Technology development productivity : case studies in technology transition

Development of new technology is critical to the growth and success of technology-driven companies. New technology is generated in a number of ways, one of the most important being the company's own internal research and development department. This thesis examines the transfer of technology developed in an internal R&D group into product development groups across multiple business units of the company. An analysis of the company's documented development process activities and metrics will establish the context in which technology is transferred. The company's organizational structure is a central R&D group that supports two market-focused business units, each with their own technology development group. A series of five case studies tracking technology that was developed in the central R&D group and transferred to the business units will illustrate the way technology development activity occurs in the organization. The R&D organization is structured to support research, applied research, and development activities that drive both incremental and radical innovation, and it is managed to support a balance of short term and long term strategic goals.

Department dc:contributor.department

Leaders for Manufacturing Program at MIT

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Taplett, Amanda Kingston

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Daniel E. Whitney and Sara Beckman.

• Sloan School of Management.
• Mechanical Engineering.
• Leaders for Manufacturing Program.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/39687

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/39687