Development Through Technology Transfer

Mohammed Saad

Description

The technological revolution presents a massive barrier to the development of countries that do not have access to the cutting-edge systems enjoyed in the developed world. Technology transfer presents a real solution. Technology transfer is shown here to be much more complicated than the mere hand-over of new technology hardware to developing countries: it is about innovation and learning. Effective management depends on generating new knowledge and being able to react quickly and to change effectively. The book covers the practical issues of technology transfer, such as cost reduction, infrastructure and employee training. These are then combined with theories of innovation to identify the key stages in the process of technology transfer, achieving a working model of how such projects can be more effectively managed. Development through Technology Transfer uses company-specific examples to enrich an exploration of the complex and dynamic issues involved. The book will provide readers with the very first comprehensive guide to the subject and a solid foundation for the management of technology transfer to developing countries.

Chapter 1 Innovation Process and Influential Factors

Chapter 2 Technology Transfer and Development

Chapter 3 Algerian Strategy for Technology Transfer

Chapter 4 Case Study 1: The National Enterprise of Electronics Industry (NEEI)

Chapter 5 Case Study 2: The National Enterprise of Farm Machinery (NEFM)

Chapter 6 The Organisational Frameworks of NEEI and NEFM

Chapter 7 The Learning Process in NEEI and NEFM

Chapter 8 Effective Acquisition of Technology through Organisational Changes

Chapter 9 Technology Transfer: a dynamic process of learning and organisational adaptation

Sujets

• Information Technology
• Computers
• Informatique
• General officer
• Political economy
• Physics
• Central
• General
• Cultural Studies

Informations

• Publié par: Intellect Books
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2000
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781841508207
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Development through Technology Transfer
Creating new organisational and cultural understanding
Mohammed Saad
First Published in Great Britain in Hardback in 2000 by Intellect Books , PO Box 862, Bristol BS99 1DE, UK
First Published in USA in 2000 by Intellect Books, ISBS, 5824 N.E. Hassalo St, Portland, Oregon 97213-3644, USA
Copyright 2000 Intellect Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission.
Consulting Editor: Masoud Yazdani Copy Editor: Ann Marangos Production: Sally Ashworth & Robin Beecroft Cover Illustration: Julie Payne

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Electronic ISBN 1-84150-820-9 / Hardback ISBN 1-84150-028-3

Printed and bound in Great Britain by Cromwell Press, Wiltshire
Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Innovation Process and Influential Factors
1. Historical Evolution Of Technological Changes
2. Models Of Innovation
3. Nature Of The Innovative Activity
4. Process Of Innovation
5. Influential Factors In Success And Failure Of Innovation
2. Technology Transfer and Development
3. Algerian Strategy for Technology Transfer
1. Economic Development Through Rapid Industrialisation
2. Rapid Industrialisation Through Transfer Of Technology
3. Conceptual Models Used By Algeria To Build Up Local Technological Capability
4. Case Study 1:
The National Enterprise of Electronic Industry (NEEI)
1. NEEI's Strategy
2. NEEI's Strategy for Technology Transfer
3. Performance Of NEEI
5. Case Study 2:
The National Enterprise of Farm Machinery (NEFM)
1. NEFM's Strategy for Technology Transfer
2. Assessment Of NEFM's Performance
3. A Presentation Of Other Parameters
6. Analysis of the Organisational Frameworks of NEEI and NEFM
1. Key Features of State Owned Organisations In Algeria
2. The Socialist Enterprise Reform Of 1971
3. The Restructuring Of Firms Reform
4. Impact Of These Reforms On The Management And Performance Of NEEI And NEFM
5. Theoretical Analysis Of The Organisational Choices Adopted By NEEI And NEFM
7. The Learning Process in NEEI and NEFM
1. Development Of Local Technological Capabilities
2. The Process Of Learning
3. Interactions Between The Mechanisms Of Learning And The Various Arrangements For Technology Transfer
4. New Mechanisms Of Technology Transfer (Decomposed Contract) And Their Impact On Learning NEEI And NEFM
5. Organisational Reforms And Development Of Management Capabilities
8. Effective Acquisition of Technology through Organisational Changes
1. Key Features And Diffusion Of Advanced Technology In Developed Countries
2. Major Features Of The Process Of Technology Transfer In NEEI And NEFM
3. Mismatch Between Technology And Environment
4. The Nature Of The New Solution
5. The Relevance Of The New Solution To Firms From Developing Countries
9. Technology Transfer: a dynamic process of learning and organisational adaptation
Bibliography
Foreword

Technology makes the world go round . Somewhat simplistic but this statement (from a manager of a large company) and countless others from politicians, academics, consultants and businesses underlines two key themes which will dominate the 21st century. Technological change - as has so often been the case - will act as the motor for much economic development and play a key part in shaping the ways in which the world develops. But the revolutions which it will bring are increasingly unlikely to be confined to a particular region; in the future this will take place on a global stage. And the consequence of this is that actors in the economic system - policy-makers, researchers, practitioners - will need to develop skills in understanding and managing the process of technological change.
In this book, Mohammed Saad investigates the process of technology transfer into developing countries. His particular contribution to knowledge in this important field is twofold. First, he is one of few researchers to locate technology transfer within the theories and frameworks of innovation management. Secondly, his approach is practically focused on individual firms and the ways in which they acquire new knowledge and learn how to learn.
Dr Saad demonstrates how to avoid costly mistakes and how to make the most of critical investments in advanced technology. The central theme is the interaction between organisational learning and technological adaptation. The book is an important and timely contribution to the emerging fields of technology transfer and sustainable development. Given the above concerns it should be required reading for academics, managers and policy-makers in both developing and industrialised countries.
John Bessant
Professor of Technology Management and Director of the Centre for Research in Innovation Management (CENTRIM) at Brighton Business School, University of Brighton.
Acknowledgements
I owe the completion of Development through Technology Transfer to many people upon whom I relied for help and encouragement while it was being written. My heartfelt thanks go to my family in Algeria and especially to my wife Saliha and my two wonderful daughters Nadia and Hassina for being so supportive and understanding throughout the whole time it took to complete writing this book. I must also thank my colleagues from the School of Operations Management of Bristol Business School for their advice, ideas and patience, with special thanks to Beulah Cope, Margaret Greenwood, Ian Holden and Peter James. Thanks also go to my friends and colleagues Gareth Lewis, Annie Lewis and George Mann for their comments and critiques.
I would like to express my gratitude to workers and managers of NEEI and NEFM and other friends from Algeria for the countless meetings and discussions we had together. I also owe a debt of gratitude to friends and ex-colleagues from the Centre for Innovation in Management at Brighton University, whose help at the initial stage of the research was extremely valuable. Among them I especially want to mention John Bessant, Howe Rush and Karamjit Gill.
This book is dedicated to the memory of my mother and my brother Ali who died too soon to know of its existence.
Mohammed Saad
Bristol Business School, University of the West of England
Introduction

Technological change is a key factor in economic growth, industrial change and international competitiveness. It is the major component responsible for increases in output and income in most industrialised countries.
In most developing countries, the basic source of industrial development, knowledge and technological change comes from industrialised countries through a process known as technology transfer. This process, which constitutes the principal means of incorporating technical change within the productive infrastructure of developing countries is defined as the application of new technology to a new use or user for economic gain (Rodrigues, 1985). It refers to a wide area of activities such as product, process, cost reduction, integration of local materials and import substitution, employee involvement, improvement of safety and working conditions. It can be product-embodied, process-embodied or personnel-embodied (Chen, 1996). Consequently, technology transfer is, like innovation, a new idea which is not trivial to an organisation.
In the specific context of developing countries, Cooper (1980) claims that innovation is the introduction of a process or a product that is new to the economy of that particular country, regardless of whether it has been used before elsewhere. It includes all modifications or adaptations of processes or products that are new, however minor they may be. Innovation in developing countries is also often associated with the implementation, adaptation and management of technology and is mainly concerned with:
i.
new product innovation;
ii.
process innovation;
iii.
minor modifications whose objectives are cost reduction, plant capacity utilisation, production time reduction, quality improvement, etc;
iv.
integration of local components (import-substitution);
v.
improvement of safety and working conditions;
vi.
employee involvement;
vii.
organisation and management;
viii.
major changes involving investments in additional and/or new product facilities.
Similar to the concept of innovation, technology transfer is any idea which can lead to enhanced performance and is related to various activities, actors and variables.
To survive in a context characterised by high competition and constant change, organisations from both developed and developing countries have no other alternative except to innovate. However, technology transfer, like innovation, is a risky and complex activity. Both convey a great deal of uncertainty made up of technical, market, social, political and cultural factors and success is not always guaranteed.
In addition, and although a great deal has already been learned about the innovation process through which technological change is leading to economic growth and development, most of these studies have been undertaken in the context of developed countries.
This book represents an attempt to gain further understanding of the process of technology transfer by making reference to the innovation process. This can help identify those elements of technology transfer in developing countries which fit the theoretical framework of innovation and provide an analytical model to examine the key stages of the process of technology transfer, its diffusion and key determinants, and shape the way in which it needs to be managed.
As technology transfer involves the whole process whereby knowledge related to the transfer of inputs into outputs is acquired, its effective management is increasingly