Habilitationsschrift--Mainz. / Bibliography: p. 124-149.

Thesis (doctoral)--Helsinki University of Technology, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the World Wide Web.

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 1999. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains x, 110 p. : ill. (some col.) Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 90-91).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1970. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Scientistic authors in the latter half of the 19 th century and the early 20th century, such as Ernest Renan and H. G. Wells, discounted revealed religion. Yet they believed in the secular myth of an imminent technological Eden and they elevated science itself to the dignity of a religion. In so doing, they shaped bold visions of the future, drawing heavily on a millenary store of Western myth and metaphor. In historical terms, the myth of an imminent technological Eden represents a survival and a fusion of the ancient Greek myth of the Golden Age along with three Judeo-Christian myths: Biblical time, Earthly Paradise and the Apocalypse. Since the Enlightenment, the process of secularization has drained the religious content of such myths, although it does not deprive them of any of their deeply emotional force. This explains why the 19th century myth of an imminent technological Eden has considerable staying-power, in spite of the many events since 1945 which seem to discredit it.

No description available.

A prospecção tecnológica é a disciplina que trata das atividades de busca e predição de tecnologias de interesse, sendo uma importante ferramenta para empresas e governos. Já o campo da biotecnologia consiste de um dos mais férteis quanto à produção acadêmica e industrial, tendo impacto alto na economia mundial. O presente trabalho focou na intersecção destes dois assuntos, utilizando a disciplina de análises de redes sociais como intermediária. Entre os objetivos buscados estavam sugerir modificações no modelo de classificação de patentes biotecnológicas, descrever a distribuição destas patentes quando agrupadas em redes, e desenvolver uma metodologia de prospecção tecnológica com base nas rotas de desenvolvimento tecnológico presentes nas redes de patentes. As sub-áreas escolhidas para o foco do estudo foram as da biotecnologia agrícola (vegetal) e purificação de água, sendo descritas com base em suas características patentárias. Entre os resultados estão uma nova proposta de aperfeiçoamento de classificação de patentes biotecnológicas, uma nova metodologia para representações de redes de patentes com base em algoritmos de modularidade propostos por Blondel et al. (2008), sendo esta demostrada nos temas estudados. Por fim, o algoritmo SPLC proposto por Hummon e Doreian (1989) foi adaptado de ferramenta para identificação de rotas de desenvolvimento de maior relevância para redes tecnológicas, para uma ferramenta prospectiva de uso em redes de patentes de grande porte. Para a aplicação da ferramenta deste tipo de rede, um plug-in para software de análise de redes sociais foi desenvolvido, com funcionalidades adicionais que agregam ao algoritmo original. As rotas de desenvolvimento tecnológico geradas são passíveis de análises prospectivas posteriores. Não foram encontrados registros de estudos semelhantes na literatura. / Technological forecasting is the subject that tackles the activities of search and prediction of technological innovation, and is considered an important tool for both companies and governments. As for the field of biotechnology, it is one of the richest in terms academic and industrial production, and possess a high impact in the world economy. This study focused in the intersection between this two subjects, using social network analysis as the bridge them. Amongst the objectives was the suggestion of changes in in the classification of biotechnological patents, the description of patents when these are grouped in networks, and the development of a new technological forecasting methodology based on the development routes present in the patent networks. The biotechnology subjects this study focused were plant agriculture and water purification, and their description was elaborated based on their patent characteristics. The results range from a new proposition to the enhancement of the current biotechnological patent classification, to a new method for patent network representation based on the modularity algorithm proposed by Blonde et al. (2008), which was demonstrated in the studied subjects. The last result was related to the SPLC algorithm proposed by Hummon and Doreian (1989) which was adapted from a tool of identification of the most relevant technological development routes, to a technological forecasting tool which can be used in large sized patent networks. For the application of this tool in such networks, a plug-in to a social network software was developed, with added functionalities that enhance the original algorithm. The generated technological development routes of the studied subjects can be used for future forecasting analysis. There has not been found any study similar to this in the literature.

As the importance of R&D has been growing in economic growth, the accountability and effectiveness of R&D programs are highly emphasized. Especially, in times of economic downturn, the evaluation of performance in a firm is needed to justify R&D investment. In response, various attempts have been made to improve success rates of R&D projects, gain competitive advantage, and achieve a firm's growth in profitability. In particular, in industries where technological innovation is significant, strategic technology planning and R&D capabilities may be the lead ones in defining the dynamic capabilities of a firm. In addition, technology forecasting (TF) in technology planning is a crucial step to follow before developing technologies/products/processes in need. In this regard, researchers have an abiding interest in enhancing methods to forecast emerging technology, while practitioners have a considerable interest in selecting appropriate tools to apply in their field for better forecasting results. Nevertheless, so far it is not well documented how appropriately the current research responds to this need. Thus, a thorough review on TF techniques is conducted to help researchers and practitioners capture methodologies in a tangible way and identify the current trends in the TF arena. Moreover, there is still a lack of clear guidance as to where and how particular TF methods are useful in strategic planning based on technology characteristics as well as the nature of industry. The purpose of this study is to enrich the stream of research on TF activities in a firm for practitioners and researchers, a unique context where TF could lead to technological innovation. This research offers a classification of the approaches, and presents technological, industrial, methodological, and organizational aspects of TF methods that are inherent in TF activities. Furthermore, this study provides empirical evidences to support organizational and managerial implications regarding TF activities associated with technology planning in a firm. Research findings in regimes of technological change suggest insights on technological, organizational, and managerial processes within the firm. On the other hand, research on the effects on business performance of "best practices" of strategic planning, which enable firms to articulate their plans to develop, acquire, and deploy resources for accomplishing firms' financial growth, has so far ignored the roles of strategic technology planning associated with TF. In this regard, this study explores a set of indicators, discusses, and presents the findings from the literature in such a way that they become useful for researchers or managers who are in charge of measuring the R&D performance and business performance from innovation activity. Next, this research tested the hypothetical framework proposed not only to provide a current snapshot of how firms across industries implement best practices in strategic technology planning, but also to improve the effectiveness of strategic planning. The results present the positive linkages between TF, technology planning, and superior business performance. The findings in this research help policy makers, universities, research institutes/national labs, and companies to enhance their decision making process on technology development.

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 111-120). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.