Title: Technology strategy in defence industry acquisitions: a comparative assessment of two giants

Authors: Rahul N. Advani, Michael Anderson, Stephen Bowling, Donna Doane, Edward B. Roberts

Addresses: Management of Technology Program, MIT Sloan School of Management, E52-535, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139, USA. Management of Technology Program, MIT Sloan School of Management, E52-535, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139, USA. Management of Technology Program, MIT Sloan School of Management, E52-535, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139, USA. Management of Technology Program, MIT Sloan School of Management, E52-535, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139, USA

Abstract: Acquisitions and mergers are rapidly changing the character of the global defence-aerospace industry. This paper examines those phenomena by tracing the actions of two of the largest US aerospace giants from the perspectives of technology strategy. Following each of the acquisition efforts over the past few years by Raytheon and Lockheed-Martin, the paper probes the companies| motivations and rationale behind their acquisitions, the impact upon the firms| portfolios of technical competencies, potential penetration of new markets and access to new technologies influenced by the acquisitions, organisational issues posed by the technology transfer problems, and other subsequent effects upon core research and development.

Keywords: acquisitions; defence-aerospace industry; technology strategy; core competencies; R&D organisation; familiarity matrix.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1998.002636

International Journal of Technology Management, 1998 Vol.15 No.8, pp.781-804

Published online: 01 Aug 2003 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article