Managing Technological Change

"This book is essential reading for those practicing or studying technology management. It goes beyond rational technical introductions to technology management to include the social, human, and political world of organizational life. Organizations need to understand and address these dimensions if they are to succeed in improving their innovation processes, and also create a humane workplace."

--Richard J. Badham, University of Wollongong

"Managing Technological Change is the first volume that addresses the importance of including workers and their unions in the strategy management of technological change. It also contributes to the literature on this subject by moving beyond manufacturing and into the service and education sectors. This book should be of interest to scholars, students, and practitioners alike."

--Ulrich Juergens, Science Center Berlin for Social Research

Management of technology (MOT) is a field of study dedicated to the planning and ongoing assessment of technology in organizations, incorporating the innovation, development, and engineering processes into one discipline. Managing Technological Change: A Strategic Partnership Approach fills a critical void by presenting an integrative, strategic, and participative approach to technology management from a multi-industry perspective.

• Defines the concept of strategic partnership and presents a rationale for its use
• Identifies the steps involved in successful technology planning, acquisition, development, implementation, and assessment
• Presents an integrative framework that links aspects of systems theory, engineering design theory, and industrial relations theory to each of the aforementioned steps
• Discusses the barriers to rational innovation processes, using illustrative examples from service, public, and manufacturing sector industries
• Offers illustrative examples of best practice from multiple industries and cross-national perspectives, especially those involving strategic partnerships