Technology Management

Exploring the Structure of International Technology Diffusion

by Lawrenzo Hung-Chun Huang

PICMET 2012 Proceedings, July 29-August 2, Vancouver, Canada © 2012 PICMET

Globalization has highlighted changes in socio-economic terms and is reshaping the world. The international diffusion... more Globalization has highlighted changes in socio-economic terms and is reshaping the world. The international diffusion of technology therefore becomes one of the most important topics of economics and technology policy research. However, comparing endogenous factors, exogenous factors are complexity and demonstrate as network
phenomenon. The network phenomenon composes by neither solely nor independently unit. Countries in global network demonstrated interdependent, and influenced by many others. Thus, this study utilizes social network analysis to investigate the structural configuration of international technology diffusion. This study provides macro perspective on diffusion structure research. The purpose of this study is to investigate the deep structure of international technology diffusion and structural differences between embodied and disembodied technology diffusion networks. This work also provides an understanding of the nature of globalization. The findings not only illustrate the pattern change of diffusion structure form cascade-like to radial-like, but also present the structural configuration of technologically advanced countries and the competitive positions of each country. The findings regarding the diffusion pattern changes and network position identifications can make policy implications for countries interested in exogenous effects for technological growth.

Virtual R&D Teams: A potential growth of education-industry collaboration

by Nader Ale Ebrahim نادر آل ابراهیم

Ale Ebrahim, N., Ahmed, S., & Taha, Z. (2011). Virtual R&D Teams: A potential growth of education-industry collaboration. Academic Leadership Journal, 9(4), 1-5.

Introduction:

With the advent of the global economy and high-speed Internet, online collaboration is fast... more Introduction:

With the advent of the global economy and high-speed Internet, online collaboration is fast becoming the norm in education and industry [1]. Information technology (IT) creates many new inter-relationships among businesses, expands the scope of industries in which a company must compete to achieve the competitive advantage. Information systems and technology allow companies to coordinate their activities in distant geographic locations [2]. IT is providing the infrastructure necessary to support the development of new collaboration forms among industry and education. Virtual research and development (R&D) teams represent one such relational form, one that could revolutionize the workplace and provide organizations with unprecedented levels of flexibility and responsiveness [3-4].

Virtual Teams and Management Challenges

by Nader Ale Ebrahim نادر آل ابراهیم

Ale Ebrahim, N., Ahmed, S., & Taha, Z. (2011). Virtual Teams and Management Challenges. Academic Leadership Journal, 9(3), 1-7.

Introduction:

Collaboration is becoming increasingly important in creating the knowledge that makes... more Introduction:

Collaboration is becoming increasingly important in creating the knowledge that makes business more competitive. Virtual teams are growing in popularity [1] and many organizations have responded to their dynamic environments by introducing virtual teams. Additionally, the rapid development of new communication technologies such as the Internet has accelerated this trend so that today, most of the larger organization employs virtual teams to some degree [2]. A growing number of flexible and adaptable organizations have explored the virtual environment as one means of achieving increased responsiveness [3]. Howells et al. [4] state that the shift from serial to simultaneous and parallel working has become more commonplace. Based on conventional information technologies and Internet-based platforms virtual environments may be used to sustain companies’ progress through virtual interaction and communication.

Strategic technology alliance termination: An empirical investigation

by Bert Sadowski

Journal of Engineering and Technology Management Volume 25, Issue 4, December 2008, Pages 305–320

There is growing consensus that overall alliance termination rates are high. However, despite this track record of... more There is growing consensus that overall alliance termination rates are high. However, despite this track record of termination and despite unsurpassed growth rates of strategictechnologyalliances, little is known about the reasons for their termination. Typically strategicalliances have been characterized as inherently instable, i.e. often involving unplanned and premature termination of the alliance by partnering firms indicating alliance failure. The literature on strategictechnologyalliances, however, proposes that alliance termination does not always indicate failure, but can be intended and can be a sign of strength. We examine these different perceptions by using a sample of 48 strategictechnologyalliances in different high-technology industries. The findings in the paper confirm that the rates of termination are rather high for strategictechnologyalliances. Overall, we found that in particular negative prospects about future cooperation, negative perceptions about joint benefits and the lack of a win-win situation had an impact on the decision to terminate a strategictechnologyalliance. Also, the fact that some companies opt only for short-term (not for long-term and renewed) cooperation seems to introduce a negative factor into the longevity of strategictechnologyalliances.

On the innovativeness of foreign affiliates: Evidence from companies in The Netherlands

by Bert Sadowski

In examining the distinctive contributions of foreign subsidiaries and domestic firms to innovative performance in... more In examining the distinctive contributions of foreign subsidiaries and domestic firms to innovative performance in Dutch manufacturing, the paper shows that foreign ownership is an important factor in explaining inter-firm differences affecting innovativeness. It characterizes innovativeness by distinguishing between products that are new to the firm (‘imitative’ innovations), and those products that are new to the market (‘real’ innovations). It uses firm-level data for 4780 firms which took part in the Community Innovation Survey (CIS-2) for 1996 in The Netherlands. It concludes that foreign subsidiaries are more innovative, they are more likely to introduce ‘imitative’ as well as ‘real’ innovations compared to domestic firms. In comparison with the population of innovative companies, however, there is greater heterogeneity among foreign subsidiaries, i.e. they are not more likely to introduce ‘real’ innovations if they cannot utilize knowledge transfer from an associated company.

Towards market repositioning in Central and Eastern Europe: international cooperative ventures in Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic

by Bert Sadowski

Research Policy, Volume 30, Issue 5, May 2001, Pages 711-724

The paper examines the influence of international cooperative ventures on indigenous firms in Central and Eastern... more The paper examines the influence of international cooperative ventures on indigenous firms in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. It has been widely recognized that multinational enterprises (MNEs) predominately utilize these ventures to rationalize their international production. However, research has rarely focused on the gains of CEE firms in these ventures. The paper applies the concept of distinct capabilities to characterize the ability of CEE firms to adequately absorb technological knowledge and skills from these ventures. In examining the characteristics of distinct capabilities empirically, the paper uses a sample of 35 firms in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland in seven different high-technology industries. The paper suggests that CEE firms in technology-intensive industries were rarely able to increase their technology base as a result of their venturing activity.

Transition of governance in a mature open software source community: Evidence from the Debian case

by Bert Sadowski

Information Economics and Policy Volume 20, Issue 4, December 2008, Pages 323–332

As open source software (OSS) communities mature, they have to introduce a variety of governance mechanisms to manage... more As open source software (OSS) communities mature, they have to introduce a variety of governance mechanisms to manage the participation of their members and to coordinate the launch of new releases. The Debian community introduced new mechanisms of informal administrative control based on a constitution, elected leaders, and used interactive communication channels. We show that these control mechanisms were introduced as a response to emerging innovative opportunities due to the usage of source packages and to the need to build a responsive organization within the Debian OSS community.

Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy

by Bert Sadowski

Telecommunications Policy Volume 24, Issue 5, June 2000, Pages 457–459

Without doubt, Information Rules will quickly obtain textbook status in economics and management classes — like... more Without doubt, Information Rules will quickly obtain textbook status in economics and management classes — like Michael Porter's Competitive advantage or Hal Varian's Intermediate Microeconomics. There was a need for such book that could dismantle the “hype” in the current fast changing information and technology markets and could skilfully disprove arguments on a “friction-free” economy or on an “entrepreneurial” competition in industries effected by information technology. Both authors have been well equipped to write such book in being for a long time at the forefront of the theoretical discussion on the economics of information, technological change, game theory and competitive strategy, and in actively participating in anti-trust legislation in the industry. The result of their joint efforts has, however, been ambiguous. To be sure, both authors have produced a well-written, partly even amusing book that is easily accessible to the reader, while elaborating on rather complicated economic constructs such as “lock-in” and “positive feedback”. They use these constructs to convincingly demonstrate that the dynamic competition driving the industry is more oligopolistic, than entrepreneurial by nature and therefore regulatory intervention might be warranted. For readers in need of a textbook that explains the economics of networks based on ‘classical’ equilibrium economics, Information Rules provides the required knowledge. This also represents, however, the Achilles heel of the book: The economics of networks are inherently dynamic, a state of equilibrium is the exception, and disequilibrium is the rule. In other words, equilibrium concepts in the tradition of ‘classical’ readings provide some answers with respect to the Schumpeterian notion of dynamic competition and “temporary” monopolies. They seem at present unsuitable to examine questions such as how the evolution of network systems leads to an inefficient resource allocation and to what extent ex ante regulation might remediate this situation. The current debate precisely tackles these issues and provides rather contradictory answers to policy makers. In this respect, the book falls behind the discussion on network economics which has traditionally forced economists and policy-makers to reconsider traditional economic, policy and regulatory concepts.

The Transition from Strategic Technology Alliances to Mergers and Acquisitions: An Exploratory Study

by Bert Sadowski

This paper studies a number of research topics derived from the basic question: do interfirm alliances change into... more This paper studies a number of research topics derived from the basic question: do interfirm alliances change into mergers and acquisitions as companies that were previously co-operating become integrated? The analysis is limited to the group of strategic technology alliances, i.e. those interfirm agreements for which joint technology development or technology sharing is part of the agreement.

The paper first explores the literature that refers to the possible transition from strategic technology alliances to mergers and acquisitions. Based on this we formulate a number of hypotheses regarding the change in modes of governance and several dimensions of this process related to the international distribution of transformed alliances, their industry specificity, the size of firms, and the distribution of contractual and equity agreements. The major finding of our research is that the transformation from strategic technology alliance to merger and acquisition hardly ever takes place. This suggests that alliances and mergers and acquisitions are not part of a rather smooth continuum but they are first of all different modes of governance where one mode certainly does not lead to the other

Technological Assessment and Process Implications of Field Data Capture Technologies for Construction and Facility/Infrastructure Management

by Pingbo Tang

Collection of accurate, complete and reliable field data is not only essential for active management of construction... more Collection of accurate, complete and reliable field data is not only essential for active management of construction projects involving many tasks, such as material tracking, progress monitoring and quality assurance tasks; but also for facility/infrastructure management during the service life of facilities and infrastructure systems. Limitations of current manual data collection approaches in terms of speed, completeness and accuracy, and implications of these limitations for construction management practice are discussed by many researchers. Advancements in field data capture technologies (such as smart tags, laser scanners, and embedded sensors) enable collecting, storing and reusing field data accurately, completely and reliably. We show that while these technologies are capable of streamlining the associated processes, their performances differ from the manufacturers’ specifications when utilized on construction sites due to issues, such as interference, data reading range, data accuracy, interoperability of hardware and software, and memory limitations. In addition, while these technologies eliminate some non-value adding tasks associated with corresponding project management processes, they can also add new tasks that need to be performed prior to, during, or after the utilization of a technology at the field. Hence, a thorough understanding of both the technological capabilities and process implications of these technologies is needed to be able to utilize them effectively during construction and service life of facilities.

A National Library

by Orla Hegarty

The Brain Drain: Implications for Regional Economic Integration in the Expanding European Union.

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M. (2012). The brain drain: Implications for regional economic integration in the expanding European Union. In B. Chapalet, & M. Le Berre (Eds.), Producing New Knowledge on Innovation Management. Presses Universitaires de Grenoble, 99 – 111.

This paper provides a review and conceptual analysis of issues surrounding regional economic integration and the... more This paper provides a review and conceptual analysis of issues surrounding regional economic integration and the potential for inter-country brain drain within the expanding European Union (EU). As the EU expands eastward, it absorbs millions of highly skilled knowledge workers and opens opportunities for western European organisations to capitalise on this workforce. The migration of these skilled workers is a macro-exercise in eastern European knowledge management, and could have far-reaching implications at the regional, industry and organisational levels. This paper explores the context and implications of knowledge worker movement across fading borders.

ICT Teachers’ Assigned Roles and Expectations from Them

by Yuksel Goktas

Topu, F. B. & Göktaş, Y. (2012). ICT teachers’ assigned roles and expectations from them. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 12(1), 461-478. http://www.edam.com.tr/kuyeb/pdf/en/dffdc2f6a7efa2b36df9266f227cc4ef25b.pdf

The aim of this study was to provide a better understanding of ICT teachers’ assigned position and to determine school... more The aim of this study was to provide a better understanding of ICT teachers’ assigned position and to determine school administrators’ and other teachers’ perceptions towards ICT teachers and these teachers’ positions, and to reveal the similar and discrepant aspects of their tertiary education and the roles (work and responsibilities) assigned to them in schools. For this purpose, a qualitative case study research design was used. The study was conducted within three phases. In the first phase, focus group interview with 2 faculty members at department of Computer Education and Instructional Technologies and 6 ICT teachers, in the second phase, a pilot study encompassing an interview with 2 teachers from other branches and 1 school administrators, and finally face to face interviews with 33 participants, 10 of whom were school administrators, 11 of whom were ICT teachers, 12 of whom were teachers from other branches. The data obtained were analyzed using content analysis, and the findings showed that ICT teachers undertook many roles in their schools apart from the assigned positions determined by MoNE. The fundamental reason for this appeared that ICT teachers were perceived as an expert, a technical staff or personnel who knows everything about ICT. Further, there occurred some differences and ambiguities between the education they took and the assigned roles and due to these ambiguities that even the ICT teachers could hardly define their assigned roles in schools was observed.

Learning and External Technology Management: the networks approach

by Apostolos Rafailidis

1st. Founding Conference of the European Academy of Management (EURAM) “European Management Research: Trends and Challenges”, Barcelona, Spain, Apr. 19 – 21, 2001
co-authored with Giannis Tselekidis

It is argued that efficient learning, combined with efficient use and assimilation of available external knowledge,... more It is argued that efficient learning, combined with efficient use and assimilation of available external knowledge, can provide a sound basis upon which the technological capabilities of a firm can be built, for long–term efficiency and survival.This is especially true for firms that lack necessary technological capabilities and seek to improve their position in the global market by gradually creating a competitive advantage.

Cultural perspectives on knowledge management in central and eastern Europe: The SECI model of knowledge conversion and ‘ba’

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M., & Ogilvie, K. (2010). Cultural perspectives on knowledge management in central and eastern Europe: The SECI model of knowledge conversion and ‘ba’. Journal of Information & Knowledge Management, 9(2), 161 – 169.

This research discusses the SECI Model of Knowledge Conversion as it relates to the 10 Central and Eastern European... more This research discusses the SECI Model of Knowledge Conversion as it relates to the 10 Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) that are now part of the European Union (EU). The socio-economic conversion from socialism to capitalism of these societies is unique in historical precedence, whereby utilising the contextual models in knowledge conversion are applicable for understanding the implications of such a phenomenon. The results indicate that there is a unique set of variables that need to be considered within this context and for future similar situations.

Keywords: SECI; knowledge conversion; national culture; Ba; central and eastern Europe.

Maslow and Management: Universally Applicable or Idiosyncratic?

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M., & Ogilvie, K. (2010). Maslow and management: Universally applicable or idiosyncratic? Canadian Manager, 34(4), 16 – 17.

Globalization, Knowledge Workers and the Expanding European Union: A Lesson for North America?

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M., & Ogilvie, K. (2010). Globalization, knowledge workers and the expanding European Union: A lesson for North America? Canadian Manager, 35(1), 26 – 27.

Social Network Mapping and Analysis in the Global Aerospace Community

by Matthew Jelavic

Ogilvie, K., & Jelavic, M. (2010). Social network mapping and analysis in the global aerospace community. Canadian Manager, 35(2), 20 – 21.

Management Consulting: Understanding the Process Using Concepts in Neuroscience

by Matthew Jelavic

Vincenti, M., & Jelavic, M. (2011). Management consulting: Understanding the process using concepts in neuroscience. Canadian Manager, 35(4), 22 – 23.

Tacit Knowledge and Personal Competitive Advantage: An Autopoietic Framework for Knowledge Management in Human Resources

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M. (2011). Tacit knowledge and personal competitive advantage: An autopoietic framework for knowledge management in human resources. Canadian Manager, 36(3), 22 – 23.