Linking Strategy and Innovation : Mtc

5057 Words21 Pages
| Technology and New Product Development : Midterm Case Analysis | Linking Strategy and Innovation : Materials Technology Corporation | | [Type the author name] | 3/20/2014 | | Brief Overview: Background: Materials Technology Corporation (MTC) was established in 1984 by a group of MIT-scientists who had made significant developments in ceramic-processing technology. Their aim was to further develop and improve the manufacturing processes for these advanced materials and find markets for products made from these materials. Over time, their reputation for technological success grew and MTC was viewed as one of the best research-organizations. Their organization structure also evolved accordingly with time and the R&D department was formally divided into 5 different groups, based on engineers and technicians who had gained expertise in specific areas. For all project proposals they accepted, they composed the project team by drawing people from these different groups according to the type of expertise the project was in need of. Case Overview: MTC soon established a reputation for success in technological innovation in the field of advanced materials manufacturing. However, along with success also came the problem of having to deal with too many projects, primarily because of the reluctance of senior management to turn down any proposal that looked promising or challenging. The engineers and technicians working in R&D were overloaded with work, most of them working on as many as 5 projects at any given time. This could have an adverse effect on the company, as people with too much workload tend to compromise on the quality of their work. So when Bob Block, sales manager for MTC walked into Cathryn Sundback’s office and asked about the feasibility of taking on three new projects, the question on Sundback’s mind was not so much about the

More about Linking Strategy and Innovation : Mtc

Open Document