The relationship between technology management and product development boundaries in small and medium-sized enterprises

Abstract

This research study was based on the analysis of 15 Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) projects. The KTP programmes generate comprehensive case-study material that facilitates research into the product development process, especially within SMEs.

The aim of the study was to examine how technology management within SMEs can overcome the boundaries inherent across the product development disciplines. In order to evaluate technology management in a coherent manner, a methodology was developed that decoupled management aspirations and technology impact. The 'management' and 'technology' drivers were measured separately across four generic factors through the use of visual analogue scales.

The significance of this study is that it presents and validates a new methodology to map out technology management within any company in the form of a concise graphical map. The four axes of the graphical maps are made up four generic factors: knowledge, resources, quality, innovation & change. Importantly, these four factors apply to both management aspirations and technology impact. The concise nature of the technology management maps means that the methodology was applicable to SMEs, and the shape and extent of the maps correlated well with their overall product development activities.