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Technology & Innovation Management Flashcards

7 cards from real MEM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. Which concept describes a situation where an established technology is displaced by a simpler, cheaper alternative that initially underperforms on traditional metrics?

    Answer: Disruptive innovation

    Disruptive innovation, per Clayton Christensen, starts by serving overlooked segments with simpler, cheaper products before eventually displacing incumbents.

  2. A firm's 'absorptive capacity' refers to its ability to:

    Answer: Recognize, assimilate, and apply external knowledge

    Absorptive capacity (Cohen & Levinthal, 1990) is the firm's ability to identify, assimilate, and exploit externally generated knowledge for commercial ends.

  3. In the context of open innovation, which mechanism allows a firm to monetize unused intellectual property through licensing or spin-offs?

    Answer: Outbound open innovation

    Outbound open innovation involves commercializing internal ideas externally via licensing, joint ventures, or spin-offs.

  4. A technology S-curve is used primarily to:

    Answer: Track performance improvement of a technology over time relative to effort invested

    The S-curve shows slow initial improvement, rapid growth, then diminishing returns as a technology matures, signaling when to invest in the next paradigm.

  5. Which stage of the technology readiness level (TRL) scale represents a system that has been tested and validated in an operational environment?

    Answer: TRL 9

    TRL 9 signifies that the technology has been flight-proven or operationally proven in a real-world environment, the highest maturity level.

  6. The 'dominant design' concept in technology management suggests that:

    Answer: A single design configuration eventually dominates a market, after which competition shifts to process efficiency

    After a dominant design emerges (e.g., the QWERTY keyboard or VHS format), competitive advantage shifts from product innovation to process innovation and cost reduction.

  7. Which framework helps managers assess whether to 'make, buy, or ally' for a given technology by evaluating strategic importance and competitive position?

    Answer: The technology sourcing framework (Pisano)

    Pisano's technology sourcing framework evaluates the strategic importance of a technology and the firm's relative competence to guide make-buy-ally decisions.