Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-110).

In this work we investigate the sources and growth effects of technological innovation in UK industries over the years 1966-1993. Our main finding is that technological activities are always beneficial to labour productivity growth and normally also beneficial to employment growth. Moreover, it is possible to aggregate industries into fairly stable technological clusters, and the main sources of innovation change broadly in accordance with the technological characterisation of the industry. We also analyse the effect of inter-industry demand transmissions on employment share dynamics, and find that these effects are generally important. However, demand expansions in customer industries do not always imply expanding employment shares in supplying industries, and we did not find any evident linkage between the sign of the demand effect and the technological characterisation of industries. Testing the models developed to fit observed changes in labour productivity and employment shares over the periods 1974-79 and 1979-91, we find that growth dynamics over the period 1974-79 have been more related to technological change than over the period 1979-91. In particular, pure capital deepening has been one of the main engines of growth over the period 1979-91.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Open University. Author no. R3393685. BLDSC no. DX234793.

Successful organisations have a well-defined mission and a strategy for accomplishing that mission. The organisation strategy involves the building of a competitive advantage in a defined market. Activities are oriented around this business strategy. When utilised effectively, technology is a powerful instrument for enhancing the organisation’s competitiveness. Technology management is the application of managerial techniques most suitable for ensuring that the technological factor is exploited for achievement of an organisation's goals. It is critical to correctly implement appropriate practices related to technology and innovation management at organisational level. Most organisations are technology intensive and deliver products or services. The research investigates, through the use of technology auditing, the present and future technology needs of the organisation. It also tried to establish the impact of technology auditing on the competitive advantage of the organisation. The research attempts to set a strategic context for the array of tools, technologies and standards emerging to support the organisation. The research analysed the potential of technology auditing to facilitate a dynamic scale of economy where the organisations take on the tasks of managing its technology. Basic theoretical principles of a technological audit were applied when the researcher conducted the technology audit. Because there is no organisation that is an exact replica of another, a technology audit must be custom made for the specific organisation where it is conducted. A micro business, MP Engineering, in the Port Elizabeth Metropole was chosen to conduct the technology audit at for the purpose of this research project. The research results confirmed the literature currently available.

Prior research on incumbent firm response to radical technological innovation identifies firm, technology, and environmental factors associated with incumbents’ performance after a technology shift. What remains unexplored are factors affecting choice of response made before a technological shift occurs. Such ex ante choices are important intermediate outcomes affecting long-term performance outcomes. Competitive considerations may be influential inputs in choice processes because technological innovation is often related to competitive strategy. The resulting research question for this study is: What role do competitive considerations play in incumbent firms’ ex ante strategic choices in response to potentially radical technological innovations? Findings from a survey of key informants in the electronics industry whose firms face a potential technological disruption (n=120) suggest that incumbents’ response choices are affected by competitor-related orientations and by perceptions of relative strength of their strategic assets. Limited support is found for a moderating effect of perceptions of the competitive environment. The results of this study extend theory on incumbent response to radical technological change by shedding light on the influence of competitor interdependence. Findings also suggest the importance of strategic choice as an intermediate variable in understanding incumbents’ long-term performance. Research examining choice factors at varied stages of a technology’s diffusion can further advance understanding of the evolving nature of strategic response choices and the effects they have on long-term performance.

In electrical contacts, thin films of nickel and gold or silver are traditionally plated on top of a copper base plate to provide corrosion resistance and wear protection. Most recently, the rising cost of noble metals and intensified competition in manufacturing technology has driven the industry towards thinner plating layers, which gives rise to questions regarding how interfacial contact and wear is affected by plating thickness and material characteristics. This study uses a combination of finite element analysis and ex-situ wear measurement to determine the effect of gold plating thickness on wear performance under linear reciprocating sliding contact. Correlations between predicted and measured results lead to insight into the stress state within the multi-layer system under contact conditions as well as a wear map for gold platings that can be used to inform future connector designs. The middle layer material, Ni, is relatedly inexpensive, but takes a relatively long time to deposit. Because this deposition time has a direct influence on the cost of manufacturing, it is important to reduce the Ni thickness as well. This project thus determines how different combinations of Ni and Au properties influence wear and subsurface layer exposure, which is critical for determining the makeup of future, low-cost, connector designs.

Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / The strategic focus in many organisations is on innovation. This is driven by the need to grow and sustain shareholder value. Innovation takes the form of business process innovation, technological innovation and social innovation through acts of organisational restructuring. Innovation strategies have become a priority for the mineral resource sector. This is due to the constraints imposed on business growth by the finite nature of the mineral resources. The need for innovation brings two organisational aspects into focus. These are the organisational system constituted of structure, process, culture and people and the business system constituted of strategy, throughput activities, resource configurations, and product or service offerings. The two systems are in constant interaction. Innovation is therefore an emergent phenomenon dependent upon interaction of such systems. A Systems approach is required to analyse the complex interactions that take place between the two systems in organisations. The Jwaneng Mine Production Interface (JMPI) consists of several inter-dependent subsystems and it is therefore appropriate to analyse it as an intersystem. The research focuses on the factors that impact the business system and the organisation system. Innovation requires the development of competencies and capability in people constituting the organisation. The way people interact with technology can be a determining factor for innovation. Theories of technology and social systems provide an important insight on how social and technological systems can be organised for innovation. The developmental paths of an organisation are influenced by its culture and structure. Theoretical insights are used to gain deeper understanding of how innovation can be derived from organisational systems and business systems. To gauge the status of innovation activities in the JMPI, specially selected case studies are used for detailed analysis. In addition, appropriate benchmarks in similar and dissimilar industries are also utilised. The critical success factors to mining production innovation are found to be social, structural and technological in nature. Innovation is shown to cover the whole life cycle of the business product or service offering. The design for innovation therefore requires a holistic approach that incorporates strategy, organisational structures, technology, business processes, leadership and people.

If you do not own the latest technology today it is thought that you are left behind in this technology driven age. More businesses use Self- Service channels to accommodate the increasing demands of customers. It has been said that the use of self-service channels can reduce input costs, increase efficiency and improve customer service. Unfortunately, many customers are left unsatisfied because retail banks are moving away from the human interaction when visiting a branch or advise customers to use their self-service channels, sometimes without any assistance. This causes customers to move banks, complain and in so doing reduce profits and customer relationships with their banks.This research’s main objective was to determine the impact of customer relationship management on retail banks that make use of self-service channels. A theoretical overview of self-service channels and customer relationship management was given. Advantages and disadvantages of each option were explored. The researcher wanted to explore the relation between customers using self-service channels and the assistance and protection provided by retail banks. The customer experience questionnaire used in this research asked retail banking customers from the South African population to determine how customers perceive and experience their banks’ self-service channels and customer service. Many questions relating to their needs and wants with regards to banking have been explored. The results show that most customers are satisfied with their banks in general but do feel that the banks can improve their customer service and assistance with regards to using self-service channels like ATM’s, online and telephone banking and E-Wallet. It has concluded that most customers choose their banks based on advertisements and other media, not customer service, product range or word-of-mouth. The general perception is that customers say that their bank charges do justify the customer service received.

M.Tech. (Operations Management) / The South African manufacturing sector is considered the main driver of economic growth, but is falling behind in adopting and adequately using information and communication technology (ICT) to improve productivity and competitiveness. This is creating a constraint that hinders the manufacturing sector, adversely affecting its ability to access the global market and produce high value-added goods, and also to compete globally. Thus, the main objective of this dissertation is to gain an in-depth understanding of the impact of ICT on service design and operations to address barriers to manufacturing sector growth and to improve productivity and competitiveness. This study proposes an ICT-based service design model to increase productivity and competitiveness in the South African manufacturing sectors. It argues that the challenges faced can be addressed and that some of the solutions lie in the integration of ICT into service design and operations processes. The research adopted an interpretive approach through qualitative methods and, was carried out as a single case study using ArcelorMittal South Africa for which a purposive sampling technique was considered appropriate. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and tape recorded and analysed through descriptive procedures. The findings suggest that ICT diffuses rapidly, creating opportunities and challenges for manufacturing companies. In addition it was found out that the adoption and adequate use of ICT depends on the implementation phase. This is when most challenges and impacts are experienced: for example, technological capability, technical skills, resources and ICT infrastructure capabilities. In addition, the findings suggest that a more educated workforce possesses the capability to acquire the necessary skills, in the form of self-education to overcome any challenges encountered. Evidence also shows that companies are facing challenges in relation to the selection and integration of the right technologies due to lack of ICT expertise. Therefore, this research proposes an ICT-based service design model to increase productivity and global competitiveness in the manufacturing sectors in South Africa.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of North Carolina Wilmington, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (February 23, 2010) Includes bibliographical references (p. 54-57)