Combining methods in the technology intelligence process: application in an aerospace manufacturing firm

Abstract

Technological change is a major factor in gaining competitive advantage in manufacturing industries. Promoting innovation, exploiting technological opportunities and avoiding threats are increasingly important. Firms need to recognise both current and potential future technological advances that can affect their products, services and processes. This paper presents a Technology Intelligence (TI) methodology and toolset, the main purpose of which is to enable companies to monitor and assess technological developments associated with their products, components, processes and other areas of concern. These technology management activities will assist the company in evaluating its environment while taking advantage of technological changes that represent opportunities or threats. The methodology is described in detail and demonstrated using a case study conducted in an aerospace manufacturing firm in the United Kingdom.

Strategic Screening of Manufacturing Technologies

“…Technological change is a major factor in gaining competitive advantages in manufacturing industries [11]. The contemplation of technological developments as a result of shortened product life cycles for example is necessary [32].…”

“…By now, it is particularly conducted for product technologies and is not adaptable to company-specific requirements. Because of its exploratory nature, the process steps of technology intelligence are often difficult to formalise, so that technology intelligence can be explicitly used within an organisation to support decision making with respect to preselecting appropriate technologies for detailed strategic technology planning [11].…”

“…To design the technology intelligence process sustainable, the involvement of knowledge-management is required to detail gathered information [11], to improve its quality for technology planning [35] and further to increase planning reliability [12] [35]. Therefore, a monitoring-radar is an appropriate tool [22] [35].…”

“…The contemplation of technological developments as a result of shortened product life cycles for example is necessary [32]. Therefore, technology intelligence and forecasting methods in general are used by companies to contribute to identifying threats and opportunities resulting from a fast changing environment by both capturing and delivering the right information in a timely manner [11] [13].…”

“…Technology Intelligence acts on the fore front of strategic technology planning [11]. It comprises a process to collect, analyse and communicate relevant information about technologies and technological trends to exploit potential opportunities and to defend against potential threats [11] [12] [13].…”