Technology Management Chapter 1 Notes

Technology Management
Introduction

Technology - definition
Technology is a concept that deals with an specialized
usage of tools, utilities and knowledge. It is a
consequence of science and engineering.
Technology refers to material objects of use by people,
such as machines, hardware, software or utensils.
It can also be understood as systems, methods of
organisation and techniques.
The practical use of applying science for industrial use

The four elements of technology
Technique: machinery, tools, materials, and their
application in the work process
Knowledge: applied science, skills, intuition
Organization: Structuring of the work process
according to technological or socioeconomic goals or
constraints
Product: The output of the work process and the
purpose of applying the technology

Drivers of technology
How is the innovation made? Who creates innovation?
Stakeholders participants of innovation system
Customers and technology – changing environment –
driver of innovations
Sponsors of innovation
IT standards

Examples of technology categories
 Black box technology: A technology which is implemented partly, so that
only its application (but not adoption, improvement or development) is
mastered by the user, e.g. a word processing system
 Disembodied technology: Technology which is transferred independent of
specific capital equipment, e.g. by journals or training programs
 Embodied technology: Technology which is transferred together with
specific capital equipment, e.g. application of a production machinery
 Generic technology: Basic engineering knowledge that is not yet
proprietary (public domain methodology, e.g. as developed by public
research institutions)

Examples of technology categories
 High-technology: 'Sophisticated technology based on recent scientific
advances'. The element of theoretical knowledge is pronounced, whereas
the element of practical experience may be accordingly weak
 Proprietary technology: Technology directly related to processes and
products and not freely available ('in-house technology'), e.g. a patented
process, or simply a technology unknown or unavailable to outsiders.
Proprietary technology can be traded (like a commodity)
 Service technology: Technology for production of services (rather than
goods)

Management - definition
The art and science of extracting the most from specific
assets for fulfilling desired goals.
Hence:
Finance Management
Human Resources Management
Materials Management
Operations Management.
Maintenance Management
Technology Management

Technology management
integrated planning, design, optimization, operation and
control of technological products, processes and
services, a better definition would be the management
of the use of technology for human advantage

Technology management
– why it’s important
It is the Age of technology and knowledge so it must be
managed to live with it
Only societies and people who gain maturity in
technology will have the right in the global discussion
To get the best results , technology can be mastered
only by managing it efficiently and effectively

Parameters of Technology Management:
Product Quality
Machine Productivity
Environment Management
Effective use of Raw Material
Machine Availability
Energy Consumption
Life cycle of components
Innovative aspects

Effective Technology Management
Strong Planning
Reduce Interruptions
Reduce Production Rejections
Strengthen the Information System
Provide Technology Leadership
Provide Good Administration
Preventive Maintenance

Benefits of Effective Technology
Management
Work becomes EASIER
JOB SATISFACTION increases
PROFITS increase
Business Becomes COMPETITIVE

How technology affects life ;-)
 A programmer works in a software-development
company. One day he didn't come to work. The
next day too. His co-workers called his phone,
but nobody answers. They started to worry about
him and decided to visit him. So, they found him
in the bath, wet and blue because of cold, half-
dead, holding an empty bottle from shampoo and
reading the label of it.
 It says: "Apply a small amount to wet hair,
massage it through, rinse out thoroughly.
Repeat."

Development (definition)
As compared with a change - a process leading from
one state of affairs towards a different state of affairs -
a development is an intended process leading from an
original state towards a desired state - towards a
development goal

Actor-network theory
 ANT is a approach to social theory and research which originated in the
field of science studies. ANT maps relations that are simultaneously
material (between things) and 'semiotic' (between concepts). It assumes
that many relations are both material and 'semiotic' (e.g. the interactions
in a bank involve both people and their ideas, and technologies. Together
these form a single network).
 ANT assumes that all the elements in a network, human and non-human,
can and should be described in the same terms. This is called the
principle of generalized symmetry. The rationale for this is that differences
between them are generated in the network of relations, and should not
be presupposed.

Concept of translation
Process, in which innovators attempt to create a forum,
a central network in which all the actors agree that the
network is worth building and defending.
Four moments of translation:
Problematisation
Interessement
Enrolment
Mobilisation of allies

1. Problematisation
What is the problem that needs to be solved? Who are the relevant
actors? Delegates need to be identified that will represent groups of
actors. So, a union head represents workers or a Member of
Parliament represents his constituency. During problematisation, the
primary actor tries to establish itself as an obligatory passage point
(OPP) between the other actors and the network, so that it becomes
indispensable.
2. Interessement
Getting the actors interested and negotiating the terms of their
involvement. The primary actor works to convince the other actors that
the roles it has defined them are acceptable.

3. Enrolment
Actors accept the roles that have been defined for them
during interessement
4. Mobilisation of allies
Do the delegate actors in the network adequately represent
the masses? If so, enrolment becomes active support.

Elements in a network
Actants
Actants are human and non-human actors, and they do
by virtue of their relations with one another. ANT
assumes that nothing lies outside the network of
relations, and there is no difference in the ability of
technology, humans, animals, or other non-humans to
act (and that there are only enacted alliances.) As soon
as an actor engages with an actor-network it is caught
up in the web of relations.

Punctualisation
 If taken to its logical conclusion, nearly any actor can be considered
merely a sum of other, smaller actors. An automobile is an example of a
complex system. It contains many electronic and mechanical components,
all of which are essentially hidden from view to the driver, who simply
deals with the car as a single object. This effect is known as
punctualisation, and is similar to the idea of abstraction in object-oriented
programming. When an actor network breaks down, the punctualisation
effect tends to cease as well. In the automobile example above, a non-
working engine would cause the driver to become aware of the car as a
collection of parts rather than just a vehicle capable of transporting him or
her from place to place. This can also occur when elements of a network
act contrarily to the network as a whole.

Tokens/quasi-objects
 In the above examples, 'social order' and 'functioning car' come into being
through the successful interactions of their respective actor-networks, and
actor-network theory refers to these creations as tokens or quasi-objects
which are passed between actors within the network.
As the token is increasingly transmitted or passed through the network, it
becomes increasingly punctualized and also increasingly reified. When
the token is decreasingly transmitted, or when an actor fails to transmit
the token (e.g., the oil pump breaks), punctualization and reification are
decreased as well.

How technology changes human
behaviour?
Restricts some behaviours (e.g. DRM copy restriction)
It is hard to find out who is „good person” and who is
„bad person”, because technology makes a decision
instead of single person
-> Technology makes people immoral

Innovation
The “functional” source of innovation depends upon the
functional relationship between innovator and
innovation:
An INNOVATION is anything new that is actually used
(“enters the marketplace”) – whether major or minor.
An innovation is a USER innovation when the developer
expects to benefit by USING it;
An innovation is a MANUFACTURER innovation when the
developer expects to benefit by SELLING it.

Innovation
Models of innovation
Sources of innovation
Strategy for innovation
Implementation of innovation

Innovation lifecycle - Adoption of technology

Business Strategy to the Technology
Strategy
Definitions of Business strategy
Definitions of Technology Strategy
Influence of business on technology
Influence of technology on business petterns

New technologies and competition
Aspects of technology development
Specialisation,
Niche
Core competencies
Other

Technology Management Chapter 1 Notes

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Technology Management Chapter 1 Notes

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