Steps & characteristics of scientific discovery, Difference between science & technology, Technology & wealth of nations, Technology & competitive advantage of organizations

1. Technology & Its
Importance
By
Dr. Vijay Kr Khurana

2. What is Science?
• Science mainly deals with the natural world. It is
the study of the natural laws, which govern the
universe. Examples ??
• Science is public and universal knowledge.
• Science is genrally a boon for all human-beings.
• Utility of science does not undergo change with the
passage of time. Scientific development usually
follows stages like discovery and growth.

3. What is Scientific
Discovery?
• Scientific Discovery results in something novel to
the society / the world. It does not mean mere
discovery of new use, new arrangement or new
reorganization of existing scientific principles /
existing scientific laws, existing technology or its
related products or services.
• Rather it focuses on finding some new scientific
principle or scientific law etc.
• What is new ?

4. What is Scientific
Discovery?
• Scientific Discovery means a new scientific
principle, new technology, new product or new
service means that these did not exist before or
have been invented / introduced recently or have
been invented / introduced for the first time.
• What is nature of scientific discovery?
• What are the steps in scientific discovery?

5. What is nature of
Scientific Discovery?
• It is a highly creative process.
• The scientific discovery results into some novel
scientific principle / new scientific law etc.
• The ideas for scientific research and discovery can
come from following sources:
– Inspiration - Deduction - Induction
• It can be both systematic and unsystematic.

6. What is nature of
Scientific Discovery?
…. Contd…
• Scientific research and discovery leads to increase
of overall scientific knowledge
• Scientific research and discovery usually focusses
on discovering previosly unknown scientific
principles or scientific laws, which already hiddenly
exist i.e it is usually past and present oriented.
• Many a times, scientific research is pursued even if
immediate costs are more than immediate benefits.

7. What is nature of
Scientific Discovery?
Example … International Space Station

8. What is nature of
Scientific Discovery?
Example … International Space Station
• The International Space Station (ISS) is a
habitable artificial satellite in low Earth orbit.
• The ISS programme is a joint project between five
participating space agencies, the American NASA,
the Russian RKA, the Japanese JAXA, the European
ESA, and the Canadian CSA..
• The ISS serves as a microgravity and space
environment research laboratory in which crew
members conduct experiments in biology, human
biology, physics, astronomy, meteorology and other
fields

9. What is nature of
Scientific Discovery?
Example … International Space Station
• The ownership and use of the space station is
established by intergovernmental treaties and
agreements. The station is divided into two
sections, the Russian orbital segment (ROS) and the
United States orbital segment (USOS), which is
shared by many nations.

10. What are the steps in
Scientific Discovery?
1. Statement of Problem, Purpose or Research
Question
2. Hypothesis Formulation
3. Listing of Materials Required
4. Laying Down Procedure for Conducting Research /
Experiment
5. Experimentation, Observations and Data Collection
6. Conclusion

11. What is Technology ?
• Technology has been derived from Greek word
“techno-logia” – Techno means an art or skill and
Logia means science or study. Thus technology
means systematic treatment of, art or study.
• According to Oxford English Dictionary - “
Technology is application of scientific knowledge for
practical purposes”.

12. What is Technology ?
• “Technology means - the totality of the means
employed to provide objects necessary for human
sustenance and comfort. Objects include not only
goods but services, i.e. technology is not restricted
to hardware but may include know-how and
software. ”

13. What is Technology ?
The meaning of Technology, in different contexts, is
as under:-
• Totality of various technologies vs a specific /
particular technology
• Technology as ‘technical means’ - people use to
improve their surroundings.
• Technology as ‘tool’ – as a device or implement used
for a particular task
• Technology as ‘technique - - a way of doing
something or some practical skill
• Technology as a ‘cultural force’ – which forms or
changes culture

14. What is nature of Technology ?
• It involves purposive applications of various fields
of sciences and scientific knowledge.
• It is used to provide objects (like products,
machinery, tools, services etc.) necessary for human
sustenance and comfort.
• It is not restricted to hardware, but also includes
know-how and software.
• It has both public & private components.
• Examples ????

15. What is nature of Technology ?
• It is complex in nature- most modern tools are
difficult to understand as to how to manufacture or
how to use or both.
• It is dependent on other technologies.
• It has high degree of valence –large multitude of
types or variations of the same product.
• It is big in scale – dominates modern life
• Technology carries different meaning to different
people in different situations.
• Examples ???

16. Constituents / Atlas of Technology ?
a. Following are the Parts / Attributes / Constituents
of Technology:
– Body of certain scientific principles and
scientific laws
– Related group of applications (like products,
services or processes or improvements thereof)
– A specific set of artifacts (set of equipments
like machinery, tool etc)

17. Constituents / Atlas of Technology ?
a. contd ….
– Specific knowledge expressed in a cluster of
techniques for investigation, measurement and
application
– Operational experience and know-how (like
prodcution skills etc.)
– Organization - expressed in terms of structure &
systems (for developing and delivering its
applications).

18. Constituents / Atlas of Technology ?
b. Atlas of Technology
• Technoware – object or hardware embodied
technology
• Humanware – person embodied technology
• Infoware – documents, Specifications, procedures,
methods
• Orgaware – institution embodied or support net
technology

19. What are the differences between
Science and Technology
• Many times, two terms are used interchangeably
• Thin line of demarcation between the two terms

20. What are the differences between
Science and Technology
1. Science largely deals with the natural world.
• Technology largely deals with the human-made world
2 Science mainly focusses on understanding scientific
principles / scientific laws
• Technology mainly focusses on doing i.e. it is
application oriented
3. Science is public and universal knowledge
• Technology comprises both public and private
knowledge

21. What are the differences between
Science and Technology
4 . Scientific research and discovery leads to increase
of overall scientific knowledge
• Technology development leads to innovation of new
products, services or processes
5. Utility of science does not undergo change with the
passage of time.
• Technology and the product, service or process
associated with it, undergo changes like the
biological concept of a life cycle (i.e. birth, growth,
maturity & death)

22. What are the differences between
Science and Technology
6. Scientific research and discovery is pursued even
if costs may sometimes exceed benefits
• Technology development is manytimes guided by
cost vs benefit analysis
7. Science is generally useful for all human-beings
• Technology provides specific advantages to owner
and users (and some disadvantages to society)

23. What are the differences between
Science and Technology
8. Scientific research and discovery usually focusses
on discovering previosly unknown scientific
principles or scientific laws, which already hiddenly
exist i.e it is usually past and present oriented
• Technology development is mostly present and
future oriented i.e. deals with finding solutions to
present problems and developing future applications
9 . Scientific research and discovery precedes
technology development
• Technology development succeeds / follows
scientific research and discovery

24. Technology & Wealth of Nations

25. Technology & Wealth of Nations
• History of last 500 years of the world suggests
that technological progress is crucial for military
strength of a nation and its survival as an entity.
• Not only militarily, it is crucial for economic
progress of nations as well.
• Due to technological progress, USA, Western
Europe & Japan etc are able to ensure continued
economic progress despite temporary ups & downs.

26. Technology & Wealth of Nations
a. In domestic market, a nation and its firms, having
better and advanced technology can enjoy following
advantages :
• Improved and efficient functioning of various
organizations in the nation

27. Technology & Wealth of Nations
a. .. contd ….
• Technological progress and infusion brings major
changes and improvements in the overall functioning
of organizations leading to transformations viz.
transformation in Banking Sector, Telecom Sector
etc.
• Enhanced capability to fight foreign competition
and thus retaining control over strategic national
economic assets
• Stability in sales and profits of business firms;
stable growth of sales and profits

28. Technology & Wealth of Nations
a. ... contd ….
• Regular employment generation and high standards
of living
• Lesser probability of occurance of economic
recession and lesser adverse impact of economic
recession if it occurs
• Relative stability in national income
• Growth of national economy

29. Technology & Wealth of Nations
a. … contd ….
• Proper management of natural disasters and other
crisis like earthquake, tsunami, floods, droughts, oil
spills etc; and faster recovery from such disasters
and crisis
• Proper management of law and order, terrorism,
internal security, and crossborder movements
• Better infrastructure and facilities like medical
facilities etc; and better infrastructure
management
• Development of technologies for conserving and
strengthening natural resource base; for protecting
flora & fauna ; and environment

30. Technology & Wealth of Nations
b. In external markets, a nation and its firms having
better and advanced technology can enjoy following
advantages :
• Technological competitive advantage
• Boost to exports
• Forex earnings through exports
• Disposal of surplus to external markets thus
maintaining stability in domestic prices
• Monopoly & high prices for hi-tech products in the
international markets

31. Technology & Wealth of Nations
b. … contd …
• Earnings from external markets provide additional
funds for supporting research & development at
home
• Globalisation of operations leading to benefits of
economies of scale of mass production, and cost
reduction by procuring low cost resources / inputs
from anywhere in the world.

32. Technology & Wealth of Nations
b. … contd …
• Facilitates outbound Foreign Direct Investment
(FDI) by domestic firms leading to earnings through
captive exports, repatriation of profits, sale of
machinery, sale of components and sub-assemblies
etc.
• Earnings through technolgy transfer agreements
• Employment generation & high standards of living
• As the total size of the national economy becomes
bigger due to participation in international busniess,
chances of domestic stagnation / recession decline
• .

33. Technology & Wealth of Nations
b. … contd …
• Growth of national economy
• Developing international reputation and attracting
overseas investors
• A prominent role for the nation in the international
economic matters and international decision- making
• Increase of national influence over other countries
• Enables the nation to monitor movement of its
ships, cargos and other resources in the world by
using various technologies like Global Positioning
System(GPS) etc.

34. Technology & Firm specific Knowledge
• Technology development provides unique / specific
ownership advantages to a business firm, which are
known as firm-specific knowledge or firm-specific
advantages.
• This firm specific knowledge may be held
temporarily or permanenetly; and are held
exclusively.
• It includes intangible assets such as technical
expertise, technical knowhow, processknowhow or
patents etc.

35. Technology & Firm specific Knowledge
• … contd…
• The firm specific knowledge provides some sort of
operational and competitive advantages to the owner
business firm and put its competitors in relatively
disadvantageous position.
• These firm-specific advantages promise superior
returns to the owner firm over its competitors.
• These firm-specific advantages enable a business
enterprise / MNC to move into foreign markets and
become successful in foreign markets despite high
operating costs and problems, (particularly in initial
years).

36. Technology & Firm specific Knowledge
Importance / Significance of Firm Specific Knowledge /
Strategic Management of Technology (SMOT)
• Improvement in quality thus leading to high quality
products
• Minimum life cycle costs of product development
• Substantially reduced production costs
• Shorter lead times from R&D design to commercial
production
• High levels of flexibility in responding to changing
market conditions.

37. Technology & Firm specific Knowledge
… contd …
• Taking advantage of economics of scale (volume/ mass
production) & economics of scope (variety)
• Reduction in number of machine tools required to
manufacture parts
• Reduction in floor space requirements due to better
machinery designing and spatial arrangement
• Reduction in labour requirements by better utilization
of technlogical strengths
• Increase in machine utilization rate by removing
bottlenecks

38. Technology & Firm specific Knowledge
… contd …
• Reduction in work in process & finished goods
inventories
• Reduction in overall cycle time
• Simplification of production scheduling, better work
flow
• Increase in manufacturing capacity
• Higher efficiency & higher productivity
• Shared use of design & manufacturing data across
different divisons of the organization and its
business partners

39. Technology & Firm specific Knowledge
… contd …
• Flexibility in design & manufacturing operations
• Increased ability to enter new markets quickly,
faster introduction of new products
• Improved management control
• Shortened delivery time for customers
• Reduced material handling
• Increased safety of workforce and consumers
• Enhanced capability to fight foreign competition
• Stability in sales and profits of business firms;
stable growth of sales and profits

40. Technology & Firm specific Knowledge
… contd …
• Increased earnings through exports
• Monopoly & high prices for hi-tech products in the
international markets
• Facilitates outbound Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
by domestic firms leading to earnings through captive
exports, repatriation of profits, sale of machinery,
sale of components and sub-assemblies etc.
• Earnings through technolgy transfer agreements
• Technological progress and infusion brings major
changes and improvements in the overall functioning
of organizations leading to transformations viz.
transformation in Banking Sector, Telecom
Sector etc.

41. Technology & Its
Importance
By
Dr. Vijay Kr Khurana