Knowledge Management and Technology Transfer

Abstract

This chapter describes the primary ways in which technological knowledge can and should be managed inside of organizations. This is in contrast to Chapter “Technology Scouting”, which looked at the question of how technological information flows into the organization from the outside. We first discuss ways in which technological information is captured through documents, models, artifacts, and in people’s minds. We also present technological knowledge management (KM) as an emerging field of research and as a major need and challenge for organizations and give guidelines and examples of both internal and external technology transfer. Technology transfer can happen not only within an organization but also across organizations. We conclude with a brief discussion on reverse engineering as a form of reconstruction of technological knowledge from existing technological artifacts and systems. The quality of technology roadmaps is often a reflection of how well technological knowledge is managed inside an organization. An explicit knowledge management system will help avoid duplication of technological developments and keep an organization from “reinventing the wheel.”