Chapter 4
Technology Components
Chapter Objectives

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What are the technology components
that firms should develop?
How to assess those components?
What are the interrelation between
each components?
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I-Process Technology

1.
2.
3.
4.
There are four distinctive embodiment forms of
function-specific technology:
The object-embodied component of Technology
“Technoware”
The human embodied component of technology
“Humanware”
The institution embodied component of
technology “Orgaware”
The document embodied component of
technology “Inforware”
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Technoware
Object-embodied physical facilities, such
as: devices; equipment; machinery;
structures—called Technoware —which
enhance human physical powers and
controls for all necessary transformation
operations.
4
Humanware
Person-embodied human abilities, such
as: skills; knowledge; expertise; creativity
—called Humanware—which contribute to
actual utilization of available natural and
technological resources for productive
purposes;
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Orgaware
Institution-embodied organizational
frameworks, such as: methods; techniques;
networks; practices—called Orgaware—
which coordinate all productive activities of
the enterprise for achieving purposeful
results.
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Inforware
Record-embodied documented facts, such as:
design parameters; specifications; blueprints; maintenance and service manuals—
called
Inforware—which
enable
quick
learning and help time and resource savings;
 These four components of technology
provide a dynamically interacting base
for transformation of inputs to outputs.
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Major Critical for Assessing
Technology Component
Since technological sophistication is
essential for competition, assessing the gap
of the four technology components indicate
the strength and weakness of an enterprise.

Criteria for assessing technoware position
Criteria for assessment may include:



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scale of operation,
scope of outputs,
quality of outputs, and
safety or environmental soundness of operation.
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
Criteria for assessing humanware position
relative to best practice may include:

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

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Criteria for assessing inforware position may
include:



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level of general education (knowledge intensity);
appropriateness of training and retraining,
relevant experience, and
motivation of the personnel.
relevance (value),
timeliness and
reliability.
Criteria for assessing orgaware position may
include:


market performance (policy, strategies ),
and technological capability expansion
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II-Product Technology
Product technology consist of two major
categories:
 Product design inforware
 Design foundation inforware
 Design specifications inforware
 Product usage inforware
 Product Operating inforware (POI)
 Product Maintenance (PMI)
 Product performance enhancing inforware
(PPI)
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

Design Foundation Inforware (DFI)
Information that provides into: the functional
requirements of the product design; design
concepts, simulation techniques and analytical
procedure needed for understanding and predicting
product performance and and customer needs (Used
CAD).
Design Specification inforware (DSI)
Information such as engineering drawings of the
product; design specifications; and design
calculations used.
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
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Product operating inforware (POI)
Information such as standard operating procedures
and information for installing the product.
Product maintenance inforware (PMI)
Information needed to maintain, repair and service
the product. This include maintenance manuals (for
both hardware and software), and troubleshooting
checklist.
Product performance enhancing inforware
(PPI) Knowledge, that involves information needed
for operation optimization, and upgrading product
performance.
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III-Conclusion


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Process technology maybe defined as manifestation
of four elementary and interacting components
namely: an object-embodied form called
technoware; a human embodied form called
humanware; and information embodied form called
inforware; and an institution embodied form called
orgaware.
These four components are complementary to
another and are interrelated.
They are required simultaneously in a manufacturing
operation and no transformation can take place in
complete absence of any of the four components.
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
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Technoware, in any manufacturing technology, is
installed operated and improved by humanware.
Humanware is the most valuable component of
technology. Without the humanware, even if technoware
is available. The manufacturing facility cannot be used.
The effective use of technoware and humanware to
facilitate desired value addition activities is the key role
of orgaware.
Good quality inforware is needed to improve the
utilization of technoware by humanware. In turn good
quality humanware can facilitate the refinement and
development of inforware.
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In the case of production technology, firms may
either develop it themselves or buy it from other
companies through technology transfer.
1. A firms that acts as dealer for product(s) of another
may be interested only in buying product usage
technology.
2. A firms that is strong in manufacturing may be
interested in obtaining only product design
technology based on a licensing arrangement.
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Discussion Questions

In your opinion, what are some important
criteria which the firms should take to
increase the quality and productivity of
their products and service?
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