TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT

Running head: TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT

A project proposal about Technology Assessment and Management using Component Business Model

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Author's Note

Abstract

The terms "emerging" or "disruptive" technologies are common in the world of today; this is because of
new technologies that appear every other time. The question for business owners is, "How will this
affect my business?". This question is necessary for both the IT solution developers and business
managers.

Consequently, the current focus of IT solutions development is also changing; IT leadership has had to
shift towards a service-based orientation from the traditional technology-based orientation. The
contemporary perspective seeks to view IT as a business with IT services as the primary products to be
consumed by the customers. This paper, therefore, offers a description of the Component Business
Model and its underlying process activities as a technology assessment tool that will not only ensure a
proper technology development but also provide more reliable identification of potential technological
development and to differentiate threats from opportunities by the executives and policymakers.

Keywords: Technology Assessment, Component Bussines Model, forecasting.

Introduction.

Traditionally, the Component Business Model (CBM) is a technique for enterprise modeling and analysis.
The CBM represents a business logically as a map of the business components or the "building blocks"
depictable on a single page(Ernest & Nisavic, 2007). The model is useful for identification of overlapping
and redundant business capabilities, to analyze ana align the business capabilities and investments to
the business strategy, to perform an analysis about the sourcing options for the different components of
buy and build and prioritizing options capabilities for creating unified roadmap after acquisitions or
mergers. According to Chesbrough (2010), the CBM technique can be viewed as a new point of view
regarding the designing and assessment of a business. It departs away from the traditional way of
viewing business from the dimensions of a business unit, geographic area, function, or the process view.
Cohn et al. (2007) argue that the model combines both vertical and horizontal integration to identify the
basic building blocks of a business. The building blocks represent the interchangeable manufacturing
parts; however, they comprise of processes, activities, functions, and services collectively known as
business capabilities. Each capability is composed of resources (including human resources), activities,
and technology required to produce a service valued by an external customer or by another component.
The CBM is used to comprehensively analyze the composition of each business and then mapping the
individual components (building blocks) onto a single page (Chang et al., 2007). The three operational
levels of interest in business are Control, Execute, and Direct. These "Direct" level separate strategic
decision, the "Control" level perform management checks while the "Execute" level manages business
actions on business competencies.

This study, therefore, purposes to establish how the CBM technique could be used as a form of policy
research that examines the short and long term social, legal, ethical, and social consequences of the
application of technology (Ivan et al., 2009).

General Objective

The general objective of this study is to establish how the CBM techniques can be adopted in the
common unpleasant consequences that may accompany technological dynamism.

Specific objectives

i). To review the current literature on technology assessment, tools, technologies and methodologies
required for business decision making.

ii) To demonstrate the correlation between technology assessment, CBM, and business strategy.

iii). To propose the application of CBM as a technology assessment technique

Scope and Limitations

The study will be limited to the following aspects; the study will limit its research to the online sources
and books relevant to the study. The study will also be limited to the development of a simplified
business model tool to align with the TA process

Purpose and Rationale

The extensive use of technology has not only brought improvement in the lives of people but negative
impacts among users and non-users. The introduction of new technology usage has been found to
predispose humanity to adverse outcomes. This research is vital since it aims at identifying and
providing advice to upcoming and operating industrial firms. Through the analysis of the different
technology assessment tools, this research will be able to measure the cost and benefits that
accompany the introduction of new technology. The study, therefore, will strive to establish how the
existing TA tools and methodologies can be combined to develop a tool that resembles CBM as a
technology assessment strategy.

Methodology

The study will combine both primary and secondary approaches. The study will review relevant articles
about technology assessment methods and tools and the CMB strategy. The research will also be
conducted in different organizations and firms that employ the use of technology in their daily activities
to gather information on the development and presentation of the CBM technique. The study aims to
determine how organizations and individuals manage the use of technology. The following methods will
be used in the assessment of technology:

Delphi Method

The project will apply the use of open-ended questionnaires in the collection of data. The tool relies on
the opinion of experienced individuals in the technology field; several rounds will be made to reach a
consensus (Chia, Brian & Standford, 2007). It will help gather opinions concerning the future of
technology.

Forecasting

The project aims to use this tool in trying to look at the future impacts that existing technology will
bring. Extrapolation is used; the project will rely on existing data to determine what would happen later.
The forecasting will be done from a standard curve to estimate future occurrences (Coates, Mahaffie &
Hines, 1994).

Cost-Benefit Analysis

This method helps analyze the cost and benefit of technology. It establishes who benefits from any
technological change within a population. Thie analysis will include identification of environment cost or
benefit that comes with technological changes, (Ernest Braun, 2005).

Data Analysis

Research data will be analyzed using tables, graphs, and pie charts. Results from questionnaires will be
evaluated individually to obtain opinions from different experts interviewed (Sid Huff, Malcolm Munro,
1985).

Outcomes

This research project aims to analyze the existing technology assessment tools and techniques existing
today. The study also hopes to convince the decision-makers and business managers to adopt the CBM
for use as a technology assessment tool.

References

Chang, H. Y., Flaxer, D., Iyengar, V., Jeng, J. J., Nigam, A., Rackham, G., & Vergo, J. (2007). U.S. Patent
Application No. 11/212,105.

Chesbrough, H. (2010). Business model innovation: opportunities and barriers. Long-range planning,
43(2-3), 354-363.

Cohn, D., Dill, R., Flaxer, D., Galambos, G., Guttman, R., Harishankar, R., ... & Smith, J. (2007). U.S. Patent
Application No. 11/202,377.

Coates, J. E, Mahaffie, JB and Hines, A. (1994) 'Technological Forecasting: 1970– 1993', Technological
Forecasting and Social Change, 47, 23–33.
Braun, E. (2005). Technology in Context: Technology assessment for managers. Routledge.

Ernest, M., & Nisavic, J. M. (2007). Adding value to the IT organization with the component business
model. IBM Systems Journal, 46(3), 387-403.

Hsu, C. C., & Sandford, B. A. (2007). The Delphi technique: making sense of consensus. Practical
assessment, research & evaluation, 12(10), 1-8.

Ivan, A. A., Lee, J., Pan, Y., Xie, G. T., & Yang, Y. (2009). U.S. Patent No. 7,516,155. Washington, DC: U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office.

Naylor, C. D., Williams, J. I., Basinski, A., & Goel, V. (1993). Technology assessment and cost-
effectiveness analysis: misguided guidelines?. CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal, 148(6), 921.

Porter, A. L., Rossini, F. A., Carpenter, S. R., Roper, A. T., Larson, R. W., & Tiller, J. S. (1980). Guidebook
for technology assessment and impact analysis.