The fifth edition of Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation continues to take the perspective of the general manager at the product line, business unit, and corporate levels. The book not only examines each of these levels in some detail, but also addresses the interaction among the different levels of general management—for example, the fit between product strategy and business unit strategy and the link between business-and corporate level technology strategy.

The book's structure reflects a conceptual framework rooted in evolutionary theories of technology, strategy, and organization that became prominent during the 1990s and continue to spawn new research findings. Each part of the book starts with an introduction laying out an overall framework and offering a brief discussion of key tools and findings from existing literature. The remainder of each part offers a selected handful of seminar readings and case studies. Almost all of the cases deal with recent events and situations, including several that are concerned with the impact of the Internet. A few “classics” have been retained, however, because they capture a timeless issue or problem in such a definitive way that the historical date of their writing is irrelevant.

Part One, “Integrating Technology and Strategy: A General Management Perspective,” discusses what the general manager needs to know to integrate technology with the firm's strategy and to assess the firm's capacity for innovation. It provides tools for examining the links between technology and firm strategy and for auditing the firm's innovative capabilities. The fifth edition strengthens part one significantly. It contains new cases on three entrepreneurial starting companies (Pixim, Matrix Semiconductor, and StubHub) and a new case on Electronic Arts in 2005.

Part Two, “Design and Implementation of Technology Strategy: An Evolutionary Perspective,” discusses the substance of a technology strategy and the key external xii PREFACE FIRST PAGES and internal forces that determine its evolution. In this part, we bring together new cases and recent advances in the academic literature on technological evolution, industry and competitive dynamics involving technology, interplays between technology and organizational context, and issues of strategic choice and intent. This part contains the following new cases and notes: MySQL open source Database in 2004, MySQL Open Source Database in 2006 (B), How Can we Best our Most Powerful Competitors, slouching Toward Broadbond: Revisited in 2005, Digital Creation and Distribution of Music: Revisited in 2005, Infosys Consulting in 2006: Leading the Next Generation of Business and Information Technology Consulting, Let Chaos Reign, Then Rein in Chaos-Repeatedly, Charles Schwab Corporation in 2007: Fixing and Redefining the Core Business, HP and Compaq combined. In search of role and scope, and Managing the Strategic Dynamics of Acquisition Integration lessons from HP and Compaq.

Part Three, “Enactment of Technology Strategy— Developing a Firm's Innovative Capabilities,” deals with key issues in implementing a technology strategy: internal and external technology sourcing and managing corporate innovation. The readings and cases in this part examine issues such as managing corporate R&D, Strategic alliances, internal corporate venturing, and acquisitions. This part contains the following new cases and readings: Capturing the Returns from Research, Perfecting Cross-Pollination, Eager Sellers and Stony Buyers, Golflogix: Measuring the Game of Golf, Misleading Methods of Financial Analysis: Their Causes and Consequences, Pitney Bowes Inc., at 3M, a Struggle Between Efficiency and Creativity, and Managing Internal Corporate Venturing Cycles.

Part Four, “Enactment of Technology Strategy— Creating and Implementing a Development Strategy,” examines the key stages and tasks involved in new product development, managing the interfaces between key functional groups in the product development process, the role of the project manager, and the link between product and business strategy. This part contains the following new cases and readings; Vitreon Corporation: The Hyalite Project, Finding the Right Job for Your Product; The ITCeChoupal Initiative, and Genentech-Capacity Planning.

Part Five, “Conclusion: Innovation Challenges in Established Firms,” recapitulates the major theme and unifying thread running through the book, which is how to augment and develop the firm's capabilities for managing technological innovation. This part provides an integrated perspective on four key strategic management challenges in established firms: (1) exploiting opportunities associated with the core business, (2) exploiting new opportunities that often emerge spontaneously, (3) balancing the emphases on the first two challenges, and (4) stimulating strategic renewal. This part contains three new cases: Intel contains in 2007: A New “Platform” Strategy for Growth, SAP A6 in 2006: Driving Corporate Transformation, and Nike's Global Women's Fitness Business: Driving Strategic Integration.