Development of a technology management concept for SMEs

Enterprises in technology-intensive industries face the challenge of dealing with an exponentially growing amount of technological knowledge and shortening innovation cycles. Therefore, the identification, assessment, implementation and commercialisation of new technologies has become an important management task and a prerequisite for innovativeness. However, empirical research has proven that the majority of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) renounces explicit technology management structures in practise. The reason for this situation can be found in a gap in theory since a holistic technology management concept tailored to the specific needs of SMEs has not been developed yet. In this paper, a design concept for technology management in SMEs is presented. As a basis for this concept, the interrelations between typical attributes of technology-oriented SMEs, their technology strategy aims and the resulting tasks to be carried out in technology management are discussed. In this context, typical intrinsic strengths and weaknesses of SMEs referring to the ability to perform technology management are analysed. Based on these findings, design guidelines with regard to key activities of technology management in SMEs dependent on company-specific strategic aims can be derived.