Acquisition of Technological Capability by Firms in the Aerospace Cluster of Bengaluru

Authors

  • Sharath Chandra N Department of Mechanical Engineering, The National Institute of Engineering, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
  • N V Raghavendra Department of Mechanical Engineering, The National Institute of Engineering, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
  • G L Shekar
  • P. Mueen Ahamadulla Khan Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12695/ajtm.2019.12.1.5

Keywords:

Technological Capability, Technology Index, Aerospace Cluster, Learning Variables, Technology Measurement

Abstract

Abstract. Technological capability is believed to be the ability of a firm to make innovations in its products and manufacturing processes. It is especially important for SMEs to make informed choices of technology to meet global quality standards and adopt the best practices to ensure productivity. The acquisition of technological capability takes place through deliberate efforts by firms, which is characterised as technological learning mechanisms in the literature. This paper provides an assessment of influence of technological learning mechanisms on the acquisition of technological capability of SMEs in the Bengaluru aerospace cluster in south India. Firstly, a measure is developed to quantify technological capability at firm level. Seventeen variables, which form the building blocks have been factored into four factors in order to develop the measure called Technology Index (TI). Secondly, learning variables, which significantly influence technological capability have been identified through regression analysis. Learning variables education of CEO, years of operation in aerospace industry and vertical collaboration have been found to significantly influence technological capability of firms. This analyses lead to important lessons both for entrepreneurs and policy makers.

Keywords: Technological capability, technology index, aerospace cluster, learning variables, technology measurement.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Sharath Chandra N, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The National Institute of Engineering, Mysuru, Karnataka, India

I am currently working as Assistant Professor, at NIE, Mysuru.

I am carrying out my research in the area of measurement of technological capability of aerospace firms. 

N V Raghavendra, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The National Institute of Engineering, Mysuru, Karnataka, India

Currenlty Head, Internal Quality and Assessment Cell,

NIE, Mysuru, India

P. Mueen Ahamadulla Khan, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

Currently working as Manager at The Rotary Wing Research & Design Centre (RWR&DC), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

References

Aderemi, H. O., & Oyebisi, T. O. (2012). Management and evaluation of technological capability in ICT firms: an information system approach. International Journal of Business Information Systems, 11(2), 127-147.

Albu, M., & Bell, M. (1999). Knowledge systems and technological dynamism in industrial clusters in developing countries. World development, 27(9), 1715-1734.
Baginski, L., Pitassi, C., & Barbosa, J. G. P. (2017). Technological capability in the Brazilian naval industry: a metric for offshore support vessels. RAI Revista de Administração e Inovação, 14(2), 109-118.
Bhaduri, S., & Ray, A. S. (2004). Exporting through technological capability: Econometric evidence from India's pharmaceutical and electrical /electronics firms. Oxford Development Studies, 32(1), 87-100.
Bell, M., & Pavitt, K. (1992). Accumulating technological capability in developing countries. The World Bank Economic Review, 6(suppl_1), 257-281.
Bell, M., & Pavitt, K. (1997). Technological accumulation and industrial growth: contrasts between developed and developing countries. Technology, globalisation and economic performance, 83-137.
Cai, J., & Tylecote, A. (2008). Corporate governance and technological dynamism of Chinese firms in mobile telecommunications: A quantitative study. Research Policy, 37(10), 1790-1811.
Chandran, V. G. R., & Rasiah, R. (2013). Firm size, technological capability, exports and economic performance: the case of electronics industry in Malaysia. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 14(4), 741-757.
Domínguez, L., & Brown, F. (2004). Measuring technological capabilities in Mexican Industries. Cepal Review, 83, 129.
Hajihoseini, H., Akhavan, A. N., & Abbasi, F. (2009). Indigenous technological capability and its impact on technological development process: the case of Iranian industrial firms. International Journal of Technology Management & Sustainable Development, 8(2), 145-168.
Iammarino, S., Padilla-Pérez, R., & Von Tunzelmann, N. (2008). Technological capabilities and global–local interactions: the electronics industry in two Mexican regions. World Development, 36(10), 1980-2003.
Jin, J., & Von Zedtwitz, M. (2008). Technological capability development in China's mobile phone industry. Technovation, 28(6), 327-334.
Lall, S. (1987). Learning to industrialize: the acquisition of technological capability by India. Springer.
Molina-Domene, M. A., & Pietrobelli, C. (2012). Drivers of technological capabilities in developing countries: An econometric analysis of Argentina, Brazil and Chile. Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 23(4), 504-515.
Petralia, S., Balland, P. A., & Morrison, A. (2017). Climbing the ladder of technological development. Research Policy, 46(5), 956-969.
Romijn, H. (1997). Acquisition of technological capability in development: A quantitative case study of Pakistan's capital goods sector. World development, 25(3), 359-377.
Raghavendra, N. V., & Bala Subrahmanya, M. H. (2005). Development of a measure for technological capability in small firms. International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 3(1), 31-44.
Rebolledo, C., & Nollet, J. (2011). Learning from suppliers in the aerospace industry. International Journal of Production Economics, 129(2), 328-337.
Wignaraja, G. (2012). Innovation, learning, and exporting in China: Does R&D or a technology index matter?. Journal of Asian Economics, 23(3), 224-233.

Downloads

Submitted

2019-02-25

Accepted

2019-03-26

Published

2019-05-07

How to Cite

Chandra N, S., Raghavendra, N. V., Shekar, G. L., & Khan, P. M. A. (2019). Acquisition of Technological Capability by Firms in the Aerospace Cluster of Bengaluru. The Asian Journal of Technology Management (AJTM), 12(1), 58–69. https://doi.org/10.12695/ajtm.2019.12.1.5

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2019)

Section

Articles

License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Copyright @2017. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial used, distribution and reproduction in any medium