Alternative frameworks for technology strategy

If the progress in the field of technology strategy over the last decade is viewed from the industrial perspective, it is clear that three broad issues have formed part of the permanent agenda. These issues are: (1) The coupling between business and technical strategy. (2) The adverse impact of short-term financial perspectives on technical strategy. (3) Technology strategy for the service sector. In all three cases, where the debate has stalled, we have had to await the development of new conceptual frameworks before substantial progress has been accomplished in resolving the issues and implementing practical solutions. The paper outlines new conceptual approaches to these issues, and discusses their implementation in a major U.S. corporation, and its corporate research laboratories.