When Technology meant Manufacturing Technology

My first book `Management of Technology Change' was written in 1994, the beginning of Liberalisation & Globalisation. Information Technology was still not a popular term and Technology was generally referred to as Manufacturing Technology. 

For decades, the industry has managed technology change by importing technology (as available) from joint venture partners. Despite policymakers hoping the Indian Industry would follow MITI Japanese model- import technology, absorb the technology, and later improve the technology to export it, our industry is struck in the first phase of technology import. Technology obsolescence is pervasive and India was least prepared to face global competition when the gates were open. Adding to the pain, the joint venture partners abandoned Indian partners to start their own subsidies.

This book looked at the fundamentals- 

• What constitutes manufacturing technology?
• How to manage changes in technology?
• How Firm Specific Knowledge enhances Technological Capabilty?

Manufacturing Technology (Industry 4.0) is now on the policy horizon.  Are we repeating the mistake of managing new digital technology like in 70's and 80's with imports of capital goods and software, without calibrated Technological Capability enhancement?

Accessing critical technology by Chinese car manufacturers

The Chinese Car manufacturers , SAIC and Geely are in the race to build electric cars. And all they need is access to critical technology and it is interesting to see how they are going about accessing the critical technology,.
Yet-Ming Chiang, is Professor of Ceramics in MIT's Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Prof. Chiang's research focuses on the design, synthesis, and characterization of advanced inorganic materials and related devices. Current topics include new cathode and anode materials for lithium ion batteries, phase transformations in electroactive materials, electrochemical device design, electrochemical-to-mechanical energy conversion, self-assembling colloids, and the stability and defect chemical properties of interfaces in inorganic materials.
He holds several patents like Nano scale Ion Materials, Reticulated and controlled porosity battery structures, high energy high power electrodes. To take the lab technology to market, he was given an exclusive license for the patents that had been generated in his lab at MIT.
In 2001 he co-founded A123 Systems with Bart Riley (Bart Riley, got a degree from Cornell in ceramics ) and Ric Fulop. A123 Systems is currently one of the leading advanced-technology battery companies in the United States. The company filed over 160 patents, important among them is U.S. patent 7,338,734 entitled “Conductive Lithium Storage Electrode” one of the industry’s most comprehensive high-power lithium ion patent portfolios. This landmark patent protects A123’s unique Nanophosphate™ battery technology, which offers an advanced combination of power, safety and life.The technology is now enabling the use of lithium ion batteries in automotive applications, such as hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), extended-range (E-REV), and pure electric vehicles (EV).

SAIC entered into joint venture with A 123 systems ,Shanghai Advanced Traction Battery Systems Co. (ATBS), to develop complete energy storage systems for all hybrid electric and pure electric vehicles manufactured by SAIC Motor and its wholly-owned subsidiaries.

My e-Books from Corporate Tool Box

Corporate Tool Box has brought out 3 E Books authored by me:

1. Value Creation from Technology Licensing
2.Knowledge-the basis of Competition
3.Globlisation and Value creation

For details see:
http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com/c_standard.asp?cid=-1822717345