Key Sub-Disciplines and Methods of Technology Planning in Dynamic Environments

Marek Jemala,Ľubomír Jemala

doi:10.18267/j.aop.432

Abstract

The dynamic development in all areas of business brings shorter life cycles of products, technologies, as well as organisational structures and enterprises. The critical factor of many technological changes is not the technology innovation process, but finding a new application for an existing technology (Rycroft, 2006).The form of technology planning depends on the capabilities and requirements of a specifi c enterprise, but also on external determinants that affect its internal technological capabilities. Within the formulation of a technology strategy (TS), it is necessary that managers adequately incorporate different dimensions and needs of own technology in TS, but also that technology elements are appropriately designed and substitutable. This article has two main goals. The fi rst is to describe methodically the main specifi c features and forms of technology planning/TS through a comprehensive study of available professional literature. The second goal is to analyse the development of technology planning methods based on a bibliometrical analysis of ScienceDirect database (1823-2013).

Highlights

In a dynamic technology environment, we can identify several major driving forces affecting the formulation and changes of technology plans
If we look at the development of technology planning in terms of the particular bibliometrical analysis (Table 1), we can notice that the most developed sub-discipline of technology planning is just foresight, even from the time perspective
If we look at the development of technology planning methods based on the bibliometrical analysis (Table 2), we can notice that the most applied methods are modelling and simulation, scenario writing, and interviews

Summary

Introduction

In a dynamic technology environment, we can identify several major driving forces affecting the formulation and changes of technology plans. The so-called Red Queen Effect in this context means that, the continuous development one of the necessary conditions is required in order for any system to survive, due to the parallel dynamics of other systems These changes require new investment, information, knowledge and other capabilities, which often lead to higher labor mobility and multisourcing, the use of various forms of flexible organisational structures and risk capital for R&D, and the need to improve cooperation with competitors, customers, suppliers, government institutions, etc. This in turn leads to the need for greater complexity of business strategies, interactive connections with innovation and technology strategies, specialisation of enterprises and their units so as to increase efficiency of internal ( technological) processes, and to protect own know-how. SWOT, PEST, STEER, BCG matrix, Benchmarking, Morphological analysis Porter’s 5P analysis, etc

Methods

Taxonomy of key technological planning methods

Conclusions