Bottleneck Technologies: Applying the Constraints Approach to Technology Management Evidence from Case Studies

Companies are looking for simple and market-oriented approaches to technology management. In our research project, this challenge is tackled by means of a bottleneck-focused concept: We will apply the theory of constraints to technology management. The aim is to show how a bottleneck technology approach can contribute to opportunities how resources should be allocated, provide insights as to where innovation might come from and put forth evidence on how to avoid surprise. The paper starts off with an introduction of the topic, a first definition of bottleneck technologies and research goals. Thereafter, the research design and literature review is presented. Preconditions for applying the theory of constraints in technology management and the gap within the literature are discussed. Anecdotal evidence from case studies is provided to illustrate first propositions. The paper concludes with a first characterization of bottleneck technologies and an outlook on further studies on the topic