Keeping Abreast of Science and Technology: Technical Intelligence for Business tells readers how to use their own Technical Intelligence (TI) activities to gain business advantage.
Technological surprises and lost opportunities are an inevitable part of business, but much can be done to foresee profit opportunities and minimize investment risks. Many firms have dedicated technical staff that are responsible for surveillance of science and technology (S&T) to quickly alert managers and researchers to new developments. Keeping Abreast of Science and Technology will show readers how many companies use TI to anticipate technology surprises, focus R&D programs, monitor competitors, and address technical threats.
Keeping Abreast of Science and Technology describes current TI practices and methods used by several leading-edge companies. Important hands-on information and examples from organizations and operations help readers understand how to establish and operate their own TI units. Valuable information on patents and technical literature illustrates how these key S&T information sources are used to track and evaluate S&T developments. Chapters on technology scouting and computerized data bases show how to find new technologies rapidly anywhere in the world. The book also contains an appendix of widely used on-line information sources for tracking S&T activities.
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part 1 : Introduction and Basic Concepts : Technical Intelligence Foundations
Editorial Introduction
An Introduction to Technical Intelligence
Identifying the Research Underlying Technical Intelligence
Japan as a Model for a National Approach to Business Intelligence
Part 2 : Managing Technical Intelligence Organizations in Business
Editorial Introduction
Creating Successful Scientific and Technical Intelligence Programs
Designing and Implementing Technology Intelligence Systems
Organizing a Competitive Technical Intelligence Group
Organizing for Competitive Intelligence : The Technology and Manufacturing Perspective
Part 3 : Producing Competitive Technical Intelligence : Approaches and Tools
Editorial Introduction
Technology Scouting
Computer Support Systems for Scientific and Technical Intelligence
Using Databases to Gather Competitive Intelligence
Patents and Technology Intelligence
Identifying Strategic Sciences and Technologies Through Scientometrics
Practical Use of Competitive Technical Intelligence : Superconductor Business Applications and Opportunities
Part 4 : Using Competitive Technical Intelligence : Applying Results to Obtain Value
Editorial Introduction
Range of Services Provided by Competitive Technical Intelligence
Technological Intelligence Through Standards Analysis : The Standards Baseline
The Rationale for Competitive Technical Intelligence Systems : Producing Ideas That Create Intellectual Capital
Part 5 : Contemporary Business Intelligence Issues
Editorial Introduction
Future Directions in Competitive Technical Intelligence
Appendix : Science and Technology Information Resources
Author Biosketches
Index
