Managing the Flow of Technology: Technology Transfer and the Dissemination of Technological Information Within the R&D Organization [Paperback]

Thomas J. Allen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 4, 1984

The original edition of this book summarized more than a decade of work on communications flow in science and engineering organizations, showing how human and organizational systems could be restructured to bring about improved productivity and better person-to-person contact. While many studies have been done since then, few of them invalidate the general conclusions and recommendations Allen offers. In a new preface he points out - new developments, noting areas that need some modification, elaboration, or extension, and directing readers to the appropriate journal articles where the findings, are reported.The first three chapters provide an overview of the communication system in technology, present the author's research methods, and describe differences in the career paths and goals of engineers and scientists that cause special problems for organizations. The book then discusses how technological information is acquired by the R & D organization, shows how critical technical communication within the laboratory is for R & D performance, and originates the idea of the "gatekeeper," the person who links his or her organization to the world at large. Concluding chapters take up the influence of formal and informal organization and of architecture and office layouts on communication. Many of these ideas have been successfully incorporated by architects and managers in the design of new R & D facilities and complexes.Thomas J. Allen is Professor of Organizational Psychology and Management at MIT's Sloan School of Management.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Thomas J. Allen is Professor of Organizational Psychology and Management at MIT's Sloan School of Management.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press (January 4, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262510278
• ISBN-13: 978-0262510271
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,198,702 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must for all investigators of engineering profession, February 27, 2001

By 

Babak A. Farshchian (Trondheim, Norway) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Managing the Flow of Technology: Technology Transfer and the Dissemination of Technological Information Within the R&D Organization (Paperback)

Mr. Allen gives us a condensed collection of empirical facts about how engineers talk to each other. This is an amazing book and gave me new insights while I was working on a thesis. I give the book 4 stars not because of its scientific contents but because of its writing style. Even though this is a book targeted at researchers, it could have been written in a more entertaining form!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pioneering work, June 20, 2007

By 

Michael Rafferty (Olathe, KS) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Managing the Flow of Technology: Technology Transfer and the Dissemination of Technological Information Within the R&D Organization (Paperback)

I've read this book cover to cover at least 3 times and consider it to be one of the 2 or 3 most influential books in my personal experience. Thomas Allen's groundbreaking work on the genesis of ideas, the patterns of effective communication and collaboration, and the influence of spatial orientation on success and productivity of research environments is just extraordinary. Every manager of a multidisciplinary reseach organization, particularly in the private sector, should devour this book.