Technology management and the future

Abstract

A major problem of firms around the world is the development of new technology and the adaptation of the firm to technological change. Increasingly, we must find ways to sharpen our ability to do technological forecasting and to translate these forecasts into strategies that enable the organization to maximize its opportunities for gain from these technologies. This approach means that more attention must be paid to the problems of organizational adaptation as part of the problem of managing technology within the firm. We need to look at the problems of adaptation and develop the set of necessary conditions for management to make a transition to a new technology in a way that will help the firm achieve its profit goals. These problems are difficult ones and require an interdisciplinary approach. In general, we see the need for those interested in the problems of research management and the management of technology to broaden their skills and their interests. We must move more strongly into the general management area and grapple with the problems of organizational behavior as well as the more traditional problems of research and technology management. >