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Technology development in the multinational firm: a framework for planning and strategy
Author(s) -
Contractor Farok J.,
Narayanan V. K.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
randd management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.253
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1467-9310
pISSN - 0033-6807
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9310.1990.tb00720.x
Subject(s) - multinational corporation , business , process management , process (computing) , new product development , function (biology) , technology strategy , product planning , strategic planning , profit (economics) , technology development , knowledge management , operations management , computer science , marketing , strategic management , engineering , economics , manufacturing engineering , finance , evolutionary biology , biology , microeconomics , operating system
The authors' purpose is to improve the coupling between technology development and corporate strategic planning in multinational firms by providing a much needed technology planning framework. The framework, which is developed in some detail, divides the planning process into three stages: technology scanning, strategy development (product level) and implementation (country level). In the first stage an answer is sought to the question, “What technologies (as distinct from businesses) are we, or should we be in?”. in the second, the aim is to develop a strategy for each of the products from the chosen technologies; in the third stage, details of implementation on a country‐by‐country basis are worked out. Although presented as a sequence of three stages, the framework is to be applied iteratively. The authors argue that technology for all its vital importance to a global company, cannot be treated as a profit centre. This is part of the difficulty in implementing the technology management function, especially in multidivisional and global firms. They believe that use of this framework will make it easier to integrate technology development into the strategic planning process. In addition it will serve to integrate managers from different parts of the company into a formalized technology planning exercise.