Title: External integration in medical technology development: a theoretical perspective

Authors: Paula E. Bobrowski, Arun Ranchod

Addresses: School of Business, State University of New York, Oswego, NY 13126, USA. McKesson Automated Health Care, P.O.Box 262, Ellwood City, PA 16117, USA

Abstract: This research explores external integration in medical technology development from a communication theory perspective. The findings of the study demonstrate how high-tech medical technology manufacturers are organising and managing their communication systems with key insights into: 1) the medical technology development process; 2) the structure of external integration; 3) communication structures that are evolving in context to external integration; and 4) how firms are planning to expand external integration in medical technology management, an area that is considered to be the new frontier as we move further into the ||global information age||.

Keywords: communication theory; external integration; management of medical technology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHTM.1999.001050

International Journal of Healthcare Technology and Management, 1999 Vol.1 No.1/2, pp.13-28

Published online: 30 Jun 2003 *

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