Selection Of New Technologies Research Articles

Adaptation of the MIVES method for the strategic selection of new technologies at an R&D centre. Focus on the manufacturing sector

The key role of R&D Centers for technological development in industrial companies is undeniable and clearly impacts on the competitive strategies of industry. R&D Centers assume responsibility for the identification, selection, acquisition, development, and transfer of technology. Among their activities, the successful selection of new technologies is becoming a highly critical and complex challenge in the Technology Management Process. The problem underlying the right selection of new generations of technologies is, from a methodological perspective, linked to key heterogeneous (technological, economic, human, and organizational) factors. Even though previous research has focused on the selection of technologies within the industrial sector, there is little research on the selection of technology at R&D Institutions and, in particular, at R&D Centers. In this research, a Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM)-based evaluation model for decision-making (MIVES), adaptable to one or several technologies, is therefore, employed. In such complex scenarios, MCDM models are a suitable approach to decision-making. The model is then applied to a real case study, in which the evaluation of a new technology at a Spanish R&D Center specializing in manufacturing is analyzed.

The transition to environmentally sustainable production: a roadmap timeline methodology

In this paper, a high-level methodology for the transition to environmentally sustainable practices in the manufacturing industry is developed. The methodology presented in this paper is at the conceptual level and is developed to be applicable to a wide array of industrial settings. The sustainability transitioning methodology provides decision-makers with a roadmap timeline for the methodical decision-making to adopt environmentally sustainable technologies and practices. This is accomplished through integrating two key tools for the selection of new technologies: the technology readiness level, and the ease of implementation versus the impact analysis. The proposed methodology informs decision-makers of the priorities and the perceived impact of the potential technologies. Test and validation are carried out with a case study from the United Kingdom’s aerospace sector. Results from the case study revealed that applying the methodology could influence decision-makers to approve or dismiss the use of new technologies.

Managing authentication and authorization in distributed science gateway middleware

Establishing users’ identities and determining their permissions before they access research infrastructure resources are key features of science gateways. With many science gateways now relying on general purpose gateway platform services, the challenges of managing identity-derived features have expanded to include network-based authentication and authorization scenarios that connect science gateway tenants, science gateway platform middleware, and third party identity provider services, including campus identity management systems. This paper examines both architectural and implementation considerations for integrating these services. We provide a summary case study that further shows how end-to-end authentication and authorization can be provided between gateways, campus authentication systems, science gateway middleware, and campus computing resources. We conclude with observations on lifecycle management of third party components in science gateway platform services, which is an important consideration for both selection of new technologies and transitioning from older systems.

A Multicriteria Decision Model for the Evaluation and Selection of Technologies in a R&D Centre

<p>R&D Centres play a key role in the technology development process of industries, and therefore in their competitive strategies. They have responsibility in the identification, selection, acquisition, development and transfer of technology. Among these activities, the successful selection of new technologies is becoming a highly critical and complex challenge in the Technology Management Process. The problem of succeeding in the selection of new technologies is, from the methodological side, linked to heterogeneous key factors (technological, economic, human, and organisational). Many approaches deal with it by means of Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) techniques and tools. Nevertheless, most of the works are related to the selection of technologies in industrial cases and very few works have been found in the bibliography related to R&D Institutions and, in particular, Technological Centres. A model for the evaluation and decision about one or several technologies based on the MIVES (Modelo Integrado de Valor para Evaluaciones de Sostenibilidad) method is proposed. Introducing the motivations for using this method, after a review of the most used MCDM methods, and describing the structure of the model and the preliminary key parameters and relations among them. The proposed model is oriented to it’s application in the manufacturing sector, observing the particularities of the sector in the selection of the critical factors related to technology, R&D Centre and Industry.</p>

The impact of HTA and procurement practices on the selection and prices of medical devices

Technological innovation in healthcare yields better health outcomes but also drives healthcare expenditure, and governments are struggling to maintain an appropriate balance between patient access to modern care and the economic sustainability of healthcare systems. Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and centralized procurement are increasingly used to govern the introduction and diffusion of new technologies in an effort to make access to innovation financially sustainable. However, little empirical evidence is available to determine how they affect the selection of new technologies and unit prices. This paper focuses on medical devices (MDs) and investigates the combined effect of various HTA governance models and procurement practices on the two steps of the MD purchasing process (i.e., selecting the product and setting the unit price). Our analyses are based on primary data collected through a national survey of Italian public hospitals. The Italian National Health Service is an ideal case study because it is highly decentralized and because regions have adopted different HTA governance models (i.e., regional, hospital-based, double-level or no HTA), often in combination with centralized regional procurement programs. Hence, the Italian case allows us to test the impact of different combinations of HTA models and procurement programs in the various regions. The results show that regional HTA increases the probability of purchasing the costliest devices, whereas hospital-based HTA functions more like a cost-containment unit. Centralized regional procurement does not significantly affect MD selection and is associated with a reduction in the MD unit price: on average, hospitals located in regions with centralized procurement pay 10.1% less for the same product. Hospitals located in regions with active regional HTA programs pay higher prices for the same device (+23.2% for inexpensive products), whereas hospitals that have developed internal HTA programs pay 8.3% on average more for the same product.

A proactive technology selection model for new technology: The case of 3D IC TSV

Many studies have addressed the issues of the evaluation and the selection of new technology. In this paper, we add to this literature by formulating a more general model that incorporates the evaluation, the selection and the improvement of new technology. The improvement of new technology refers to the modification of the development of the underlying technology. We accomplish this by combining an Importance-Score Report for each of the factors of the new technology to the adopting firm and a Performance-Score Report of the alternative new technologies' performance on each of the factors into a two-dimensional graph. This graph helps to reveal the specific factors of the new technology for the adopting firm to work on improving. Processes such as this will be an informative and powerful planning tool for decision maker when choosing among competing new technologies. We then use a case of selecting a 3D IC TSV technology for a Taiwanese IC manufacturer to illustrate the application of the PTSM. Three critical factors of the 3D IC TSV technology were then identified for improvement.

New technology integration approach for energy planning with carbon emission considerations

This paper introduces a systematic methodology and corresponding tools to support the decision-making process for the integration of various improvement options, including new technologies, into existing mature processes. The proposed methodology was applied on a case study focusing on planning the capacity supply to meet the projected electricity demand for the fleet of electric generating stations owned and operated by Ontario Power Generation (OPG). A deterministic mixed integer linear program with a goal to minimize total annualized costs while satisfying various CO2 emission constraints was developed. The results show that achieving the CO2 emission mitigation goal while minimizing costs affects the configuration of the OPG fleet in terms of generation mix, capacity, selection of new technologies and optimal configuration with and without new technologies. By using new technologies including integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) with and without carbon capture and sequestration, the optimum electricity cost obtained was 1.1661¢/KWh at base caseload demand with 60% CO2 reduction.

Gas-Insulated and Hybrid Substations: Substation Modernization in the Mexican Petrochemical Industry 7

This article presents the issues that must be considered for the modern-ization of the power systems in the national refining industry (nri) in Mex-ico and the migration to gas-insulated substations (Giss). the nri increased its production capacity and demand for electrical power, requiring sources of electricity and equipment that deliver higher availability, reliability, and security of the supplied electricity. the selection of new technologies should represent an improvement in effi-ciency, preserve the overall operational security of the plants, and solve the actual power systems' problems. among the new proposed requirements are the migration of the distribution level from 13.8 kV to 34.5 kV or to 115 kV, as well as the use of Giss and hybrid substations (hss). the Gis technology itself represents a major tech-nological breakthrough for repowering and modernizing power substations due to its innovative features, high quality of equipment, and higher reliability, which repre-sents the use of sulphur hexafluoride (sF6) as the insulat-ing medium. in addition, this article exemplifies the conceptual schemes proposed to restructure the power system for the Mexican refineries by 2015. The selection of technology allowed the actual conditions to be identified, thereby offering technical solutions that could be useful in similar projects.

Factors Influencing Corporate Environmental Performance in India

Swept along by the winds of change, corporations are now moving towards environmentally friendly production processes partly to ensure compliance with rules and regulations, and partly to reduce potential liabilities, exploit opportunities in new and emerging markets, and to respond effectively to competitive pressures. Today companies tend to be ranked not only on the basis of their financial performance but also on the basis of their environmental track record. Thus, while a defi nite trend in the direction of greening of corporate activities is clearly apparent, the present study seeks to identify the organizational factors which infl uence and contribute to the environmental performance of companies. Environmental performance for this purpose was evaluated with respect to the company's track record vis-à-vis the following components: existence of a separate environmental policy, concrete environmental action plan in the areas of energy saving, air pollution control, effluent treatment before discharge, solid waste management, ongoing environmental education programs for employees, giving priority to environmental impact in the selection of new technology, conducting life cycle analysis study on products, disclosure of environmental information relating to its products and services, availability of emission and material usage data, practice of environmental accounting, green supply chain management, green procurement policy and involvement of the company in local community activities.

Evolving Technologies Support Mobile and Collaborative Curriculum: A Case Study

This case study describes the efforts of librarians to integrate mobile devices, collaboration tools, and resources into a School of Medicine third-year pediatric clerkship. Additional class emphasis is on evidence-based searching and journal article evaluation and presentation. The class objectives ensure that students are comfortable with mobile devices and collaboration tools. Over the eight-year history of the course, student acceptance of the mobile devices used diminished as the devices aged, necessitating the evaluation and selection of new technologies. Collaboration tools and mobile applications employed in the course evolved to accommodate curriculum changes.

Optimizing Selection of Technologies in a Multiple Stage, Multiple Objective Wastewater Treatment System

ABSTRACTIn this paper, a multiple stage wastewater treatment system (WTS) is solved for the selection of technological options at each stage to minimize (economic cost, size, odour emissions) and to maximize (nutrient recovery, robustness, global desirability). Stages in the wastewater treatment system are the levels of treatment. There are 17 levels of treatment, where the first 11 levels are for the liquid treatment and the last 6 levels are for the solid treatment. This results in a 20‐dimensional, continuous‐state, 17‐stage, 6‐objective, stochastic optimization problem. The resulting multiple stage, multiple objective (MSMO) WTS is solved using the three‐phase methodology in conjunction with the multiple objective version of high‐dimensional, continuous‐state, stochastic dynamic programming (SDP). The three‐phase methodology comprises the input phase, the matrix generation phase and the weighting phase. The primary goal of three‐phase methodology is to obtain weight vectors at each stage of the WTS utilizing expert's opinions in the input phase, computing pairwise comparison matrices at each stage using the geometric mean‐based methods in the matrix generation phase, and then calculating weight vectors at each stage using the eigenvector method in the weighting phase. The weight vectors are then used to scalarize the vector optimization problem, which is solved using the high‐dimensional, continuous‐state SDP augmented for handling multiple objectives at each stage.The results obtained are practical as evidenced by the selection of new technologies in levels 1 and 5 thereby validating expert's decision to include them in the evaluation process. In addition to encouraging reviews from WTS experts, the implementation results satisfy a set of external constraints in the form of interstage dependencies between technological options in the WTS. Furthermore, the solution technique presented here utilizes expert's opinions in the solution development process, and is quite general in its application to a variety of large‐scale MSMO problems. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The role of the HyCon design‐support tool in elevating hybrid concrete as a design option for structural frames

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify interdependent barriers to the search and selection of new technologies by design engineers at industry, organisation and individual levels. A “proof of concept” HyCon tool is presented to demonstrate the role of information technology design support tools in supporting designers to overcome these inhibitors, in this case for hybrid concrete, by providing immersive and interactive, information‐rich environments to explore design solutions.Design/methodology/approachThe HyCon tool was developed through a prototyping methodology encompassing a testing, analysis, design and coding iterative cycle. This was supported by case studies and industry workshops.FindingsThe results of a collaborative research project are presented, which describes the HyCon design support tool to promote the understanding and use of hybrid concrete in structural frames. This tool is built around a knowledge creation, application, storage, and retrieval cycle to envision and support the use of this new technology.Originality/valueThis paper fulfils an identified need to integrate technology management and design process considerations within the context of an information technology design support tool, and offers a “proof of concept” HyCon tool to demonstrate key issues and potential utilities and applications.

Risk Metric for Multi‐Objective Design of Naval Ships

ABSTRACTThe DoD Risk Management Guide requires risk assessment of acquisition performance, cost, and schedule through the identification, subsequent analysis and prioritization of adverse program events based on their probability and consequences. This type of risk assessment is very important in concept exploration and design when considering new technologies, unique processes, and novel concepts.Uncertainty associated with the design process itself and the definition and selection of specific design alternatives can also have a significant impact on performance, cost, and schedule risk. Inherent, statistical and modeling uncertainty and uncertainty because of human error, must be considered in the design process, but uncertainty analysis requires a more detailed and computationally intensive probabilistic approach. It is most appropriate for post‐exploration design optimization, after specific cost and performance goals and thresholds have been set to maximize the probability of achieving these goals.In this paper, a two‐stage concept design strategy is proposed that uses a multi‐objective optimization and simplified risk event approach for concept exploration and a more rigorous multi‐disciplinary optimization with uncertainty for concept development. Concept exploration identifies nondominated design concepts and establishes the optimum relationship between effectiveness, cost, and risk given a broad selection of technologies and design alternatives. In this context, non‐dominated (N‐D) refers to designs with the maximum effectiveness for a given cost and level of risk. This is a global optimization design problem that considers a wide range of performance, cost and risk possibilities. Risk is defined using a separate objective attribute, an overall measure of risk (OMOR), which specifically addresses the high‐risk events associated with the selection of new technologies, processes, and concepts. With this perspective, decision‐makers may establish ratio‐nal requirements, select technologies, narrow the design space, and establish a non‐dominated concept baseline design or set of designs.Once these early decisions are made, concept development and the remaining design phases add detail, refine requirements and reduce risk. Optimization continues into concept development, but a single objective optimization based on uncertainty analysis is used, maximizing the probability of success (POS) of satisfying cost and effectiveness thresholds and other constraints established in concept exploration.The methodology and a simple application of the multi‐objective optimization and risk event approach are described in this paper.

Adoption of strategic total quality management philosophies Multi‐criteria decision analysis model

Discusses traditional accounting principles and how their limitations can affect an organization’s ability to achieve total quality management. Problems with these accounting principles become even more apparent when they are used to justify the investment in new technologies which may be needed to improve an organization’s TQM programme, including its productivity. When an organization focuses on short‐term profits, such accounting principles are often biased towards the selection of new technologies. Develops strategic frameworks that go beyond the limitations of these traditional accounting models. Applies these theories to evaluate the strategic variables that influence a company’s ability to compete in the marketplace. These frameworks focus primarily on an organization’s goals and the effective use of technology is identified as the means of achieving these goals.

The formation process of Taiwan's IC industry — Method of technology transfer : Pao-Long Chang, Chintay Shih and Chiung-Wen Hsu Technovation, 14(3) (1994) 161–171

Many studies have addressed the issues of the evaluation and the selection of new technology. In this paper, we add to this literature by formulating a more general model that incorporates the evaluation, the selection and the improvement of new technology. The improvement of new technology refers to the modification of the development of the underlying technology. We accomplish this by combining an Importance-Score Report for each of the factors of the new technology to the adopting firm and a Performance-Score Report of the alternative new technologies' performance on each of the factors into a two-dimensional graph. This graph helps to reveal the specific factors of the new technology for the adopting firm to work on improving. Processes such as this will be an informative and powerful planning tool for decision maker when choosing among competing new technologies. We then use a case of selecting a 3D IC TSV technology for a Taiwanese IC manufacturer to illustrate the application of the PTSM. Three critical factors of the 3D IC TSV technology were then identified for improvement.

Resource allocation and project selection: Control of r & d under dynamic process of data improvement

This paper deals with the problem of optimal control of RD allocation of investments among rival projects under a given total budget; timing of the ultimate selection of new technology (activity) according to the most successful project. The process of data improvement (PDI) is described as a (random) process of reducing the intervals of uncertainty, the rate of data improvement being controlled, in effect, by the investment policy. A stationary dynamic model with infinite horizon of planning and with the criterion of total discounted costs is developed. The model is carefully investigated from the economic point of view, and some new effects are discovered. It is demonstrated that uncertainty may be the source of additional gain; the bigger the initial uncertainty, the bigger the gain may be under optimal control. This effect is based on PDI, the economic background of which is presented as multiplication of the expected gain over time, which is typical for the classical macromodels of economics. Optimal continuous control is constructed at every time moment, and answers to two main questions are given: (1) either to prolong R & D or to make ultimate selection of one project, (2) how to allocate resources among the rival projects in the case of R&D prolongation. The last question is answered on the basis of profitability indices that relate efficiencies of PDI for particular projects to the costs of information.