Technology strategy as enabler for future growth and entering disruptive innovations

Small and medium enterprises (SME) are not sensitized or rather scared in many cases of the laborious process behind the formulation of such a strategy. In many cases companies do have neither a clearly enunciated corporate strategy nor a vision of the future on which the technology strategy can be elaborated. This paper introduces a methodology for the formulation of the technology strategy based on competence management through a technology-function matrix that especially meets SME-specific conditions (undefined corporate strategy, unclear picture of the future, limited resources, etc.). Three types of benefits for the SMEs will be discussed within a use case in the area of contactless power transfer. The first benefit results from the recognized as relevant future fields, the second benefit emerges from the elaborated application ideas within these fields and the 3rd benefit represent the technology strategy, derived from the actual product-portfolio within the most promising future-applications.