Principles of Technology

Management – (FUS-CC-623)

Department of Futures Studies

University of Kerala
INTEGRATED AND HOLISTIC
MODEL
Integrated and Holistic Model - Explanation

• Management of technology is explained with the aid

of Figure.
• Which shows a model is called as the Tripartite
organization.
• It includes the same 17 functions shown in Fig. 1,
phase 5.
• It includes three main internal organizational units:
Product genesis, Distribution, and Administration,
and a fourth unit, Supporting influences , that is
external to the organization.
Product Genesis
• Product genesis provides the Creativity and Innovation for new products.
• It includes Research, Development, Design, and Manufacturing.
• The conventional wisdom of discussing R&D as a unified function leads management to some
erroneous conclusions.
• For that reason ,Here differentiate between research and development and add the additional
function of design.
• It may be good public relations to focus on R&D expenditures, but in most organizations
the "R" is a relatively small part of the total-most of the expenditures are allocated to
"development."
• Most organizations allocate a minimum of resources to what would be classified as research.
• Most of what is classified as research involves a search for a solution to some unknown
requirement of a product or process development program-generally only some small segment
of the total project.
• These projects usually deal with knowledge that is integrated in some new way or processed
in some new way in order to meet a product specification.
• The process basically involves Packaging existing knowledge in new ways.
• This is not to minimize the creativity required by design and development.
• On the contrary, that creativity is vital but seldom yields new discoveries.
Product Genesis(Contd...)
• The function of Product Design , Which includes “Aesthetic”,
“Functional” and “Operational” considerations of a Product ,
seldom receives the required attention.
• “Design” involves the details as contrasted to the big picture.
• Yet the execution of the details determine the success of a
Product.
• While it is true that the Aesthetic Design of an Automobile
will receive much greater attention from Top Management.
• The Functional and Operational factors determine the number
of Recalls.
Product Genesis(Contd...)
• Manufacturing as a part of “ Product Genesis” is often left out
of MOT Loop.
• The approach, that process development follows product
development is not and never was ,a viable approach to
effective Business Management.
• The spread of such unsubstantiated advice has led many
industries to brink of self destruction – witness the past
performance of Auto Industry and Electronics Industry and the
long difficult climb to some acceptable level of performance.
• Manufacturing requires a “Process Research” focus that must
be integrated with the other functions of the “Organization
MOT model”
Distribution
• It comprise the function of Marketing, Sales, Physical
Distribution and Customer Service.
• These 4 Distribution Function represent those required ,
• To interact with product genesis function
• To agree on a product concept,
• To define the market ,
• To find the customers to negotiate the sale ,
• To provide the customer with before and after service and
• Finally, To bring customer feedback to the organization in a timely
manner.
• The Distribution Function also provides a Rich Source for New
Product Ideas.
Administration
• Administration technologies are more difficult to identify than
the technologies of the Product Genesis and Distribution
Functions.
• But Skepticism arises when the word Technology is attributed
to the related administration functions.
• Each of these administrative functions has its own set of
technologies.
• Keeping in mind that Technology is defined as "a means for
accomplishing a task.“
• The use of “Information Systems” as technology in these
administration functions is accepted,
Administration(Contd...)
1. Human Resources
• Human resources technologies include
Personal appraisal forms , Flexible scheduling,
Compensation based on performance, the
Behavioral science base , Educational
technology, and all the work processes used in
meeting their objectives.
Administration(Contd...)
2. Financial
• Financial and accounting departments also use specific
technologies.
• The processes used to justify investments in capital
equipment, research, new-product development, and
the miscellany of business operations are all
technologies.
• Additional technologies come into playas financial
departments attempt to make a clear distinction
between project justification and project evaluation.
Administration(Contd...)
3.Information
• Generally considered to involve technology.
• But this is primarily because of the extensive use of
computer hardware and software.
• The techniques by which information departments make
decisions are technology.
• The eventual use of Expert systems or Artificial
Intelligence provides additional examples of information
technologies.
Administration(Contd...)
4.Patent and Legal
• Patent and legal, which in recent years has
expanded to protecting the intellectual
property of the organization, uses processes
which are technologies.
• Contracts, agreements, and other legal
documents are a form of technology.
Administration(Contd...)
5.Public Relations
• Public relations uses technologies to convey the
interests of the organization.
• Those interests usually revolve around content and
focus attention on process.
• The process by which private (individual)
knowledge and public (community) knowledge are
differentiated plays a major role, whether related to
products, social issues, catastrophes, and so on
Administration(Contd...)
6.Purchasing
• Purchasing plays a major role in project success.
• Its processes determine whether projects are completed
on time, within specifications, and within cost estimates.
• Restrictive policies and procedures,
• Methods of selecting vendors, and
• Limiting access to vendors solely by purchasing or with
a purchasing representative create delays.
• These processes are a type of technology.
Administration(Contd...)
7.General administration
• This functions comprise a group of sub functions.
• That are essential in support of the organization's objectives.
• Examples of some of these administrative sub functions,
1. Data Processing
2. Education and Training
3. Transportation
4. Office Maintenance and Rearrangement
5. Library Services
Where technologies exist but may not be self-evident.
Product and Service Organizations
• This tripartite organizational structure of Fig. 1.3 applies to Product as well
as Service industries.
• A close look at the differences between Product and Service businesses
clearly shows that both are similar, if not identical.
• For an Accounting Firm,
Generally considered a Service industry, sells a product.
• That product is information in the form of a report.
• It utilizes all the functions - Research, Development, Design, and
Manufacturing-of the tripartite organization shown in Fig.1.3.
• You may accept Research, Development, and Design as part of an
accounting firm‘s functions but probably question the use of the term
Manufacturing in this accounting example.
• In essence, the work effort to prepare the contents-the mental work-of that
report falls into the classification of production.
• It is necessary to expand the use of the word Manufacturing only to
include information products and recognize the high level of knowledge,
skill, and intellect required to produce them.
Product and Service Organizations
• For Example : The Fast-Food industry, At the opposite end of the intellectual
spectrum, is classified as a Service industry, but it embodies all the elements of the
tripartite organization.
• There is probably no dispute that the functions of Research, Design, and
Development apply, but the word Manufacturing probably raises some concerns-
• However, Every fast-food establishment has its own production facilities-the
kitchen.
• These two examples, with Accounting at one end of the spectrum and Fast-food
establishments at the other end, require only a new view of what Manufacturing
includes.
• At the accounting end of the spectrum the product is Information developed
by highly educated and skilled professionals-
• At the fast-food establishment the product is Food in one form or another provided
by lower-level education and skills.
What are the appropriate limits for
management of technology?
• The comprehensive and holistic approach described around
Fig. 1.3, of the tripartite organizational structure, may be
considered Idealistic.
• But the gap between the present segmented approach to
technology management and the comprehensive approach
must be closed.
• The past malpractice in technology management was
Prologue.
• The failure of projects to meet the specifications, the schedule,
and the cost projections provides sufficient evidence that not
only are the technologies related to science and engineering
and information mismanaged but the supporting technologies
in the many support functions are totally ignored.
Conclusions
• Probably less than 5 percent of all projects meet the projected specifications , schedules , and
costs.
• For those of you who question this statement, look back at the work effort for the last I to 5
years in your own organization and determine how many projects met the original projections-
no excuses for anything, no fudging-the projections were either met or not met.
• There are lessons to be learned from such an exercise , and that investigation will show the
lack of managing technology-not just managing the science- and engineering-related
aspects but all the technologies relevant to the business unit.
• As an example, think of the potential impact of human resource technology.
• If Creativity and Innovation became a dominant factor.
• Human resource technologies need to be thought of in a new way.
• They require a shift in the basic human resource model . The new model expects creativity and
innovation from human resource professionals at all levels and in all assignments.
• That new way of thinking requires understanding processes and determining the impact of
those processes before attempting implementation.
• At the very least, the model demands examination of the effectiveness and the efficiency of
human resource activities.