How BICC Cables Transferred a New Process Technology from R&D to Manufacturing

OVERVIEW:The transfer of a process technology from a firm's R&D business to one of its manufacturing businesses is strongly affected by technological and organizational factors that could either help or inhibit the transfer. In one UK cable producing company, active senior management input driving a key technology transfer project and the willingness of its internal businesses to deliver excellence led to the trust and respect so important in these types of strategic collaborations. Having senior management input and trust can help firms to encourage the movement of staff across organizational and geographical business function boundaries, which is an important ingredient of successful technology transfer within the firm.