International Technology Transfer Projects Research Articles

Effective management of international technology transfer projects

Purpose– The Brazilian textile industry has been facing fierce competition from low-cost imports from China and other Far East countries. To maintain their competitiveness in the local market, Brazilian companies have been adopting the product differentiation strategy. By using new technologies, they are able to develop new products with better quality at lower costs. With regard to new technologies, companies in the Brazilian textile industry have been using get-some and buy-some strategy, and international technology transfer (TT) has become an important part of their business strategies. However, due to lack of planning, many projects failed to achieve the desired results. This paper aims to provide theoretical insights and practical guidance on how textile firms could use a stage-gate model to enhance the effectiveness of their TT projects.Design/methodology/approach– In order to investigate the TT practices in the Brazilian context, three issues are assessed. First, the paper evaluates the possibility of deploying TT practices used by firms in similar industries, to enhance the effectiveness of TT process. Second, it verifies whether it is possible for the textile firms to use a stage-gate model to manage their TT processes, using as a normative framework the stage-gate model proposed by Jagoda and Ramanathan and Jagodaet al.Finally, possible changes to the stage-gate model are evaluated to specifically fit the Brazilian textile sector. This step is accomplished through four case studies from the Brazilian textile industry.Findings– The analyses of TT projects carried out by four companies show that there are many similarities and differences among the TT practices that are employed by the four companies that were investigated. The evaluation of the TT practices of the Brazilian textile companies against the stage-gate framework allowed authors to identify the gaps between the model and the TT practices of the companies investigated. Broader guidelines in adapting the stage-gate model to improve the TT process in the textile industry are discussed in the final part of this study.Originality/value– The TT process in the Brazilian textile industry is not a widely investigated phenomenon; however, this process has been critical to enhancing Brazil's competitiveness. Thus, providing a better framework to support the TT process in the local textile sector could be relevant information for improving management action in the area.

International technology transfer: innovative quantitative tools

International technology transfer (ITT) including transfer of knowledge and technology between companies in industrialised countries and their partners in developing countries is not necessary always successful. This work based on the experiences of professionals from North African countries (Egypt and Algeria) is an effort to build mathematical models encompassing all project stages using the existing success/failure factors of technology transfer from the literature review as input variables in order to predict the performance of ITT projects as an output and to determine a set of best practices. The gathered data about realised projects were exploited for developing linear, nonlinear models using conventional statistical approaches and also fuzzy models. These models should be seen as complementary rather than as rivals. They allow not only the prediction of an ITT project performance but also may help for a better understanding of ITT process. The performance of an ITT project in this study is a set of five success dimensions for e.g. success at the macro level and success in short term at the level of the company. These dimensions are conflicting because the increase of one success could lead to decrease in another. Therefore the use of multi-objective optimisation theory was necessary in order to determine the optimum of Pareto offering a good combination of them. ACADO toolkit and MOEA framework were used in this study for calculating the optimum of Pareto.

International technology transfer and its impact on innovation enhancement for firms based in Sri Lanka

This paper presents research findings from industrial firms based in Sri Lanka who need to acquire new technologies from the external environment in order to compete and upgrade their innovation capabilities. We analyse some of the key challenges faced by the recipients of knowledge in international technology transfer projects from the perspective of technology receiver firms based in a developing country. Through this technology transfer process the receiver firms attempt to utilise knowledge, from the technology senders based in advanced countries, in order to help them upgrade their innovation capabilities. This upgrading process involves overcoming some challenges related to training provision, human resources, language barriers, complexity of transfer process, and recipient’s lack of absorptive capacity. We present a number of important managerial implications, especially relevant for technology receivers in developing countries.

International Technology Transfer (ITT) Projects and Development of Technological Capabilities in Malaysian Construction Industry: A Conceptual Framework

The International Technology Transfer (ITT) projects has emerged as an important business and managerial concern to many developing countries across the globe as well as Malaysia. ITT projects according to many researchers involve the cross-boarder transfer of technology with the main purpose to enhance the local technology capabalities in response to a changing economic environment. These technology transfer projects could be viewed in the form of knowledge (soft technology), skill, and tools (hard technology) which usually congregate from advanced countries to the developing countries through construction project development.Numerous modes (known as channels) of ITT could occur from the public and private firms of advanced countries to private and public sector locally. Some of the channels are considered effective while others are regarded as less effective. Therefore, the objectives of this paper are three folds; to investigate the major channels of international technology transfer (ITT) projects in Malaysia and how these channels and technology capabilities are diffused within the Malaysian construction industry. Finally, a conceptual framework is proposed for a successful ITT and development of technological capabilities for the Malaysian construction industry.

Exploring the impact of national culture on the outcome of international technology transfer projects

Manufacturing companies worry that producing in high labour-cost countries can not be sustained and are considering moving manufacturing to low labour-cost regions. Manufacturers that are considering this approach should be aware that moving to low-labour cost countries does not always lead to cost reductions. Cost increases may occur as a result of productivity differences. One of the causes for these productivity differences is national culture. This paper's analysis leads to the conclusion that national culture affects the method of organising and this in turn affects labour productivity. Countries may have a cultural competitive advantage to conduct specific types of activities.

Determining the Success or Failure of International Technology Transfer

The authors present a conceptual framework that is considered useful for investment studies and consultancy activities on international technology transfer (ITT). Thoroughly elaborated investment studies – by which possible risks and constraints can be identified – can provide valuable support to decision makers in an ITT project. There appears to be no readily available methodology for the assessment of international technology transfer projects, and for mapping the essential factors that have an impact on them. This paper describes the principles of a conceptual framework which forms the basis of a comprehensive methodology for investment studies and consultancy activities to support ITT projects. This ‘Technology Mapping Methodology’ brings in the technological dimension, which has been absent in most conventional socioeconomic analyses and investment studies. The results of the application of this methodology in a number of ITT projects, such as the Tanzanian project described here, demonstrate its usefulness for technology transfer policy and management.