External technology commercialization in large firms: results of a quantitative benchmarking study

External technology commercialization (ETC), i.e., the commercialization of technological knowledge exclusively or in addition to its application inside the firm, has recently become a broader trend. However, this increase in outward technology transfer, e.g., by means of technology licensing, has been insufficiently reflected by academic research. Thus, we lack a detailed understanding of the evolution and the current scope of ETC, which represents an important component of technology portfolio management. Moreover, our insights into the functions of ETC and into firms' strategies, processes, and structures for managing ETC are limited. To address these research deficits, we present the results of a questionnaire-based benchmarking study in 154 medium-sized and large European firms spanning multiple industries. Thus, this article is among the first studies that provide quantitative empirical evidence for the current scope and management of ETC. After an introduction and theoretical considerations, the research design is described. Subsequently, the results of the survey are presented. In the final section, theoretical and managerial implications are discussed, and opportunities for further research are pointed out.     

Changes in the strategic management of technology: results of a global benchmarking study

This contribution analyses main changes in the strategic management of technology of the world's most technology-intensive companies from western Europe, North America and Japan. The results presented here are based on a literature review and a survey which show the following main results: first, R&D and technology have become key cornerstones of corporate and business strategy. Second, there is a growing tendency to acquire technology from external sources throughout the sample. Third, internationalization of R&D plays a very important role in the strategies of the large companies investigated and the data shows that it will certainly gain further momentum. However, internationalization of R&D is confined to the Triad regions and is not 'global'. Based on our analysis, cornerstones of a future generation of R&D/technology management are developed.     

The structure and management of government research institutes: some problems and suggestions1

The open system model is applied to examine government industrial research institutes. Their observed ineffectiveness is in part accounted for by a growing discrepancy between organizational structure and activities and rapidly changing task environments. A number of suggestions for reorganizing the research institutes are offered. It is, however, indicated that in a change program aimed at promoting organizational effectiveness: (a) the focal organization's management could assume a more active role; (b) relevant parts of the environment should also be considered as targets of change.     

Office information systems: An overview and agenda for public policy research

In this overview of office information systems (OIS), the author describes OIS technology, gives a prognosis for increasingly sophisticated levels of application, discusses the forces that drive the OIS industry, and finally identifies issues needing public policy attention. As well as providing a comprehensive review, he conceives several innovative applications for OIS and attempts to structure the broad range of possibilities into useful categories.     

Consumer perceptions of best practice in food risk communication and management: Implications for risk analysis policy

As a consequence of recent food safety incidents, consumer trust in European food safety management has diminished. A risk governance framework that formally institutes stakeholder (including consumer) consultation and dialogue through a transparent and accountable process has been proposed, with due emphasis on risk communication. This paper delivers actionable policy recommendations based on consumer preferences for different approaches to food risk management. These results suggest that risk communication should be informed by knowledge of consumer risk perceptions and information needs, including individual differences in consumer preferences and requirements, and differences in these relating to socio-historical context associated with regulation. In addition, information about what is being done to identify, prevent and manage food risks needs to be communicated to consumers, together with consistent messages regarding preventative programs, enforcement systems, and scientific uncertainty and variability associated with risk assessments. Cross-cultural differences in consumer perception and information preferences suggest a national or regional strategy for food risk communication may be more effective than one applied at a pan-European level.     

Teaching and learning for sustainable development: ESD research in technology education

When education for sustainable development (ESD) emerged as part of the educational agenda in the international arena, it was associated with significant shifts in the educational debate about the purpose and nature of education and with the need to respond to crises caused by the modern idea of progress. Scientists from different fields warn humanity that the current trajectory of capitalism is leading towards environmental and cultural decline and that urgent measures are required to deal with the current and emerging issues. Global financial and economic crises, poverty and inequality, climate change and environmental degradation reinforce our understanding that a collaborative effort is required in addressing the existing status quo through education. These changing contexts require transformative education that must play a key role in developing a planetary vision, in “securing sustainable life chances, aspirations and futures for young people”. This paper refers to the essence of SD and the ethics behind it, explores current research on ESD in technology education (TE) and suggests a number of challenges that emerged for technology education as a result of the global SD agenda. They are related to policy and curriculum development, teaching and learning, and teacher training. This paper argues that current and future research on ESD in technology education must be framed by a shared vision about quality education and a society that lives in balance with Earth’s carrying capacity. The paper concludes with suggestions for further directions for research associated with the areas of challenge.     

橇装式加油站——成品油营销管理方式创新与实践

橇装式加油站的推广应用是近年来中国石油探索的一种全新的成品油零售网络开发经营管理方式。中国石油早期推广应用橇装式加油站技术是从北京中油公交橇装式加油站项目开始的,项目实施后的经济社会效益十分显著。橇装式加油站具有投资成本低、建设周期短、运行成本省、投资收益高等特点,广泛受到成品油销售企业的推崇。在目前国内成品油销售网络开发难度不断加大,成品油市场竞争十分激烈的状况下,橇装式加油站既可以作为一种零售网络开发方式,也可以作为一种成品油营销方式。推广应用橇装式加油站,企业集团客户是首要选择目标,重点要做好前期开发公关工作;定点客户是重要补充,适当的价格优惠是激发用户合作欲望的关键;也可以利用这种方式对现有低效加油站进行改造,以及对部分固定站设立加油网点扩大经营规模。此外,还必须选好合作经营管理模式,协调当地政府关系,加强运营管理,规避政策法律风险。     

Academic interdisciplinary research: problems and practice1

Evaluation of the research management literature identified key issues relevant for managing academic interdisciplinary research projects. Based on these issues, a nationwide survey of American academic interdisciplinary research projects was made to determine the extent and form of these literature issues in practice. Similarities and differences between literature claims and research findings are presented, together with comparisons between academic interdisciplinary research and other forms of group research.     

Development of a model to estimate the economic impacts of R&D output of public research institutes

This paper proposes a modeling framework to estimate the economic impacts of R&D output of public research institutes. The framework models the process of R&D output generating the economic impacts. The authors collect case data of market‐creation economic impacts originating from R&D output of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan. On the basis of the case studies, the process of R&D output generating economic impacts is modeled in the following four stages: (1) R&D output, (2) technology transfer, (3) commercialization, and (4) market impacts. The model describes these stages using six parameters. This paper presents the model and case studies, and discusses the application of the model.     

Disseminating research in management of technology: journals and authors

This paper describes part of a study into the emergence and evolution of the management of research and development (R&D), innovation and technology as a subject in its own right. It deals with communicating research in this area via the relevant journals. The first part of this paper describes the history and development of the bulk of the relevant journals. The second part focuses on the extent and frequency of author participation and the author affiliation in the journals described in the first part of the paper. Computing the number of author entries in these journals for the years 1954–2003 demonstrates the substantial increase in publication over this period. The analysis also examines the affiliation of authors by dividing the sample into academic and non-academic. Finally, the study then sets out to identify those who make up the 'community' on the basis of publication in these journals over the period 1954–2003. The importance of the study is not only as an historical record but also to act as a guide to practicing R&D managers on which journals would best meet their needs.     

Social assessment of technology: some clarifications and areas for future research

Most of the literature on Technology Assessment has concerned its methodological aspects. Our current research work is oriented towards organizational aspects of the process of T.A., and to the ways it can be implemented in different institutional environments. This paper enquires a little further into the meaning and implications of the idea of T.A., spelling out its main distinctive features; the process of Social Assessment of Technology is considered as part of the Planning process; then, a conceptual framework, namely the systems approach, is proposed for helping the understanding of the social process dealt with. A general, critical survey of current research trends and unresolved issues in the field is done, to conclude with some suggestions for new research work in this area.     

New models for measuring the R&D performance and identifying the productivity of public research institutes

Research evaluation of public institutes is important for measuring the performance of the science sector and improving the cost effectiveness and efficiency of public resource allocation. The purpose of this article is to construct a means of classifying publicly-funded R&D institutions and their performance (high or low). The main findings are two research performance functions, created using discriminant analysis with direct and Wilks methods, which have been successfully applied to 200 public research institutes belonging to the Italian National Research Council. The large number of indicators used within the models creates a macro index that produce, as output, the research performance score. The data analysed is from the 2001 period. The results show that 22.5% of public labs fall into the 'high performance institute' bracket and that they have a site larger than 'low performance institutes'. The models are useful tools for decision making within the research bodies and for reducing X-inefficiency.     

Strategies for deveIopment projects: an empirical study*

This paper summarizes results from a study of strategy choices and outcomes in one government laboratory over a fifteen-year time period. Several considerations associated with the effectiveness of a parallel strategy are presented and discussed. These include different types of uncertainty encountered in a given problem and their effect on the rate of learning. Contrary to observations in other studies, the present results suggest that the rate of learning is often slow and may not be facilitated by the use of many parallel approaches in only early project stages. In many instances major uncertainties are not reduced until the product is evaluated in the operational environment.     

Value co‐production: intellectual origins and implications for practice and research

This paper surveys the history of an alternative view of value creation to that associated with industrial production. It argues that technical breakthroughs and social innovations in actual value creation render the alternative—a value co‐production framework—ever more pertinent. The paper examines some of the implications of adopting this framework to describe and understand business opportunity, management, and organizational practices. In the process, it reviews the research opportunities a value co‐production framework opens up. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ground handling services at European hub airports: Development of a performance measurement system for benchmarking

The liberalization of ground handling in Europe forces airports to assess their performance relative to their competitors in order to remain competitive and sustain long-term competitive advantage. Together with main EU hub airports, action research was conducted for one year to develop a holistic performance measurement system (PMS) for ramp services. The resulting PMS entails a process-based perspective and reflects the supply chain of airport logistics. As the findings of an ex-post validation suggest, the system represents a suitable basis for competitive benchmarking activities.     

Stable shareholdings and Japan's bubble economy: an historical overview

This is an exploratory study aimed at establishing the existence of a strategy utilized by large Japanese industrial groups to protect themselves against external threats. A measure is developed to assess the stability of the top 10 shareholders of 134 leading companies in the six Japanese industrial groups—Mitsui, Mitsubishi, Sumitomo, DKB, Sanwa, and Fuyo—over the 1973–93 period. The results demonstrate the use by these companies of their networks of stable shareholdings as a strategic response to deal with threats to group company governance structures arising from the stock market and property boom of the late 1980s (known in Japan as the ‘bubble’ economy) and its aftermath. Some theoretical and practical reflections are presented. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.