Should the Space Shuttle Continue? Once managers have thoroughly analyzed their organization’s…

Should the Space Shuttle Continue?

Once managers have thoroughly analyzed their organization’s current technological position, they can plan how to either develop or exploit emerging technological innovations for the future. The decision to adopt technology needs to be made in conjunction with examining other organizational variables such as strategies, employee hiring and training, and company policies. In this activity, you will watch a video about NASA and the space shuttle to help you understand the decisions about resource allocation facing organizations.

Managers must balance many interrelated factors in their decision about future technology, such as the technology’s potential to support the organization’s strategic needs and the organization’s skills and capabilities to exploit the technology successfully. The organization’s competitive strategy, the technical abilities of its employees to deal with the new technology, the fit of the technology with the company’s operations, and the company’s ability to deal with the risks and ambiguities of adopting a new technology all must be considered in conjunction with the dynamic forces of a developing technology. This process does not always mean waiting for the technology to develop. Often it requires changing the capabilities and strategies of the organization to match the needs of the technology, including hiring new people, training existing employees, changing internal policies and procedures, and changing strategies.
1. If NASA has to cut back and live with constant budget pressure, which of the following key factors to consider in technology decisions may be suggesting a “No” response to the decision?
Multiple Choice

• technological feasibility

• economic viability

• organizational suitability

• market receptiveness

• competency development

2. With regard to technology adoption, NASA historically and culturally is what type of organization?

Multiple Choice

• prospector

• defender

• analyzer

• benchmarker

• late adopter