Implications For Technology Management Research Articles

Assessing the infringement risk of patent portfolios using network analysis and IF-TOPSIS: A case of standard-essential patent portfolios in the ICT industry

With the intensification of technological innovation competition and the surge in the number of patents in modern society, companies’ technology activities such as technology R&D, technology licensing and technology transfer now regularly involve large patent portfolios, as well as a rising risk of patent infringement. However, the existing patent infringement risk assessment methods are only designed for individual patents, which is not enough to meet the companies’ practical need for assessing and managing the infringement risk of large patent portfolios. Therefore, this study proposes a combined approach using network analysis and intuitionistic fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (IF-TOPSIS), which can assess and rank the infringement risk of a company’s patent portfolio relative to each of its competitors’ patent portfolios, thereby providing a scientific base for the company’s management decisions on patent portfolios. In this approach, one-mode weighted patent proximity networks are constructed to extract topology information of patent portfolios, and the IF-TOPSIS method is combined to obtain and rank the risk results under a proper fuzzy framework. The case study uses patent portfolios containing a total of 6,736 standard-essential patents (SEPs) in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry as test data, and verifies the practicality and validity of this intelligent approach. Managerial implications for technology managers and patent attorneys are elaborated.

The role of 3D printing and open design on adoption of socially sustainable supply chain innovation

Social sustainability is a growing concern for supply chain management, but questionable practices endure due to insufficient stakeholder pressure on the market leading firms. Meanwhile small, socially oriented firms may have the will but lack the means to change dominant practices when entering a market. In this context 3D printing may offer a solution, by leveraging the voluntary effort of individuals through open design and distributed production. A system dynamics approach is applied to the case of a socially oriented mobile phone producer, whose fair supply chain practices may initially appeal only to a niche market. We examine how open design of 3D printed mobile phone accessories helps overcome size-related resource constraints, facilitate market growth and ultimately generate sufficient consumer demand to alter the market leaders’ supply chain practices, in favour of social sustainability. Our findings demonstrate the interaction between availability of 3D printers, consumer attitudes to social sustainability and the market entry. We discuss the implications for technology management, namely that 3D printing can help overcome resource constraints to support the diffusion of socially sustainable supply chain innovation.

Introduction to the Special Issue on “Innovation in State Owned Enterprises: Implications for Technology Management and Industrial Development”

Introduction to the Special Issue on “Innovation in State Owned Enterprises: Implications for Technology Management and Industrial Development”

Participatory Swot Analysis of the Intellectual Property Management System in the National Research Centre on Meat, Strategic Implications for Technology Management

Participatory Swot Analysis of the Intellectual Property Management System in the National Research Centre on Meat, Strategic Implications for Technology Management

Research on Idea Generation and Selection: Implications for Management of Technology

Idea generation and selection are fundamental activities in innovation. Scholars in many disciplines have written about these activities, addressing diverse perspectives. In this study, we synthesize the research findings most applicable to the management of technology. First, we present findings on the process of idea generation: the importance of problem recognition and the many decisions made in organizing the effort. Second, we present findings about the process of idea selection, focusing on the different types of information that can be used in that decision. Third, we turn our attention to the organizational context in which both idea generation and selection occur: the corporate culture, use of incentives, organizational structure, and use of teams. Finally, we conclude, emphasizing that although idea generation and selection are as old as human decision making, changes in technology still affect these fundamental processes.

Research on Idea Generation and Selection: Implications for Management of Technology

Idea generation and selection are fundamental activities in innovation. Scholars in many disciplines have written about these activities, addressing diverse perspectives. In this paper, we synthesize the research findings most applicable to the management of technology. First, we present findings on the process of idea generation: the importance of problem recognition and the many decisions made in organizing the effort. Subsequently, we present findings about the process of idea selection, focusing on the different types of information that can be used in that decision. Third, we turn our attention to the organizational context in which both idea generation and selection occur: the corporate culture, use of incentives, organizational structure, and use of teams. Finally, we conclude, emphasizing that although idea generation and selection are as old as human decision making, changes in technology still affect these fundamental processes.

Growth intentions among research scientists: A cognitive style perspective

Although academic entrepreneurship has taken place in some U.S. universities for many decades, it is only over the past few decades that there has been an increased interest by universities worldwide to engage in their third mission related to entrepreneurship and economic development. Recently, researchers studying academic entrepreneurship have increasingly focused on understanding research scientists׳ entrepreneurial intentions. It has however also been acknowledged that, next to understanding entrepreneurial intentions, it is important to generate insights into growth intentions. This is because growth is unlikely to be achieved if no growth intention exists. Taking a cognition and self-efficacy perspective, our study explores how cognitive styles are associated with growth intentions within a group of research scientists having entrepreneurial intentions. Our study indicates that a planning cognitive style promotes while a knowing cognitive style curbs growth intentions. Further, working experience mitigates the negative impact of a knowing style on growth intentions. Our research has practical implications and implications for technology management, academic entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intentions literatures.

A process view of technology management – implications for R&D

Business Process Analysis suggests new types of customer for research and development (the business 'cluster') and reinforces the importance of research outputs being seen in context – the application of technology to create customer value within the business. Public collaborative technology programmes are themselves a business process designed to support the wealth–creating capability of the host nation. Identifying the real customer for public R&D programmes becomes a serious issue. The implications for technology management will be described based on recent studies in both the public and private sector.

Provision of mobile banking services from an actor–network perspective: Implications for convergence and standardization

Abstract Continuous advancements in mobile technology allow mobile carriers and banks to offer mobile banking services. Such convergence of previously unrelated industries raises many complex issues. This paper examines the dynamics of competition and collaboration among mobile carriers, banks and other related parties for mobile banking in Korea during the burgeoning period of mobile banking in the early to mid-2000s. This period is when the idea of mobile banking was realised in practice and a variety of the parties involved criss-crossed each other to form a network of service provision. It presents an opportunity to examine the complex dynamics of network formation for convergence services and standardization. Since convergence and standardization is a process of merging and integrating multiple players into a new network or system, it is realised through the process of interactions among the players involved. Actor–network theory (ANT) is used as an interpretive lens to analyse this process. ANT helps analyse how actors form alliances and enrol other actors, including non-human actors (i.e. technology), in order to secure their interests. By analysing three specific actor networks that emerged during a formative period in Korea's mobile banking sector, this paper shows the significance of the processes involved in developing actor networks, and especially the role of non-human actors. Given the contemporary context of the ongoing smart phone wars, which shares many of the features of convergence and standard competition, the paper serves as a timely reminder of the role played by key actors and the networks they create. The paper presents some implications for technology management in convergence- and standardisation-related areas.

Merging machines with microsurgery: clinical experience with neuroArm

It has been over a decade since the introduction of the da Vinci Surgical System into surgery. Since then, technology has been advancing at an exponential rate, and newer surgical robots are becoming increasingly sophisticated, which could greatly impact the performance of surgery. NeuroArm is one such robotic system. Clinical integration of neuroArm, an MR-compatible image-guided robot, into surgical procedure has been developed over a prospective series of 35 cases with varying pathology. Only 1 adverse event was encountered in the first 35 neuroArm cases, with no patient injury. The adverse event was uncontrolled motion of the left neuroArm manipulator, which was corrected through a rigorous safety review procedure. Surgeons used a graded approach to introducing neuroArm into surgery, with routine dissection of the tumor-brain interface occurring over the last 15 cases. The use of neuroArm for routine dissection shows that robotic technology can be successfully integrated into microsurgery. Karnofsky performance status scores were significantly improved postoperatively and at 12-week follow-up. Surgical robots have the potential to improve surgical precision and accuracy through motion scaling and tremor filters, although human surgeons currently possess superior speed and dexterity. Additionally, neuroArm's workstation has positive implications for technology management and surgical education. NeuroArm is a step toward a future in which a variety of machines are merged with medicine.

Characterisation of the Goods and Services Sectors: technology management implications

Using a technique called 'Data Surface Mining' (DSM), data previously published in the business press were further analysed to characterise the similarities and differences between the Goods and Services Sectors; a summary of the results of these analyses is presented here. In addition, the issues of technology management especially relevant to the Services Sector are presented. These issues are of critical importance in light of the fact that the Services Sector represents more than 80% (GDP and/or employment) of the US economy and is of increasing importance in the global economy.

Research note: Intellectual property in the services sector: Innovation and technology management implications

Corporate innovation is the subject of several recent articles in the business press and of discussion in academic circles and international conferences. Recently, Business Week reported a study that identified “The World's Most Innovative Companies.” Ocean Tomo, an investment banking firm, developed a list of 300 companies that had major value in their patent portfolios, a surrogate for innovation. Using a technique called “Data Surface Mining” (DSM), these previously published data were further analyzed to characterize the similarities and differences between the Goods and Services Sectors; the results of these analyses are presented here. In addition, the issues of technology management especially relevant to the Services Sector are presented. These issues are of critical importance in light of the fact that the Services Sector represents 80% (Gross Domestic Product and/or employment) of the United States economy and is of increasing importance in the global economy. It is also important to note that technology management in the Services Sector has not been given proportionate attention in the academic literature.

Integrated Roadmaps for Open Innovation

OVERVIEW:In the context of open innovation, firms increasingly acquire technologies from external sources. Moreover, many firms have recently started to actively commercialize technologies, for example, by means of outlicensing. While some pioneering firms realize enormous benefits from this, many others experience major difficulties in managing external technology exploitation. To overcome these challenges, firms need to establish appropriate strategic technology-planning processes. Such processes include the extension of product-technology roadmapping to integrated roadmaps for open innovation processes, including external technology exploitation. This has a number of implications for technology managers, including the need to consider potential returns from a technology as a whole rather than from product sales alone.

Comparing the acceptance of information technology among public and private healthcare sector employees in Finland

The objective of this research is to examine information technology behaviour and beliefs among healthcare employees. The public healthcare sector is facing increased pressure to function more efficiently, and one solution to meet the new demands has been the introduction of information technology. However, the late and sparse adoption of new technology in the healthcare sector is both well known and documented. This study compares the IT acceptance dimension in the public and private healthcare sectors in Finland. Using data collected from a nationwide survey, descriptive statistics are provided to obtain an overview of the current state of IT acceptance. Comparisons provide evidence that the private healthcare sector is ahead in using IT and getting employees to accept it. Implications for technology management are discussed based on these findings.

Patterns of technological competence accumulation: a proposition for empirical measurement

This article develops a typology that describes and measures different types of technological competence accumulation. The notion of accumulation comprises not only the state but also the change in competence, and hence it complies with the criticism of the static approaches to competence management. The typology of competence accumulation enables a comparison of firm profiles that lead to identification of four groups of firm behavior across the telecommunications industry. The relationship between the firm and the industry level is established on the condition that each firm's competence level depends on the firms' mutual relationships with other firms in the same industry (known as Red Queen evolution). The four groups of firm behaviour are therefore not considered as groups of independent firms that are similar by coincidence, but as patterns of behavior within the telecommunications industry, which allows for a discussion of more general implications for management of technology. Copyright 2005, Oxford University Press.

A conjoint analysis of voice over IP attributes

The ability to transmit and process voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) networks has important implications for technology managers. Many companies today are rushing to bring different VoIP products to market with a wide variety of features. Managers will need to understand the tradeoffs associated with VoIP as compared to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). This paper measures the preference structures between IP telephony and PSTN services using conjoint analysis. The purpose is to suggest those VoIP technology attributes that best meet users’ needs.

The Internet and the commercial sector of the Nigerian economy: policy and technology management implications

The socio-economic benefits of the Internet, which is the global information super highway, cannot be over-emphasised. Its importance to the commercial life of any nation is compelling. This paper examines the contributions of the Internet to the Nigerian Commercial Sector, and its policy and technology management implications. The policy and technology management implications of the Internet on Nigerian commerce involve major key-players in the provision and usage of Internet services. The key-players are the government, internet service providers (ISPs), the organised private sector, the management of the national carrier NITEL and the mains utility board NEPA. The policy and technology management implications identified which form the basis for maintaining an operative balance between the key-players are the need for both ISPs and the corporate users to carry out SWOT analysis, and the effective monitoring of the ISPs by the National Communications Commission (NCC). Others include the need for enhancement of cooperation amongst the international bodies, and the provision of adequate and well functioning telecommunications and electricity services. In addition, there is the imperative need for adequate training on the acquisition of basic skills in information technology (IT), and awareness propaganda of Internet services to sensitise the general public on the services available on the global information super highway.

Measuring the Pace of Technological Progress: Implications for Technological Forecasting

The pace of technological progress is a construct that has evolved from technological change theories. Although the construct is well described, it lacks a valid objective measure. Measuring the pace of technological progress is believed to be important for both technology management and technology forecasting. A newly-developed objective measure of the pace of technological progress called the Technology Cycle Time indicator (TCT) is evaluated. The TCT indicator was used in two comparison analyses: (1) assessing the pace of progress of superconductor and semiconductor technologies; and (2) assessing the position of various countries patenting in the semiconductor technology field. The TCT assessments were then analytically compared with specialist assessments found in the literature. The findings revealed that the TCT provided a valid assessment in each situation. The TCT has important implications for technology management and technology forecasting research.

Assessing technological barriers to telemedicine: technology-management implications

Telemedicine, the use of information technology to deliver health care from one location to another, has the potential to increase the quality and access to health care and to lower costs. This growth of telemedicine installations is occurring even as the utilization rates for installed telemedicine projects are falling well below expectations. Drawing on data collected from three operational telemedicine projects involving different clinical telemedicine applications, we examine how the technological barriers to telemedicine are impacting telemedicine utilization rates. Addressing technological barriers is a necessary but not sufficient condition if telemedicine is to fulfil its promise, and it is predominantly only after such barriers are addressed that the other barriers-professional, legal, and financial-come to the fore. Our findings support end-user and technical training as major barriers but do not support the quality of the video, system reliability, or the perceived inconvenience for physicians to use the equipment as barriers to telemedicine. The mismatch between the sophistication of the technology and end-user requirements for clinical activities and patient confidentiality and privacy issues were supported as barriers, but how they impacted telemedicine utilization was different than expected. Finally, unsatisfactory sound quality of the telemedicine equipment was identified as a frequent and unexpected barrier to telemedicine utilization rates.

An Analysis of Product Lifetimes in a Technologically Dynamic Industry

The conventional wisdom that product lifetimes are shrinking has important implications for technology management and product planning. However, very limited empirical information on this topic is available. In this paper, product lifetimes are directly measured as the time between product introduction and withdrawal. Statistical analyses of desktop personal computer models introduced between 1974 and 1992 are conducted at various product market levels. Results indicate that (1) product technology and product model lifetimes have not accelerated, and (2) manufacturers have not systematically reduced the life-cycles of products within their lines. Instead, the products of firms that have entered this industry in the more recent years tend to be based on previously existing technology, and, not surprisingly, these products have lifetimes that are shorter than those of established firms. Implications of these findings are discussed.