All types of industries, and even those that are not perceived as technological, contain the technology. The question is the extent and intensity of its position in the knowledge base. An important criterion is the extent to which improvements in technology is the basis for competitive advantage.
Some of the technology - such as the synthesis of proteins, the design of turbines and integrated circuits, have a deep scientific roots or complex hierarchy of the manufacturing process, so that the corresponding output is often referred to as high-tech. Many others are based on a significant proportion of practical know-how, strengthened scientific knowledge - here is melting glass or wine and beer, of leather and culture of cheese making. These facilities can also be attributed to technology. On the other hand, dry cleaning or laundry services also use a combination of solvents, cleaning agents, dry cleaning machines, presses. However, the local dry cleaners, as a rule, is not going to compete on the basis of a unique or at least the best technology: as their competitive advantage but rather relies on the convenience of the location for customers, the perceived quality of service, advertising and attractive prices.
All types of businesses that use a particular technology, or are leaders in the field, or followers of other leaders. If the company is a leader in some form of technology, eventually someone will follow suit, but perhaps with a certain time lag, or will use the parameters achieved by the leader of a product or process as an important consumer benefits in other markets in other areas equipment, and other products. This applies to the most high-tech firms.
Importantly, it is possible to apply the most sophisticated technology not being involved in its development. For example, a large number of laboratories performing the most advanced biochemical and medical-diagnostic studies, has never participated in the development of appropriate methods, and their competitive advantages are defined correctly selected segment of the market, good organization of data processing, the ability to establish correlations with other methods, etc.
Even such an aggressive corporation like IBM, which is developing many new products and services is not always the pioneer of their technology, but only fast follower. Because, like many companies, the technology is only one of its competitive advantages, along with marketing, organization of production, financial management, location, delivery schedule, which also play an important and sometimes decisive role in competitive strategy. At the same time, for many other businesses, technology plays such an important role, which is often a defining element of competitive advantage. For such companies, the effective management of technology (Technology Management) is a critical factor because the business strategy as a whole is determined essentially technological strategy.
1 General Business and technology strategy
In the hierarchy of business parameters of the company - from the more general and long-lived and short-term to private - should be called values (culture) - Mission - Goals - Politics - Strategy - Tactics - Operations. Politics - a more general term than strategy. The policy defines a particular business overall approach to achieving business goals within the context of the values and culture of the organization.
A strategy is a plan to implement the selected targets, defining the scope of possible action and allocation of resources. The strategy can evolve over time, adapting to changes in the environment, since the plan is aimed at implementation of the objectives, which themselves may change over time. The strategy of the company can not be static: it is a continuous value creation and competitive advantage.
Accordingly, the business strategy is a plan of business management at a certain period of time in a competitive environment. For diversified companies corporate strategy is the sum of the various business strategies, including as specific coordination strategy, diversification or restructuring its portfolio of businesses, if any.
Analytical incarnation of the business strategy takes the form of specific plans, projects, resource allocation, project milestones, and other solutions that can be documented. Equally important aspect of business strategy is the training (self-) organization, which is both the foundation and the result of the business strategy. The ability and motivation of the organization and its employees and leaders of learning affects the entire organization throughout the process of developing and implementing the strategy. Business management and innovation is particularly high public process. The more people in the organization understand the firm's strategy and share it as their "own", the greater the chance that it will be successful.
Overall business strategy consists of a number of private strategies: marketing management, production, distribution of goods, finance, personnel and technology. Thus, the IT strategy is a component of the overall business strategy. The integration of technology into the overall strategy of the company's operations technology management. The general scheme of the business strategy is presented in Figure 3.1.
[Pict]
1.1Tehnologicheskaya strategy
IT strategy is a plan of investments of key resources, which include money, people, equipment, and time to use them for further development of the technology, which is the basis of products, processes, systems and support services necessary for the implementation of the overall business strategy. In the concept of technology management technology strategy and overall business strategy should be fully harmonized.
The purpose of technology strategy is competitive technological advantage (superiority), which implies the achievement of the required customer outcomes. The most sophisticated technology in the lab is useless if it does not allow the consumer to provide the desired result, or if the consumer does not need this result. Still do not have the prospects and the most remarkable to date technologically oriented organization, if it does not have the sources of ideas to achieve or maintain technological superiority.
For technology-intensive production methods focus attention on technology strategy and qualified incarnation of decisions is particularly important, although the level of existing competition and the time frame needed to create a competitive advantage, can not just go outside the experience of many managers, but for the time horizon of the usual business and financial plans. (In particular, in the production of many kinds of sectors of American industry - iron and steel, automotive and semiconductors - lost ground to foreign competitors precisely because the latter are more boldly and clearly in the long-range forecasts of production competitiveness).
Business strategies and sub-strategies related to the production, marketing and technology can best be coordinated at the level of strategic cell business. The strategic behavior of a cell is determined by business segment and accepted the nature of competition in this particular market segment, because, despite the differences competitors, community specific place on the market dictates the similarity of competitive behavior.
If such a cell is part of a corporation, it can draw resources away from other sectors of the business. Corporate strategy, the presence of many different lines of business, is a strategy for the distribution of the total technical effort in support of certain types of businesses, plus a general program of diversification.
Corporate strategy is particularly important in the presence of some core technologies common to a number of its individual industries and products where possible synergies of different businesses. If the technology of various types of production are very different from each other, and the Corporation does not have any plans for diversification and does not make appropriate efforts, in this case, talking about corporate technology strategy difficult.
1.2 Technology Policy and the types of technology strategy
Technology Policy of organically connected with its general policy of the business. If the technology company seeks to be a leader in its field, a key objective of the policy is its technological leadership in the field of technology. As shown above, in a less technologically intensive form of business leadership can be achieved through a marketing strategy, finance, marketing, etc. Moreover, in companies where technology is the ideal, it may be difficult to achieve market leadership only by technology. As mentioned earlier, the production of the nicest mousetrap or computer does not automatically make these companies are market leaders mousetraps or computers.
Understanding the multi-variant approaches to achieving competitiveness is very important, contributing to the optimal integration of technology and production strategies into a single business strategy. For example, Intel pursues a strategy of "being first to market" of integrated circuits. The company really was and is the market leader in the bipolar memory and, more importantly, microprocessors. Accordingly, all the efforts of the company and, above all, its R & D units designed to maintain this leadership. On the contrary, the firm Signetics chose a strategy of "second front" with the objective to be a reliable supplier of rear leaders such as Motorola, Intel, Texas Instrument. Signetics understands that such a strategy carries less risk than that of a pioneer. She did not have much to invest in research and development as a leader, and, therefore, it can reduce costs and allow yourself a little lower prices. In summary, it should again be emphasized that in the embodiment of high technological intensity of success in business does not necessarily need to be a leader in the field.
Another example is a high commercial success Metallurgy Northwestern Steel and Wire, which produces a very backbencher products such as low-carbon sheet, barbed wire and steel products for agricultural farms. Its success is based on a simple, robust and low cost technology: it uses as raw materials exclusively scrap metal and has the highest electric power industry.
Raychem, a manufacturer of a wide class of products with high added value, based on the compressible plastics when heated, adheres to the classic strategy of "market niche": the company invests heavily in R & D and the development of technically-equipped system sales of its products.
These different orientations (be the first to follow, cut costs, take a niche) are reflected in the emerging technology strategy options. Table. 3.1. presented four options for competition strategies as they relate to products and processes, in accordance with the classification M.Portera.
Table 1
Product and process technology, and alternative group strategies
Leadership at a cost
Differentiation
Focusing on cost
Concentration
differentiation in
Technology Policy
Technological change in the product
Product development aimed at reducing its cost by reducing the consumption of materials, facilitating the production process, simplifying the requirements of logistics, etc.
Product development, aimed at improving their quality, features, or a change in the ability to deliver value.
Product development, aimed at developing only in the execution, which is aimed at the needs of the segment.
Product development, aimed more to the needs of a particular segment than competitors with a wide range of tasks.
Technological change process
Study schedule improvement process in order to reduce the consumption of materials and labor costs.
The development process, aimed at increasing the economic advantages of large objects.
The development process aimed at maintaining greater stamina, better quality control, more reliable scheduling, ordering acceleration and other parameters that increase consumer interest.
The development process aimed at setting the evaluation system in accordance with the needs of the segment to reduce the cost of servicing segment.
The development process aimed at setting the evaluation system in accordance with the needs of the segment to increase consumer interest.
Staff at the Harvard Business School have formulated the functional requirements of such alternative strategies, using a slightly different terminology. The strategy, which they called market segmentation, Porter called the focus on differentiation, as in other works are often referred to as a niche market strategy. Version of "Late in the market or cost minimization," Porter's strategy called "cost leadership" and "focus on the costs" (where the focus is this niche).
Table 2
Typical recommendations of alternative technological strategies
Research and development
Production
Marketing
Finance
Organization
The timing parameters
First to market
Wanted best achievements in the field of R & D
The emphasis on experimental and small-scale production
The emphasis on the promotion of primary demand
Requires a source of risk capital
The emphasis is more on flexibility than on efficiency, encouraging risk
Early exit the market at the beginning of the product life cycle
The second market
Requires flexibility, fast response and advanced R & D
Requires flexibility in the organization of small-scale production
It is necessary to differentiate the product, to stimulate secondary demand
Require the involvement of the medium and large amount of capital
Combining elements of flexibility and efficiency
Yield early growth stage
Latest on the market with minimal costs
Skills are required in the development process and the cost effectiveness of the technical design of the product
Required efficiency and automation of large-scale production
Need to minimize the costs of the sale and distribution of
Require access to large capital
The emphasis on efficiency and hierarchical management, firmly controlled by the implementation of
The yield of the final stage of growth or early mature stage of production
Working in the niche market
Required scope, custom technology and advanced product design
Requires flexibility on short and medium production runs
Necessary to determine the most favorable segments and get them
Need access to capital medium and large volume
Required flexibility and control when serving different customer needs
Yield growth stage
Several papers distinguish the first and second strategy market. Many technology leaders adhere to the strategy of the first on the market or a pioneer. This pioneering strategy is justified if the company feels able to significantly restructure the market. Since the pioneering work of Fairchild Semiconductor in the development of the planar integrated circuit technology have enabled the company to dominate the major segments of the microelectronics market for almost the entire decade of the 60s. Still, Texas Instruments, "fast stalker", was able to take the lead in this market, but at the expense of exclusive concentration on its competitive advantages in the field of production processes.
Of course, being the second in the market or take positions quickly pursuer less exciting, but often has significant benefits with less risk. Such approaches often hold firm General Electric and IBM, which, with its powerful systems engineering, marketing and financial resources often picks up the pioneering technology of another company and takes a leading position in the market - example is the personal computer business of the corporation.
And equally it is typical for the strategy of Japanese corporations in the field of consumer electronics, office equipment, research instruments.
1.3 Technological vision
An effective technology strategy is based on an understanding of the possible role of technology in the overall success of the business. The core business strategy of the company reflects its long-term plans and is based on specific policies and goals that are the basis of the relevant functional marketing strategies, technology and production.
Technological vision is helping lead the company to trust the need for appropriate resources in technology strategy, and marketing and production managers to understand their interaction strategies with technological strategy. It is not the same technology policy and formulated goals and is formed by two main groups of questions:
What is the role of technology in creating added value to the business
What can we expect from the staff, partners and employees in understanding the relevant innovation process and the role of technology for the business.
On the first point to receive responses from managers in marketing, manufacturing and technology for new market segments, their current (unmet) needs, the existing competition, efficiency and the like, to understand what technologies should be developed or purchased for critical markets or production needs, what are the necessary pace of innovation and the possible implementation of what will be a new level of competence achieved.
In answering the second question reveals the influence of the environment and culture of the organization, study the style of leadership, communications model workers, the availability of support entrepreneurial initiatives, the expectations of employees, their understanding of quality standards, assess the possible consequences of achieving the objectives of technological development, predict change in the relationship of partners, employees, and t . etc. Although the last group of questions less valued and less targeted, they are also important to think about strategy. In these or other organizations in the development of technology and its commercialization may be involved a lot of people for greater efficiency instruct and coordinate, but the organizations it is often not "think."
The technological vision of the business and affect people's opinions outside the organization. Reputation of the business and its technological innovation forms the expectations of shareholders, competitors, suppliers and, of course, consumers. The impact of these expectations is a significant player in the technology and the general policy of the firm.
Technological vision, including technology policy and related objectives, identifies the embodiment of technology strategy. Key factors in this vision and implementation process of the strategy are:
R & D resources (money, people, facilities and equipment)
Technical expertise is drawn from the world of science and technology
Alternative technologies (licenses, consultants, and other organizations)
It should be noted that in principle the technique can be capitalized in the form of other embodiments, in addition to new products or processes. For example, it can be sold, licensed or contract R & D, or implemented as a joint venture.
Success of implementation of innovations require you to perform two simultaneous conditions: the presence of sound technology policy and the ability of the company to get the staff to follow the developed strategy to win in competitive markets. In a small high-tech elements of technology policy quite easily perceived by some managers who are constantly communicating with each other. With the growth of the company policy and technical issues they bring to all the people responsible for the technical and commercial solutions are becoming increasingly complex.
2 Elements and factors of the development of technology strategy
2.1 Elements of Technology Strategy
Based on the above, we can distinguish the seven elements of technology strategy, which include:
The criteria for the selection and specialization. This element of the strategy involves answering questions such as "What kind of technology should be invested? What technologies will provide improved product performance or lower production costs? How will they be embodied in new products? How to assess the supply of new products or technologies? "
The level of competence, which involves understanding the controls as increase the level of values of target parameters of the company as a result of the development and application of new technology,
Complex providing additional events (e.g., additional studies or engineering modifications) needed to "adjust" Current technology to practical use.
Sources of technology that characterize the availability and adequacy of external sources of technology (R & D contract, licensing from individual inventors, competitors) and internal resources to take these developments.
The level of investment in research and development. This option implies the assessment of necessary and permissible investments in technology (including providing events) or the relevant employment of staff, and making decisions based on R & D investment from the current level of profits of the company.
Schedule of competition. Policymakers (the company) formulate the intention to be the first to ask or lag with access to market after the "pioneer", estimating that the benefit and risk of market uncertainty with respect to the new product, the possible benefits of concessions lead to the development of a competitor subsequently improved product and more etc.
Organization and policy research. This element determines the degree of centralization of research and development and other aspects of their structuring, the level of promotion of scientists and engineers, and the form of the necessary degree of involvement of senior management in R & D activities, methods of protection of know-how, the company's policy in the field of patents and publications.
2.2 The duration of the Factor
Technological strategy may include long-and short-term technical needs of the business. The most important characteristic is the duration of technology strategy implementation. Depending on the degree of novelty of the scientific and engineering foundations of technology commercialization process can take from a few months (at best) to several years. The latter is particularly characteristic of the most advanced high technology development. In the early '70s, when Corning has developed a ceramic catalyst for the car, the final incarnation of the product was still unclear, and the technical requirements for it have been the subject of hot debate (consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act have not yet passed through the U.S. Congress.) The only factors that can be taken into account were the following: 1) The auto industry is very large, 2) technological competition in this industry should be increased, and 3) the product is likely to be needed in the amount of many millions by June 1974. To win, Corning had to develop a product (no matter) and deploy full-scale production for about three years. To increase the probability of winning, he explored three possible production technology at the same time. When the final selection process has already been made, and the construction of the new plant, the necessary amendments have not yet been taken - such is the price of uncertainties related innovations. And these are the factors that influence the timing of the commercialization of new technologies.
Most of the advanced development projects lasting longer than three or four - to eight or ten years, depending on the level of problems to be solved, the duration of the required tests, available resources, etc. In some cases hasten the completion of the project is meaningless, but you can not run such a project at all if there is a competitive alternative solution - in any case, a realistic assessment of the time the project is very important.
2.3 Cost Factor
Decisive for the choice of technology strategy has a cost factor, the value of which is determined by the selected company's overall strategy of competition (to be a leader or a pursuer, navigate to reduce costs, etc.).
Experience MIT shows a fairly high prevalence of strategies pursuer of Russian developers of new technologies. To a large extent this is due to the participation of many organizations in the most significant developments, with the typical Soviet author's certificates large number of authors who have currently equal rights to its commercialization.
As a result, co-authors of inventions, often initially have moved or live in another city, watching "from afar" commercial successes applied use of their scientific developments in the field, for example, control of gas pipelines, or hardening of structures, or clean water, find a local (regional) market for your business , taking advantage of permissive documents or show the results of his former partner (present-day competitor).
In the field of medicine or food supplements, when to enter the market from the leader (pioneer) requires a huge diversion of resources for testing and advertising, and the second in the market, taking advantage of an established reputation as a leader, he created the famous expensive, and often perceived consonance of selected brands of products has important advantage of lower costs (and thus lower prices). In particular, the portfolio of projects of the International Technology Incubator is constantly observed in hidden from the eyes of the ignorant duel "Koleteksa" (comprehensive treatment of textile materials, effective dressings long multi-action) and "Altex" using the initial phase of the general copyright certificates. In the second set of arguments in the market, even with the worst quality products, often used in a lawful general intention to restrict the monopoly (read - the pioneer).
2.4 Factor spheres of technology strategy
Technological complexity of the strategy depends on the cell size and complexity of business, as well as the number and complexity of markets and technologies involved. There are three-dimensional models of technological innovation:
Option I. Small technology-based entrepreneurial firms (the model of Silicon Valley)
Option II. Large corporations have branched units
Option III. Association of corporations and other organizations to work together to create or translate a lot of technical programs such as the program of creation of spacecraft Shuttle, the development of drugs for cancer or AIDS, etc. Typically, these programs are funded and managed by state organizations
The strategy of small companies, mostly formulated in the minds of a few people who carry out this business. A large corporation has formalized a strategy involving many product lines and market segments, a wide range of technologies and vast geography of the business location. As for the third option, the corresponding technological strategy is often defined strategy of the government in which political, social and social aspects are often much more important than the characteristics of the business.
The following discussion relates to the development of technological strategies cell business, which may be a small independent company or be part of a larger corporation.
3 Basic procedures for developing technology strategy
Based on the analysis of opportunities and threats in the current markets, the approach to the development of technology strategy includes two main components:
Technology assessment
The development strategy of the product line.
Evaluation of the commercial potential of technology is a key element of the strategy of commercialization, so the basic principles of this evaluation will be discussed in a separate theme 5 "Evaluation of intellectual property." Here, we only emphasize that the success and effectiveness of technology assessment as a tool for the selection of ideas depends to a large extent on the anticipation of a future technology that could significantly affect the development of the business, as well as the effectiveness of forecasting the development of products and processes. These issues will be covered in the next issue 4 "Evaluation of commercial potential (" commercialization ") technology."
Both elements - technology assessment and strategy development of the product line - organically linked.
The result of these procedures is a portfolio of priority projects relating to the development and use of new products and processes in the future. In the course of extensive discussions of each project managers marketing, production, finance, personnel, etc. should confirm that the project is consistent with the needs of this particular product line and business objectives, appropriate timing for possible completion and makes an important contribution to the competitiveness of the company. Only after this version of the strategic plan becomes final form and ready for the integrated treatment.
In developing the technology strategy necessary to identify all of the technical challenges that must be addressed to meet the goals, and appropriate technology. This stage involves consideration of all the developments and improvements of products and processes used to facilitate the realization of the production and marketing strategy. For example, in the design and development of electronic watches particularly important parameter is achieved by quality customer service. In this connection, clocks should be designed in such a way that they are easy to fix directly to the point of sale or at a service center of the company, or should they be so cheap that they can be cheaper to throw than to repair. Each of these options determines the appropriate (different) approach to the design and manufacture of the product.
3.1 The strategy of product line
In contrast to the assessment stage technology for the initial selection of projects, the strategy of product line has a distinct business focus and is aimed at meeting the critical needs of consumers with the preferred orientation for the short-or medium-term projects. If the analysis of the existing product line detects the need for a new product and technology assessment does not identify worthy of the proposal, then, obviously, the challenge of overcoming this gap.
When identified all necessary projects needed for product development and evaluated all types of existing and required resources, technology strategy takes the form of the product line portfolio, combined in the target program. This program, on the one hand, should have the desired effect on the business, and on the other - to be acceptable from the point of view of the resources available, as well as a balance of risk and the duration of the project. Each of the projects implemented as a result of the joint work of all technical departments - research, product development, technology development. Thus, for each of the divisions formed his own routine, which for each of the projects featured part, directly attributable to the branch. During the integration of technology into the overall strategy of the business strategy of the company, the costs and the expected results of promising technology programs are taken into account in long-range plans and forecasts of units and their annual budget.
The total value of the portfolio can be represented, for example, using the circuit shown in Fig. 3.2.
[Pict]
In this scheme, each project is characterized by the expected impact on sales and the likelihood of success, which is defined product of the estimated probability of technical and commercial success. The size of the circles is proportional to the necessary technical effort and resources required. It is clear that the projects that fall into the upper right corner, to be funded and strongly supported in the first place, and are in the bottom left - suspended, or at least carefully monitored and adequately funded.
The probability of commercial success evaluated on the basis of availability and estimated the proportion of the relevant product markets, sales of existing capacity and experience necessary for markets as well as the expected increase in the value of production (for example, in the transition from glass to glass fiber fabric and then - fiberglass cloth products). The probability of technical success is determined on the basis of a particular maturity of the technology, experience, or close acquaintance with developments, the availability of the required staff and the company as a whole.
In the course of some of the projects fail or are reasonably reduced resource requirements. To manage a portfolio of flexible and still keep the target program, you can build a portfolio of projects at the time of their graduation. For example, all short-term projects (6-12 months) funded and staffed with all necessary in the first place. The next group includes projects lasting 18-24 months. In case of insufficiency of resources from these projects are listed in order of priority, fully funded and provide resources, only 60%, 20% partially funded, and 20% - no funding at all. Of long-term funded projects typically 30-40% gradually eliminate all or reduce in volume by reallocating funding in favor of the under-funded or not funded yet. Similarly, the projects have received a longer duration: finance only the most important ones, and the rest are holding on "firefighter case."
For effective monitoring of the implementation of strategic programs all projects should have clear milestones and measurable milestones controlled. Measuring the success of technology programs, and especially long-term projects is a difficult task. As R & D costs more controllable than the results, there is a great temptation to reduce assessment solely to the costs incurred. However, because the actual result of R & D is important, it is necessary to establish coherent measurable outputs and outcomes and track the progress month by month, until it reaches the expected progress (if the evaluation subtotals consider it necessary to continue the project to completion).
In the mandatory features of the weighted technology strategy as a guide to plan investments in products or technologies - include:
Compliance with anticipated technological benefits overall business strategy
The expected role of technology in enhancing the competitive positioning of the business
The presence of a set of projects of varying time duration - from short to long
Highlighting the main priority projects, with the expressed goals and intermediate milestones
The availability of necessary resources, in accordance with the financial plans of selected projects
Availability of criteria and methods of evaluation of the implementation and results development of products and processes
Understanding the project objectives and the personal involvement of the key figures that are making the necessary contribution to the implementation of development
4 Example of analysis of business strategy
Consider the example of certain aspects of developing a business strategy firm based technology strategy following situation. Suppose there is a mechanical engineering firm, to be called "Alpha", which is equipped with a set of process equipment and personnel adapted to the manufacture of high-end cars or on the western parts. In this case, the mission of this company was previously focused on the most complete satisfaction of the requirements of individual customers.
In order to formulate the objectives of the enterprise for the next 5-10 years, and to develop an optimal strategy for achieving them the company's management is not enough to have information on the composition of a set of production equipment and professional composition of the frames. Need to have more information:
the general political and economic situation in the country and abroad,
the dynamics of market vehicles
of factor markets,
analyze the features of our process equipment, personnel and other factors of production, which "Alpha" has now the terms of their physical and moral deterioration;
assess the ability of the organized production and management structure of the company to respond adequately to changes in the external and internal environment of the firm.
Without this information it is impossible to correctly analyze scientific and technical (technological) potential of our companies, to assess its competitiveness in the domestic and international market. That is not to assess the company's ability to adapt to changes that may occur in the timeframe we are interested.
Suppose that as a result of amplification of stagflation decreased purchasing power of some segments of the population. It is natural to assume that among these layers was and some of the individual potential customers cars produced by the company "Alpha". Forecast indicates a trend to further reduce the volume of industrial production due to the economic policies of the government and the Central Bank to reduce inflation means of controlling the money supply. Under these conditions continue to focus on production of vehicles for individual orders, and, therefore, at high prices, irrational. Simply drop in prices could lead to a deterioration of the financial condition and, ultimately, - bankruptcy of the enterprise. It follows that it is necessary to choose a different strategy for survival. Assume that the Board of Directors of the company "Alpha" is considering a transition strategy for the construction of larger batches of standard (less comfortable) cars. In an analysis of compliance with the existing building, which was extremely high for the conditions of production of cars for individual orders Thanks to the best staffing company, equipped with labor-saving devices, which allows wide use of mechanized assembly manual, it became clear that the nature of the technical resources of the firm does not match the capabilities of large-scale production parties inexpensive cars, and the financial resources of the firm does not allow to draw enough credits to re-equip production. Thus, the existing capacity of the company in terms of new strategic goals can not be considered high. Need to search for other strategies.
In developing the strategy, it is first necessary to identify those elements in the activities of the firm, which can be the basis for achieving strategic goals. So, in other words, should not be considered the elements themselves, as materialized means of production, objects of labor or certain categories of workers, and the opportunities to achieve the strategic objectives of the SS, which open when using these items (tools, technologies, know-how, resources ).
To adequately "to answer the call of the environment" requires:
the ability to secure the release of goods and services in the volumes corresponding to the potential demand for them in their respective market segments, taking into account the competitive status of the company and planned to capture the market share;
the ability to provide a high efficiency of the firm at the expense of the most rational use of investment opportunities of the firm;
ability to ensure effective development and implementation of the strategic program of technical and social development of the firm.
Let's say a firm "Alpha" has the following composition of resources:
engineering: a computer center, which allows to store and handle in a very short time large amounts of information;
production (as part of the company is no sector that focuses on the development of new processes or technologies that adapt to the solution of industrial problems arise;
technology: developed techniques to provide a high level of confidence in the results of the analysis;
Personnel: qualification training is extremely high, as key employees have been trained in the best foreign think tanks;
space: a room to accommodate the analytical center is in poor condition and requires major reconstruction;
Information: systematic information about the level of inflation and the level of employment in the country is missing, fragmentary data are available in a variety of information organization and sporadically published in the media;
organizational structure of the system of governance: the company is preparing for the creation of a laboratory of economic analysis, published in the relevant policy documents;
Financial: the insolvency of the company does not allow to obtain loans for the purchase of information and carrying out the necessary reconstruction of the premises.
These characteristics give the verbal base to draw the following conclusions.
1.Sposobnost the company "Alpha" to the macro-and microeconomic analysis of the situation can not be considered high, since in the presence of significant technical, technological and human resources company "Alpha" does not have to be sufficient, spatial, information and financial resources for the organization of information services engineering and marketing.
2. If the company "Alpha" has the ability to put forward ideas in the competitive development, production and promotion of products on the market, but has no ability to implement these ideas, to gain a competitive advantage the company "Alpha" will require mobilization of additional resources in the form of venture capital or other options for resources that will strengthen the strategic component of the building.
3. On the other hand, the nonequivalence of the strategic potential of exposure to the elements due to differences in the degree of security of each of them with adequate resources. So, at the same firm "Alpha" ability to execute competitive ideas may be low due to lack of an appropriate organizational structure (industrial and technological sector with the necessary equipment).
4. Good ideas can not be implemented due to lack of, for example, the possibilities of obtaining government grants, loans, or the Central Bank of the country lacks the necessary equipment, without which the strategic potential of the company can not be upgraded.
It follows that one of the major goals of the strategic management is the rational allocation of scarce resources between the elements of the company's strategic potential. That is to be determined, is much more profitable to direct resources to the development of what "capacity" of the company to provide a high level of competitive advantage.
Consider the possible factors to ensure a competitive advantage in the transition to mass production of automobiles:
availability of investment opportunities that provide the required level of production;
The availability of scientific research base, which has highly qualified personnel;
availability of advanced technology and related technological equipment for the deployment of mass (mass) production of automobiles;
availability of skilled personnel able to provide exact adherence to quality of production;
availability of training and skills development, able to quickly update aging under the influence of scientific and technological advancement of knowledge;
the presence of high-level design traditions and the conditions for its progress in research and development and production;
availability of pre-sales and after-sales service of cars, capable of providing prevention and repair of motor vehicles with the required level of quality and reasonable price for the client;
After the identification of possible factors to achieve a competitive advantage, you need to explore the possibilities of ensuring the implementation of (involvement) of the data selected factors.
The influence of the local competitors in the creation of production factors. It is known that the presence of local competitors stimulates the rapid development of specialized infrastructure, helps to increase the number of qualified personnel, improving knowledge of the market, etc. The country in which a group of local competitors is small (two or three competing firms) are not able to achieve world leadership in passenger automobile on any of these factors. Long-term practice of functioning in Russia two main competitors (AvtoVAZ and AZLK) in manufacturing small cars are about the same class shows that, despite the presence of a sufficiently large developing centers, large-sized production facilities, and other factors, cars, manufactured in serial production of these plants on the global market is practically non-competitive. In the domestic market, cars, manufactured AvtoVAZ, more preferably, mainly due to more (than AZLK) perfect after-sales service and the availability of more appropriate solutions combining power characteristics of the engine and the body weight and size characteristics (although, of course, and the level of service and these solutions can not be found to meet the world standards).
The impact of national issues on the creation of factors of production. Competitive advantage is created in the first place, firms in industries whose activities are connected with solution of critical national issues. With reference to the example we are considering - passenger-car industry - this claim is legitimate. For many years it was believed that the Soviet Union and then Russia is a priority in the development of public transportation, the public investments were mainly only in the production of trucks and other modes of public transport (metro, trams, trolleys, buses, etc.) . Production of passenger cars was not among the most important national issues, which negatively affected the strategic potential of the industry.
The influence of domestic demand for the creation of factors of production. Great influence on the creation of factors of production by the parameters of demand. High demand directs public and private investment in the creation of one or another general or highly specialized factor. Despite the fact that in the USSR the development of passenger car industry was not among the most important national issues, the demand for small cars was extremely high. In the post-Soviet period, this demand is growing, but is constrained by artificially fixed by the monopoly over-inflated prices, which have a negative impact, especially on these plants themselves. But the need for passenger cars of this class has not ceased to be relevant. It is true now that need was met by more than second-hand foreign cars. The government, realizing paternalistic policies on manufacturers, trying to influence the demand by establishing high customs duties and other means. But nevertheless, the potential demand for cars is high and tends to further increase.
The influence of related and supporting industries to the factors of production. These industries promote mechanisms to improve the specialized factors. It's hard to find a sector of the national economy, which would have no direct impact on the formation of the factors of competitive advantage in the domestic passenger car industry. This is the metallurgy and electrical engineering industries, textile and chemical industries, petroleum refining and the production of glass, instrumentation and radios, etc., etc. In other words, the automotive needs of developed industrial potential of the country. Therefore, to ensure competitive advantage for any company of the domestic passenger car industry can only be a significant development in all major sectors of the national economy.
Thus, we can conclude that the main obstacle to the implementation of the strategy based on the development of series production at the company "Alpha" is the inability to achieve the main competitive advantages in the market due to the lack of necessary (domestic) factors of production. The creation of these benefits requires a long time and to make significant investment in production and infrastructure. Currently this is not possible. Therefore can be considered two different strategies:
A) Organization of assembling production of foreign models on the basis of the joint venture;
B) The reorientation of the company with the production of vehicles for the provision of services.
And the implementation of the strategy requires the firm wide strategic opportunities in the first place, to attract considerable credit for this project, and secondly, to attract foreign partners to participate in the project. From the initial conditions under which we considered this hypothetical firm, it follows that it does not have such capabilities. Therefore, it is more preferred implementation strategy B.
Technological conditions in the implementation of the strategy can be identified by constructing a matrix of competitive advantage. Suppose that during the previous activities of the company its employees acquired unique expertise in the area of certain operations, backed by appropriate "know-how" and the availability of the necessary technological base. Then type in the performance of service, including the operation as a major company will have a competitive advantage based on the use of the old "know-how". Thus, one of the main problems of the analysis in the formulation of the company's strategy is to analyze existing or possible future technologies in terms of whether it can provide the company a competitive advantage.
The approximate shape of the table given below (see Table 3.3).
Table 3
Table competitive advantages of the company "Alpha"
The main types of competitive advantage
Technological conditions of competitive advantage
Qualified personnel
"Know-how" in carrying out painting work
......................................................
High level of mechanization
Leadership as
Cost leadership
............................
The level of service
High flexibility
In the cells of the table are arranged scores characterizing the comparative position of the firm in comparison with the main competitors for the position. The presence of high scores on two or three positions is the basis for developing the strategy. B based on the advantages based on technological factors.
5 Strategies for Knowledge Management
The modern period of development of technology companies called the transition from a business based on technologies to business, knowledge-based, so all the more difference in the competitiveness of high-tech firms is determined by the difference between their base of knowledge and different capacity development and utilization of new knowledge.
Many studies on these issues, consider the different types of knowledge, noting in particular the differences between the hidden and pronounced individual and public knowledge. These differences may be of strategic importance for the future of innovation capability of copying or maintaining competitive advantage.
However, if adequate knowledge and that knowledge management practices are an increasingly important feature of the modern firm, the strategy of development of knowledge is, apparently, a critical area of its strategic choices.
In this regard, the study similarities and differences of knowledge management strategies in various industries and their consequence for the success of specific firms allow us to formulate some of the best approaches and solutions.
All in all, there are a few guidelines of strategic alternatives that shape and guide the learning process (acquisition of knowledge) of the organization. Appropriate solutions are a compromise for the four groups of parameters that characterize the distribution of resources, goals, techniques and systems for the promotion of the organization. Development of an optimal strategy for knowledge management means formulating answers to the following questions:
1) What is the optimal ratio between internal and external sources of training firms
2) The firm must determine whether they want to do and, if so, to what extent the focus on radical or gradual learning
3) to select the optimal learning rate and, finally,
4) The company must find a balance between the width and the depth of their knowledge base.
Strategically important to determine the balance between external and internal training that best meets the needs and available resources of the firm. When an internal training staff themselves organizations create and disseminate new knowledge within the boundaries of an organization, with external training knowledge comes from external sources on the basis of some form of purchase and then distributed within the firm. (Intermediate option corresponds to the case where the transfer of the knowledge within the organization carries out some affiliate, but the foreign firm).
Focus on internal training allows the firm to develop its core competence and to strengthen related achievements, as well as allowing a greater degree of control over the development process and to better understand the existing tacit knowledge, which, if not impossible, it is difficult to purchase from another company.
External training is useful for the development of a broader base of knowledge to keep up with advanced technologies. Access to new knowledge through external training increases the flexibility of the firm, which is especially important in today's rapidly changing environment.
It follows that, in general, internal and external training are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. The firm, thriving in internal training, and has a high "absorptive capacity" to external training, which is achieved, in particular, as a result of the advanced internal R & D, gain experience, high-quality training. In turn, the external training, in addition to useful new ideas, provides an opportunity to see some aspects of its activities with the other positions, so all in all, each firm must determine that the very balance of internal and external training resources that can maximize the overall effect.
The ratio of radical and progressive training also is the balance that is determined by the firm based on its willingness to radical or gradual changes. The gradual acquisition and use of new knowledge (gradual training) is the most profitable in the short term, but a radical training or looking for a radically new knowledge provides long-term benefits. Firm focused on the search exaggerated, often suffer from excessive costs on experiments that do not provide significant and the more benefits loved ones. The company is overly focused on the use of existing knowledge, at risk of being in a stable state of "second-rate". However, it is difficult or almost impossible to follow both directions, because, in addition to limited resources, each of these types of learning requires a different organizational structure and culture.
Selectable speed of learning is determined by the importance of understanding how fast it will get and apply new knowledge. To a large extent the speed of learning related to the preferred sources of knowledge. External training is usually slower because it does not have its advocates within the organization. This external knowledge can be difficult to understand or interpret and finally a barrier is known syndrome "not invented here." For all the understandable desire of firms to maximize the learning rate, which in practice is limited by the resources available, but it should be borne in mind that the slower rate of perception of the new addition to the reliability of learning contributes to the development of certain areas of complementary expertise and their greater integration into the practice of the company, with the result that leads to a better collective knowledge.
Desired width of knowledge a particular firm is entirely determined by its management. With limited resources, usually better to focus on a specific area of knowledge (core or core competencies) to try to be a leader in this particular area at the expense of depth reached in the critical areas of knowledge. However, too narrow technological base of the firm can lead to excessive "core tenacity" and less ability to flexible adaptation to a changing environment. Notable studies show the benefits of broader knowledge that integrate into the life of the company provides greater strategic flexibility.
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For preparation of this work were used materials from the site http://www.intb.ru
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