Adaptation of the MIVES method for the strategic selection of new technologies at an R&D centre. Focus on the manufacturing sector

The key role of R&D Centers for technological development in industrial companies is undeniable and clearly impacts on the competitive strategies of industry. R&D Centers assume responsibility for the identification, selection, acquisition, development, and transfer of technology. Among their activities, the successful selection of new technologies is becoming a highly critical and complex challenge in the Technology Management Process. The problem underlying the right selection of new generations of technologies is, from a methodological perspective, linked to key heterogeneous (technological, economic, human, and organizational) factors. Even though previous research has focused on the selection of technologies within the industrial sector, there is little research on the selection of technology at R&D Institutions and, in particular, at R&D Centers. In this research, a Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM)-based evaluation model for decision-making (MIVES), adaptable to one or several technologies, is therefore, employed. In such complex scenarios, MCDM models are a suitable approach to decision-making. The model is then applied to a real case study, in which the evaluation of a new technology at a Spanish R&D Center specializing in manufacturing is analyzed.

Automated summary

The role of R&D Centers in technological development of industrial companies is crucial and significantly impacts industry's competitive strategies. One of the key challenges in the selection of new technologies is considering various heterogeneous factors. Research on technology selection at R&D Institutions and Centers is limited, and this study proposes a Multiple Criteria Decision Making model for evaluation, which is applied to a real case study of a Spanish manufacturing-focused R&D Center.