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.

Network management is a critical concept in innovation and technology transfer. Linkages among network members are fundamental in the innovation process which has been heralded for its contribution to wealth creation in economies increasingly characterized by both globalization and technological connectivity. Innovation networks involve relationships among members of governments, businesses and universities that collaborate continuously to achieve shared scientific goals. This study focuses on identifying the key management factors operating in such networks and on determining the process through which these lead to successful technology transfer. This is of increasing interest for many countries seeking to foster innovation, technology transfer and, in turn, international competitiveness. The study integrates the technology transfer and network research streams in order to provide a unique contribution towards understanding key network factors that are important in technology transfer. Extant technology transfer literature predominantly provides a perspective of a focal organization or, at best, that of inter-organisational relationships while its empirical investigation from a network perspective remains limited. In order to develop a more holistic network perspective, this study draws on the network literature and in particular that of the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) group. Although neither a comprehensive network management theory nor suitable measures at the network level of analysis currently exist, the network literature is quickly evolving and has highlighted several concepts that contribute to achieving network outcomes, albeit in a conjectural fashion. Therefore, this study applies these concepts towards contributing to network management theory development in both the network and technology transfer fields. This study adopts a multi-method research approach. Qualitative exploratory research was necessary as concepts from the technology transfer and network management literatures were combined in a novel way. It was also essential in developing appropriate scales. Quantitative research then followed in order to test these scales by applying exploratory factor analysis and reliability testing. The developed scales were then employed to advance theory development, using confirmatory factor analysis via structural equation modelling. The study predominantly investigates networks within several industries that are relevant internationally and consistent with some of Australia’s national research priorities. Consequently, a pilot study was conducted in the wine industry to purify scales followed by full field work undertaken in the information and communications technology and biotechnology/nanotechnology industries. Common patterns that emerge within different industries strengthen theory development and lead to generalizations to other related industries while differences lead to industry-specific implications. A number of patterns were uncovered. Evidence was provided for the significant impact of power distribution, trust, coordination and harmony on achieving network outcomes in the ICT and the biotechnology/nanotechnology industries. While both communication and R&D efficiencies were deemed important in achieving network effectiveness, the specific relationships among these factors varied between industries. The study contributes to advancing theory on network management and offers practical management implications particularly for the industries under investigation. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1346750 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Business School, 2008

Using 2014 data compiled from a sample of Claremont McKenna undergraduate students, I examine the effect that fitness technology (i.e., mobile and wearable technology) has on users' health outcomes. Specifically, I find no effect of mobile or wearable use on self-reported health. However, I do find some evidence of mobile use on weight but not wearable. Applying a basic OLS regression analysis, I show that mobile users tend to be heavier than non-mobile users irrespective of gender. Furthermore, I find that contemporaneous health on prior mobile use show higher weight levels compared to non- mobile prior users. Such findings provide evidence suggesting that mobile is ineffective in providing users with healthier outcomes.

Microfinance aims to develop a financial ecosystem that serves the various financial needs of the poor, in hopes of providing them with the tools to sustainably elevate their economic and social well-being. This paper observes the evolution of financial inclusion over the past 40 years. Although considerable strides have been made to increase the impact of microfinance services, inherent challenges continue to plague the success of the industry. These fundamental deficiencies in microfinance initiatives (MFI’s) include the inability to scale, operate profitably and contribute to their clients’ economic and social betterment. This paper observes two fundamental changes that need to be made in order to insure the longevity and success of the industry. First, the industry needs to better integrate the use of innovative technology, which will allow organizations to be increasingly dynamic and targeted in their implementation. Businesses are quickly evolving to be data-centric to increase their profitability and customer base; if MFI’s were able to better understand their clients, they would be able to develop product offerings, delivery mechanisms and outreach efforts that are specifically focused to the needs of their target markets. The second fundamental change essential to success is that microfinance services need to be more fully integrated into the formal financial sector, and governments need to create an environment that encourages businesses and financial institutions to develop products to serve the poor. Cluster analysis aims to identify natural shapes within high-dimensional data and can be applied to numerous fields. As businesses have become more adept at keeping track of their customer data, a common application has been to conduct customer segmentation to better understand and serve their clients. This paper conducts clustering analysis on borrower data from The Lending Club, an online market place for micro-credit in order to better understand the various customer segments.

Motion Capture is a prevalent and useful technology in the animation industry as well as the medical and military industries. As technology becomes better and cheaper it begins to enter the consumer market. A consumer interest in motion capture animations made by anyone has been created with the technology. This paper will focus on a review of the new technologies that have allowed the beginning of consumer-level motion-capture animations. Included will be a review of the history of motion capture and then a study of methods, workflows, and necessary prerequisites for making motion capture data using consumer-available tools. The study involves reviewing how easy each method is to understand and how usable the data made is for use in animations.

Audio design is a pertinent industry in today’s world, with an extremely large market including leaders such as Bose, Harman International, and Sennheiser. This project is designed to explore the processes that are necessary to create a new type of product in this market. The end goal is to have a functioning, high–quality set of speakers to prove various concepts of design and prototyping. The steps involved in this project go through the entire design process from initial choice of product to a finished prototype. Processes include the selection of outsourced components such as drivers and necessary connectors. The design stage will include any design processes necessary to create the enclosure or any electronics. Production will be controlled by shipping dates and any potential issues that lie within the methods chosen for production. The final product will be tested for response. The prototyping process is usually fulfilled by various departments with extreme expertise in the respective field.

The sharing economy is the private redistribution of goods via peer-to-peer sharing. Since internet use has saturated the U.S., the sharing economy has become widely internet-based. Airbnb, a website and app that facilitates the short-term rental of space to stay in another person’s home, has become a major component of the sharing economy. This study includes an empirical analysis of the hotel occupancy rates in two major markets, San Francisco and Chicago, and how they have or have not changed, from the 2008 launch of Airbnb through the end of 2014. The study hypothesizes that Airbnb has had a statistically significant negative impact on the hotel occupancy rate. The results serve as empirical evidence that Airbnb’s introduction has had an insignificant impact on San Francisco hotel occupancy rates, but may have had a marginally significant negative impact on Chicago hotel occupancy rates. Major reasons why most travelers have not substituted Airbnb for hotel accommodations include the fact that nearly half of those traveling in the United States are traveling for work, Airbnb’s lack of amenities that many business travelers demand, and the absence of an Airbnb loyalty program that is similar to what many hotels have.

Since the internet became a new marketplace for buyers and sellers, the modernization of e-commerce brings into question whether online retailing can effectively replace traditional brick-and-mortar stores. Recent trends have highlighted the struggling business of physical retailers, yet many continue to operate while also having introduced an online sales channel along with pages on social media to increase engagement with customers. This study challenges the popular assumption that e-commerce is cannibalizing in-store sales opportunities, where online sales grow increasingly at the expense of the conventional method of shopping in brick-and-mortar stores. In examining financial and internet-related data of 50 major U.S. retailers from 2008 through 2013, I run panel data regressions to identify factors that contribute to the growth of in-store sales revenue and the proportion of online sales. My results indicate that retailers operating a clicks-and-bricks model do not suffer from channel cannibalization but may be forming a synergy across channels, as there are significant increases in measures regarding both physical and online retail operations.

Sweeping advancements in digital technology have greatly influenced the evolution of every industry through streamlining processes, improving market reach, and disrupting traditional value chains. In the videogames industry which develops, manufactures, and markets interactive entertainment hardware and software, the exponential increases in computing power and affordability have consistently diversified their product offerings and customer base. The spread of internet accessibility and the increased prevalence of gamification for subjects outside of entertainment have provided unique opportunities for market growth. With the increasing ownership of personal computers and advanced mobile devices, the spread of social gaming, and the implementation of “freemium” business models, new revenue streams exclusive to this interactive entertainment medium have empowered the videogames industry to consistently reach more consumers while embracing digital distribution. This paper will not only cover the evolution of the videogames industry from its inception to modern day but also will discuss the challenges that drove this industry’s rise to becoming one of the fastest growing industries in the United States economy. Further this paper will examine the implications of these successes and present-day challenges the industry continues to face.

The following thesis outlines the Chinese government's push for new-energy vehicles within their auto industry. By giving a history of the Chinese automotive industry and the central planning devices used to push the industry forward, we should develop a more refined understanding as to the direction of China' auto industry in the future.