9714080 Gordon The objective of this research is to establish a firm link between the way that individuals with certain cognitive abilities are deployed in organizations, and to measure the success with which organizations accomplish technological innovations- The study is intended to be normative for technology managers hence the primary dependent variables will be those measures of effectiveness which technology managers use to assess innovative organizational accomplishment. Recognizing that innovation is not simply the result of an individual act, but that it is also the result of organizational processes, the research focuses on the interplay between organizational and individual variables which are likely to facilitate or inhibit knowledge and information processing. In particular, factors which facilitate or inhibit the making of remote associations (the ability to form new and useful concepts from seemingly unrelated information) will be studied. The assumption is that an individual makes the remote associations but must be able to draw upon the necessary information. This information and the motivation to make the appropriate remote association is largely a result of managerial decisions and organizational structures. Therefore, on an organizational level, it is important to select managers as well as researchers who have the ability to identify problems, who possess the skills to contribute to technological innovation and who can direct appropriate information. While the focus of the study will be on industrial research and development, there are analogous implications for the management of technology by academic, non-profit, and government performers of R&D. The outcome of the research will be broadly disseminated and the results used to educate engineers, scientists and managers.
