11.8. ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES IN TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

In an article titled "Implementing New Technology," Leonard-Barton and Kraus (1985, p. 102) identify a number of organizational issues that affect technology transfer.

The technology transfer manager (or implementer of new technology) has to integrate the perspectives and needs of both the R&D personnel and users. The focus in technology transfer needs to be on marketing the product rather than selling it, with user needs and preferences given proper consideration. Like many other authors, Leonard-Barton and Kraus have identified involvement of opinion leaders in the user organization as a critical element for technology transfer success.

They point out that for implementing new technology, enthusiasm alone is not enough. New technology implementation usually requires a supportive infrastructure and the allocation of scarce resources for its implementation. Implementation teams for this purpose should include (Leonard-Barton and Kraus, 1985, p. 107):

• A sponsor (a high-level person who can help provide adequate financial and manpower resources)

• A champion (salesperson, problem solver)

• An integrator (manages conflicting priorities)

• A project manager (oversees the administrative details)

In addition, they suggested that sufficient authority needs to be vested in one member of this team with enough power in the organization to mobilize the necessary resources (both in the R&D and user organizations) to make things happen.

There is a natural tendency on the part of humans to resist change. Leonard-Barton and Kraus (1985, p. 108) state that "tacit resistance does not disappear but ferments, grows into sabotage, or surfaces later when resources are depleted." At times, the reasons for resistance relate to real or perceived problems that the new technology may cause:

• Loss of jobs

• Loss of control

• Loss of autonomy or authority

• Many benefits to the organization, but not many to the individuals involved

In addition to resisters, another group that can adversely affect technology transfer efforts is referred to as the "hedgers" (Leonard-Barton and Kraus, 1985, p. 109). Hedgers refuse to take a stand against an innovation so that others can address their objections, but they can affect the future of a new technology when they are a key link in the implementation plan. To overcome this, top managers, presumably in the user organization, should take some kind of symbolic action (memo, speeches, and so on) providing full support to the technology transfer effort (Leonard-Barton and Kraus, 1985, p. 109).

One of the key factors affecting technology transfer is the perceived risk and uncertainty associated with new technology. Adopters have to weigh expected benefits or rewards (if adoption is successful) against perceived risks (if the adoption is unsuccessful). In organizations where initiative is not valued highly and failures are severely criticized, adoption of new technology is not likely to be pervasive.

In one organization an employee commented that the way to get ahead was "don't rock the boat, keep a low profile, and don't make any mistakes." Naturally, in such organizations there will be resistance to change, and adoption of new technology is going to be less likely. On the other hand, adoption of new technology is likely to flourish in organizations where employees are eager to understand and learn about new technology, where management recognizes that mistakes are likely during any change, and where personnel are rewarded for prudent risk-taking.