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Investigates the epistemological, pedagogical, and organizational factors that have an impact on the design, development, and implementation of technology management learning programs. Argues that effective management learning needs a techno-managerial approach that combines management theories with technology management practice. (Contains 80 references.) (JOW)

Abstract A firm's prior knowledge facilitates the absorption of new knowledge, thereby renewing a firm's systematic search, transfer and absorption capabilities. The rapidly expanding field of biotechnology is characterised by [...]

Overview Intellectual capital is here to stay! Intellectual capital is manifested in human activities. Human history is full of intellectuals who have contributed in many ways to the rise and [...]

Byline: Kenneth Husted, Shantha Liyanage Continuous innovation has long been regarded as a direct consequence of a firm's investments into systematic investigations in developing new products and processes. The exact process of how research and development investment contributes to inventive activities and its long-term impacts on the innovative capacity development of a firm, are still unclear. This paper, using a longitudinal case study of a Danish company in the electronic industry, analyses the impacts of research and development activities on the development and adjustments to a firm's innovation capacities.

Byline: Jon Sigurdson, Shantha Liyanage Achieving growth and maintaining success in a firm is an intended strategy that needs to be carefully crafted throughout the business cycle. Both technology strategies and business imperatives must be continuously reviewed in order to keep a firm innovating at a steady phase. A firm's stature and financial statutes do not provide a license to seize innovation opportunities. Even well established firms can flounder and stumble and fall. The ability to innovate is a critical success factor for many firms. Innovation capability is not necessarily a determinant of a firm's size or economic dominance, although the ability to adopt and change innovation strategies provides dominant firms with high agility. A firm's corporate and innovation cultures are vital in shaping and responding adequately to the call of innovation in the market place. This case study illustrates how a major telecommunication company may sustain or lose its innovation capacity in an intensely competitive global market.

Byline: Andrew Jeffs, Shantha Liyanage The introduction of the quota management system for wild fish stocks in New Zealand 20 years ago has resulted in a dynamic of innovation development in the national seafood industry. Innovation activity has resulted in dramatic developments in sourcing new raw materials, increases in efficiency of production, and widespread vertical integration of seafood enterprises which resulted in strong economic growth in the sector. By contrast, most wild capture fishing industries worldwide have been in decline due to over exploitation of fish stocks during this same period. The greater certainty in raw material supply and focus on sustainability provided by the quota management regime has enabled seafood enterprises to shift their attention from competing to secure sufficient raw material toward increasing their returns by investing in innovation. Overall, this study may help to act as an exemplar for encouraging innovation in seafood and other industries based on renewable natural resources.

Byline: Shantha Liyanage, Peter Gluckman Developing the biotechnology industry relies on advances in scientific knowledge and its commercial exploitation. Recent efforts to develop biotechnology businesses yielded mixed results, due to the gulf between science and business sensibilities. Turning good science into commercially valuable biotechnology products requires specialised skills, knowledge, effective communication, and imagination. Scientific motives and convictions clash with less precise and risky research commercialisation imperatives. Marketplace realities are driven by a number of human, cultural, and political factors that fall within the domain of business of biotechnology. This paper explores the organisational dynamics of developing medical biotechnology businesses and argues that the successful development of biotechnology industry requires effective organisational structures and the coevolution of two types of knowledge systems o scientific and innovative- for continuous growth of biotechnology firms.

Byline: Patrick Poon, Shantha Liyanage Biotechnology, the surging wave of economic development in the world, prompted Newly Industrialised Economies (NIEs) in Asia to emulate developed countries in biotechnology development. The stakes are however high and the uncertainty about return on investment has provoked a careful assessment of national scientific and technological strengths. With a focus on Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan, this paper reviews the current market conditions and key factors that may advantage the development of biotechnology industry in the NIEs. It is argued that co-evolution of scientific and technology capabilities are essential, and the NIEs will have to leverage their comparative advantages in technological capabilities and should focus on core competencies in the already locally established biotechnology areas.

The role of universities in conducting research and education has changed considerably in order to embrace twenty-first century knowledge and skills required for global economy. New forms of analytical reasoning and innovative thinking are required to meet future challenges. Most universities are not sufficiently equipped to make necessary structural adjustments or to cope up with these new challenges. Teaching and research activities that commensurate with production of skilled and knowledgeable work force for a modern economy requires repositioning of the higher educational system. This paper reviews the dynamic changes in New Zealand’s higher education system and revisits the role universities in producing reliable knowledge. It discusses the way in which education underpins economic and social development and its role in entirety as a hermeneutic package which is recursive, persuasive and a continuum of learning from primary, secondary, tertiary education through to lifelong learning. The universities have responsibilities to provide intellectual leadership in shaping knowledge economy for sustainable futures and environmentally responsible entrepreneurial nations—not as institutions just awarding academic degrees. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduces a series of articles on the challenges of commercialization of biotechnology.

Knowledge, especially scientific and technological knowledge, grows according to knowledge trajectories and guideposts that make up the prior knowledge of an organization. We argue that these knowledge structures and their specific components lead to successful innovation. A firm's prior knowledge facilitates the absorption of new knowledge, thereby renewing a firm's systematic search, transfer and acquisition of knowledge and capabilities. In particular, the exponential growth in biotechnology is characterized by the convergence of disparate scientific and technological knowledge resources. This paper examines the shift from protein-based to DNA-based diagnostic technologies as an example, to quantify the value of a firm's prior knowledge using relative values of knowledge distance. The distance between core prior knowledge and the rate of transition from one knowledge system to another has been identified as a proxy for the value a firm's prior knowledge. The overall ‘difficulty of transition’ from one technology paradigm to another is discussed. We argue this transition is possible when the knowledge distance is minimal and the transition process has a correspondingly high value of absorptive capacities. Our findings show knowledge distance is a determinant of the feasibility, continuity and capture of scientific and technological knowledge. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the management of sponsored research rewards to industry and universities in the U.S. Commercialization of research outcomes; Details on the Bayh Dole Act of 1980; Reward models for managing sponsored research.

Focuses on a study which addressed the concept of research management as the generation of intellectual capital. Examination of research management practices employed by biotechnology and pharmaceutical research groups in industries and universities; Features of the generation models for research and development; Outline of the fourth generation R&D management model; Research management tools; Conclusions.

Focuses on a study which assessed the technology development needs of small and medium enterprises (SME) in Japan. Information on the progress of industrial technology in Japan; Methodology and approach; Results on industrial technological trends and methodologies in acquiring know-how and information for research and development within SME; Conclusion.

Discusses differing views of how intellectual property should be treated and how such decisions effect commercial development in center activities. Intellectual property management issues in collaborative research arrangements; Organizational management strategies for intellectual property in Australian Cooperative Research Centres; Process of negotiation and disclosure.

The proliferation of research collaborations amongst industry, university and public sector research organisations encourages and increases national innovative capacity. Innovation activities in research collaborations are governed by four major determinants that are critical for the transformation of new ideas generated within research organisations into commercial products, processes or user services. These determinants include the status of knowledge, organisational management factors, linkage mechanisms and market and user opportunities. Interaction between these determinants is important for an analysis of innovation clusters formed across different national research programs. This paper discusses the relationships between major determinants of innovation using a ‘symbiotic’ model which is similar to Michael Porter's ‘diamond’ model for competitive advantages of national industries. The model is applied to emerging ‘innovation clusters’ supported by the Cooperative Research Centres Program in Australia and is field tested at centre level for its explanatory viability. The discussion provides insights into improved management methods for innovation in collaborative research arrangements. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Editorial. Discusses the management of research collaboration and related innovation issues. Management of research and development activities; Evolution towards a knowledge-based economy; Focus on managing the exploitation of multiple sources of knowledge and its appropriate adaptation.