Implementing New Technologies

The impact of technological change on manufacturing industry and related business sectors is profound, and the pace of change continues to accelerate. The issue of implementation is now recognized as central, yet serious literature is scattered. This book collects together key theoretical and empirical international contributions covering important facets of this problem. After an editor's introduction, section two covers the nature of the problems associated with technological change. Section three then discusses manufacturing innovation as a process. Sections four and five look at issues in the key areas of corporate strategy and management of implementation. Section six analyses financing issues - the problems of resource allocation and investment, and section seven discusses the problems of reorganizing for technological change, including information systems and human skills. The book rounds off with several case studies from different industrial areas.