Abstract

A major conclusion of this study was that IAB representatives do, and should, act as technological gatekeepers in their organizations. However, the organizational relationships between member firms and the CMC often make this a difficult activity. Organizational location of the IAB representative seems to have a crucial role in determining the nature of the information brought back into the organization by the IAB representative. The three major locations for IAB representatives were in 1) process R&D, 2) product R&D, and 3) production. Based on organizational problems/opportunities experienced in the area in which the IAB representative worked various CMC project information was or wasn't brought back into the firm. That is, the IAB representatives tend to filter CMC project reports based on issues of importance in their own areas of responsibility. Thus, we became acutely aware of the importance of who the member firm selects as the IAB representative. A second issue involved the "packaging" of information brought back into the firm. The way in which the information is communicated is often as important as the selection by the IAB representative of those to whom information will be disseminated. In the R&D literature, information packaging and communications skills are thought to be crucial elements of the technological gatekeeping function.


Click on the link below for the final report in pdf.
tansik_northcraft_earley_1088.pdf