文档介绍：ARTICLE IN PRESS MODEL 2
TFS-16905; No of Pages 28
Technological Forecasting & Social Change xx (2006) xxx–xxx
Managing technology intelligence processes in situations of
radical technological change
⁎
Eckhard Lichtenthaler
Technology and Innovation Management, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ),
Kreuzplatz 5, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
Received 2 August 2006; received in revised form 2 October 2006; accepted 3 October 2006
Abstract
For panies, radical technological change is not only a challenge, but it also constitutes a major
source of failure. By establishing effective technology intelligence processes, companies may react to radical
trends in time which is a prerequisite for coping with technological change. Therefore, this study analyzes the
technology intelligence processes in 25 panies in the pharmaceutical, munications
equipment and automobile industries in the context of radical technological change. In the three industries, the
binatorial chemistry, dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) and fuel cell are used as
settings to analyze these processes on the technology level against the background of pany-level
perspective. By applying plex view, which allows to take into account interactions between different
organizational mechanisms and between different hierarchical levels inside a firm, three types anizing
technology intelligence processes can be identified: the participatory, the hybrid and the hierarchical technology
intelligence process. anization of the technology intelligence process according to the three types is
influenced by the corporate culture and the decision-making style of panies. Furthermore, industry
differences are identified which may be explained by different rates of radical technological change in the
industries. This study suggests that plex and differentiated views on radical technological change, on
corporate technology intelligence processes and on the variety anizational