions, the question of the depth of technological performance arises . In addition to completely in-house development, different intensive forms of cooperation are possible in technology development. The advantages of lower own development costs and the access to valuable know-how of the partner companies speak in favor of cooperation with other companies, possibly even with competitors ( coopetition ). On the other hand, there are disadvantages such as a possible outflow of know-how and greater dependence on partners.

  • Example of cooperative technology development: Due to the enormous expenditure for the development of new generations of microelectronic components, the joint development of technologies is widespread in the semiconductor industry . A concrete example is the joint preparation of the semiconductor divisions of Siemens (later Infineon ) and Motorola (later Freescale ) for the change from 200 mm to 300 mm silicon wafers .
  • Examples of own technology development: In his study of unknown world market leaders ( hidden champions ), Simon describes the high or very high R&D depth as a typical feature of these companies (e.g. camera tripod manufacturer Sachtler and labeling machine manufacturer Krones ).

(4) Definition of patent strategies

In connection with the patenting of new technologies, questions arise as to whether a patent should be sought (or not), for which regions a patent should be sought and in what density a “network of patents” should be laid over a technological area. The possible (partial) exclusion of competitors from the use of patented processes or construction principles, the possibility of generating license income, but also a positive external reputation effect speak in favor of patenting. This is offset by the costs of the patent application . A waiver of the application of patents can z. This can be useful, for example, if patents can be easily circumvented or if a high number of patent infringers is to be expected, who could only be countered with great effort.

  • Examples: Gassmann and Bader name a number of “successful practice” companies in the field of patent management, e. B. Leica Geosystems , Henkel, and Eastman Kodak . Companies in the German mechanical and plant engineering sector are increasingly foregoing patent protection for innovative technology in order to make it more difficult for competitors - especially Chinese ones - to copy German products.

See also

literature

  • DF Abell: Defining the Business. The Starting Point of Strategic Planning. Englewood Cliffs 1980.
  • RA Burgelman: Fading Memories: A Process Theory of Strategic Business Exit in Dynamic Environments. In: Administrative Science Quarterly. 39, 1994, pp. 24-56.
  • CM Christensen: The Innovator's Dilemma. When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail. Boston 1997.
  • C. Feldmann: Strategic Technology Management. An empirical study using the example of the German pharmaceutical market 1990–2010. Wiesbaden 2007.
  • RN Foster: Innovation. The technological offensive. Wiesbaden 1986.
  • O. Gassmann, MA Bader: Patent Management. Use and protect innovations successfully. 2nd Edition. Berlin / Heidelberg / New York 2007.
  • TJ Gerpott: Strategic technology and innovation management. 2nd Edition. Stuttgart 2005.
  • A. Gerybadze: Technology and innovation management. Strategy, organization and implementation. Munich 2004.
  • H. Geschka, J. Schauffele, C. Zimmer: Exploratory technology roadmaps - a method for exploring technological lines of development and potential. In: MG Möhrle, R. Isenmann (Hrsg.): Technologie-Roadmapping. Future strategies for technology companies. 3. Edition. Berlin / Heidelberg / New York 2007, pp. 165–188.
  • D. Harhoff: Strategic Patent Management. In: S. Albers, O. Gassmann (Hrsg.): Handbuch Technologie- und Innovationsmanagement. Wiesbaden 2005, pp. 175-192.
  • RM Henderson, KB Clark: Architectural Innovation: The Reconfiguration of Existing Product Technologies and the Failure of Established Firms. In: Administrative Science Quarterly. 35, 1990, pp. 9-30.
  • AS Grove: Only the Paranoid Survive. How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company. 1st TB edition. New York 1999.
  • C. Kobe: Technology watch. In: C. Herstatt, B. Verworn (Eds.): Management of the early phases of innovation. 2nd Edition. Wiesbaden 2006, pp. 23-37.
  • E. Perl: Fundamentals of innovation and technology management. In: H. Strebel (Ed.): Innovation and Technology Management. 2nd Edition. Vienna 2007, pp. 17–52.
  • W. Pfeiffer, G. Metze, W. Schneider, R. Amler: Technology portfolio for the management of strategic future business areas. 6th edition. Göttingen 1991.
  • W. Pfeiffer, E. Weiß: Methods for the analysis and evaluation of technological alternatives. In: E. Zahn (Hrsg.): Handbuch Technologiemanagement. Stuttgart 1995, pp. 663-679.
  • W. Pfeiffer, E. Weiss, T. Volz, S. Wettengl: Functional market concept for strategic management of fundamental technological innovations. Göttingen 1997.
  • M. Richter: Brand meaning and management in the industrial goods sector. Influencing factors, design, effects on success. Wiesbaden 2007.
  • MT Schneider, B. Schade, H. Grupp: Innovation Process 'Fuel Cell Vehicle': What Strategy Promises to be Most Successful? In: Technology Analysis & Strategic Management. 16, 2004, 2, pp. 147-172.
  • W. Schneider: Technological analysis as the basis of strategic corporate planning. Göttingen 1984.
  • G. Schuh, S. Klappert: Handbook Production and Management 2. Technology Management. 2nd Edition. Berlin / Heidelberg 2011.
  • H. Simon: The hidden champions. The success strategies of unknown world market leaders. 2nd Edition. Frankfurt am Main / New York 1996.
  • D. Spath, K.-C. Renz: technology management. In: S. Albers, O. Gassmann (Hrsg.): Handbuch Technologie- und Innovationsmanagement. Wiesbaden 2005, pp. 229-246.
  • C. Stummer, M. Günther, AM Köck: Fundamentals of innovation and technology management. 3. Edition. Vienna 2010, ISBN 978-3-7089-0519-8 .
  • V. Trommsdorff, F. Steinhoff: Innovation Marketing. Munich 2007.
  • E. Weiß: Management of discontinuous technology transitions. Analysis and therapy of inhibiting factors. Goettingen 1989.
  • S. Wettengl: Initiation of technological system innovations . Ways to avoid waiting blocks in innovation networks. Göttingen 1999.
  • K.-I. Voigt: Strategies in the time competition. Technology management and marketing options. Wiesbaden 1998.
  • T. Volz: Management of complementary services for material goods. The difficult path from manufacturer of material goods to problem solver. Göttingen 1997.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ See Feldmann (2007), p. 50.
  2. ↑ See Spath, Renz (2005), p. 233 ff. And Gerpott (2005), p. 54 ff.
  3. ↑ See Gerpott (2005), pp. 54 ff.
  4. ↑ See Perl (2007), p. 23 ff. And Spath / Renz (2005), p. 233 ff.
  5. ^ See Schneider (1984), p. 20.
  6. ↑ See Wettengl (1999), p. 19.
  7. ↑ Abell (1980), p. 172.
  8. ↑ See Henderson, Clark (1990) and Christensen (1997).
  9. ↑ See additional services Volz (1997), pp. 62 ff. And the importance of brands for market success Richter (2007).
  10. ↑ See Pfeiffer et al. (1997), who use the term exploration phase instead of early technology detection, and Kobe (2006), p. 24, who uses the term technology observation.
  11. ↑ Kobe (2006), p. 24.
  12. ↑ See Weiss (1989).
  13. ↑ See Kobe (2006), 28 ff.
  14. ↑ On the technology assessment, see Pfeiffer, Weiß (1995) and Trommsdorff / Steinhoff (2007), pp. 279 ff. And
  15. ↑ See for the following example Trommsdorff, Steinhoff (2007), p. 285 f.
  16. ↑ See Feldmann (2007), p. 101 ff.
  17. ↑ See Foster (1986) with the S-curve concept and Gerybadze (2004), p. 128 ff.
  18. ↑ On strategic investment and disinvestment decisions in technology management, see Pfeiffer et al. (1997), p. 154 ff.
  19. ↑ On this example, see Pfeiffer et al. (1997), p. 163 ff.
  20. ↑ See the detailed scientific analysis of this decision in Burgelman (1994) and the presentation from the management perspective in Grove (1999).
  21. ↑ See Voigt (1998), p. 136 ff.
  22. ↑ See Geschka, Schauffele, Zimmer (2007).
  23. ↑ On this example, see Schneider, Schade, Grupp (2004), p. 152.
  24. ↑ See Gerybadze (2004), pp. 171 ff.
  25. ↑ See Wettengl (1999), p. 2.
  26. ↑ See Simon (1996), p. 149.
  27. ↑ See Harhoff (2005) and Gassmann / Bader (2007) on patent strategies.
  28. ↑ Cf. Gassmann, Bader (2007), pp. 205 ff.
  29. ↑ See Welt Online from February 2, 2008, accessed on September 16, 2008 .