| Author | De Alwis, T. A. D. Sujeewa D. |
| Call Number | AIT RSPR no. SM-91-08 |
| Subject(s) | Technology assessment
|
| Note | A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Business Administration, School of Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Research studies project report ; no. SM-91-08 |
| Abstract | It has been accepted that economic growth takes place through the transformation activities
carried out by production systems which draw their vital nourishment from technology. Interest
in studying the technological attributes of transformation activities, especially the technology
content of such activities, is increasing. Many comprehensive "technometric" approaches based
on very detailed and exhaustive analysis of technical parameters have been developed to meet
this need. However, implementing such approaches appear to be beyond the capabilities of many
developing countries due to the fact that such implementation would need considerable resources
in terms of money and expertise. Thus a simpler approach to assess technology content may be
useful as an initial step and this study attempts to meet that need.
The measurement procedure suggested by this study views technology at the firm level as
comprising of four components namely physical facilities, human abilities, documented facts and
organizational frameworks. It then attempts to relate the degree of sophistication of these in
terms of financial measures, usually used for value added computations, and arrives at a
composite index for technology content which is termed as the Technology Contribution
Coefficient (TCC).
The applicability of the methodology at the firm level is tested and illustrated by employing data
from 38 Sri Lankan firms. The validity of the approach at the firm level is further verified by
comparing the results of the methodology with a qualitative scoring procedure. The feasibility
of extending the approach to the industry level has also been shown using industry level data
from Thailand. The methodology can be useful both to the government and private sector at
different levels of decision making.
Compared to the sophisticated technometric approaches the proposed methodology has certain
limitations on its usage. These limitations are pointed out and suggestions are made for further
work with a view towards overcoming some of these. |
| Year | 1991 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Research studies project report ; no. SM-91-08 |
| Type | Research Study Project Report (RSPR) |
| School | School of Management |
| Department | Other Field of Studies (No Department) |
| Chairperson(s) | Ramanathan, K.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Sharif, Nawaz;Hirsch, Georges S.; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Norwegian Government; |
| Degree | Research Studies Project Report (M.B.A.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1991 |