How to break down sustainable development to management of technology and innovation

Summary form only given. The objective of the paper is to present/introduce related procedures, focusing on minimizing undesired and harmful ecological effects. This procedure is based on: the concept of sustainable development, as worked out by the "World Commission on Environment and Development" (1987); and a holistic approach, applying technology and innovation management. Sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (World Commission, 1987, p. 43) subsumes the interlacing of economic, ecological, social and intergenerational aspects to be considered as a necessary entity. This concept has a normative character and gives a helpful orientation for developing the vision of the company. Finally, the practicability of related tools is shown, presenting results of a project (Hibner et al., 1997) comparing wheel/rail with electromagnetic levitation technology for high-speed trains with special emphasis on resource efficiency.