A framework for technology assessment: Case of a Thai building material manufacturer

Technology assessment is a critical process in managing technology. It is critical to select the right technologies that would meet the needs of the organization acquiring the technology. This becomes even more challenging in an era of globalization and exponentially increasing emerging technologies. This paper presents a framework to address this challenge and applies it in the case of a building manufacturer in Thailand. The specific problem in this case is the acquisition of green technologies. The technologies evaluated in this paper are thin-film PV, printable ink thin-film PV, and a paint coating to provide additional thermal insulation. Three different perspectives were used to evaluate the technologies: technological, organizational and marketing. Expert judgments were used to evaluate the technologies across these perspectives using multiple criteria. Technology forecasting with patent analysis was used to enhance the decision. As a result, paint insulation was identified as the right technology in this case.