Title: Organisational frameworks for listening post activities

Authors: Oliver Gassmann, Berislav Gaso

Addresses: University of St. Gallen, Institute of Technology Management, Dufourstrasse 40a, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland. ' Harvard University, Cambridge MA 1209; Boylston Street No. 55, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Abstract: Technological listening posts are increasingly being observed as an empirical phenomenon in centres of technological excellence. Based on 118 semi-structured interviews with 24 technology-intensive European multinationals, we revealed three types of organisational frameworks suited for the management and support of technological listening posts which we termed ad hoc constellations, temporary-overlaying organisations and institutionalised scanning units. Our empirical research also revealed four determinants that are shaping the overall degree of efficiency of the organisational frameworks. While the first two are proxies for the well-known concept of absorptive capacity, the last two describe what we term as multiplicative capacity. The advantage of each particular organisational framework can be justified with the four determinants.

Keywords: international R&D; research and development; technology intelligence; absorptive capacity; multiplicative capacity; knowledge sourcing; knowledge transfer; organisational frameworks; technological listening posts; technology management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTIP.2005.007041

International Journal of Technology Intelligence and Planning, 2005 Vol.1 No.3, pp.241 - 265

Published online: 09 May 2005 *

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