Company Size, Age and Innovation Activity in the Steel Industry. (Example of BOF Technology)

Maly, M. (1987). Company Size, Age and Innovation Activity in the Steel Industry. (Example of BOF Technology). IIASA Working Paper. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: WP-87-036

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Abstract

In an era of technology globalization, management appears to be one of the main factors influencing success in technological development. The flexibility and speed with which a company or country is able to identify and introduce new technologies appear to be the most important factors for its subsequent success. Today possibly more than ever. the characteristics of management and organization which enable a company to be innovative are claiming the attention of managers and politicians. No less important is a company's or country's flexibility in exploring and developing already-introduced technologies.

The possibility of describing the process of technology substitution through logistic functions is one method of forecasting future development of a technological species and one which is not yet fully utilized in practice. The management implications of the life cycle concept appear to be very important for managerial practice, but this is a tool which has not yet been fully adapted to managerial needs.

The study and analysis of management dynamics along the different phases of the life cycle can make possible the definition of different management applications of the life cycle concept. Based on this, useful conclusions can be drawn for decision-makers.

Size is one possible characteristic to describe organizational status and management, and the dynamics of size during different phases of the life cycle can indicate the innovative capabilities of small-, medium- and large-scale industries. This is the main objective of the study presented, which in contrast to prior studies, concentrates on two new aspects: new methods of clustering firms and, based on this, analysis of the role of firm size and age in different phases of the life cycle of basic oxygen technology.

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