Enhancing Technology Transition from RDI to Applications : Case Study: Meyer Turku
Palmer, Abigail Ignacia (2024-11-07)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2024110790093
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2024110790093
Tiivistelmä
Innovation in the maritime industry is imperative in the strive towards the climate change goals set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Management of the innovation and technology development process in an organization is necessary for successful implementation of both incremental and radical innovations. Identifying and evaluating existing processes and problem areas in transitioning technologies from Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) to the application stage is one way to improve efficiency and ensure that RDI and sustainability targets are accomplished. Technology development processes have been well researched and they are applicable with some modifications to the shipbuilding industry especially in an engineer to order environment.
This thesis is a case study on Meyer Turku which is a shipbuilding organization. The purpose of the study is to examine the organization's current sales and engineering change management processes and challenges in transitioning technologies from development to application within the technology development management process. Based on the assessment of the current processes, the study suggests methods to improve the efficiency of advancing the technologies from RDI to applications. The study begins with a literature review that comprises the different aspects of innovation and technology management process, understanding the engineer to order environment, the main components of engineering change management, and common strategies to advance RDI ideas to the application stage. The study utilizes an inductive approach and a qualitative method with semi-structured interviews. The themes for the interviews are gathered through literature.
The results of the study begin with the interview findings of the current state of the sales and engineering change management process and their respective challenges. They also indicate the current RDI efforts and challenges, state of knowledge management, resistance to change, and the ideal future process. The main result of the study is that the organization lacks a standardized process for advancing technologies from RDI to the application stage and it is best to focus on implementing new technologies in the sales phase rather than through change orders. The analysis provides suggestions for future RDI to application processes obtained from literature to best fit the organization and overcome the known challenges. It includes suggestions for the future sales process that incorporates the internal Technology Radar project. A modified stage-gate model is suggested for the technology development process with the Sustainable Process Industry through Resource and Energy Efficiency (SPIRE) project decision-making framework. The suggestions include the need for productization of technologies and change management.
This thesis is a case study on Meyer Turku which is a shipbuilding organization. The purpose of the study is to examine the organization's current sales and engineering change management processes and challenges in transitioning technologies from development to application within the technology development management process. Based on the assessment of the current processes, the study suggests methods to improve the efficiency of advancing the technologies from RDI to applications. The study begins with a literature review that comprises the different aspects of innovation and technology management process, understanding the engineer to order environment, the main components of engineering change management, and common strategies to advance RDI ideas to the application stage. The study utilizes an inductive approach and a qualitative method with semi-structured interviews. The themes for the interviews are gathered through literature.
The results of the study begin with the interview findings of the current state of the sales and engineering change management process and their respective challenges. They also indicate the current RDI efforts and challenges, state of knowledge management, resistance to change, and the ideal future process. The main result of the study is that the organization lacks a standardized process for advancing technologies from RDI to the application stage and it is best to focus on implementing new technologies in the sales phase rather than through change orders. The analysis provides suggestions for future RDI to application processes obtained from literature to best fit the organization and overcome the known challenges. It includes suggestions for the future sales process that incorporates the internal Technology Radar project. A modified stage-gate model is suggested for the technology development process with the Sustainable Process Industry through Resource and Energy Efficiency (SPIRE) project decision-making framework. The suggestions include the need for productization of technologies and change management.