Technology teams, marketing

In this chapter we examine the processes that have been developed to produce micro-organisms as a source of food protein. We will examine the reasons why micro-organisms have been considered as alternative protein sources, the substrates on which they have been grown, the various process technologies developed and the comparative economics of these processes. One process will be examined in depth, to illustrate how a team composed of such diverse people as microbiologists, process engineers, patent lawyers and cost analysts work together to develop a marketable product. 

Special optical fibres have been intensively investigated during recent years because of their potential wide-range use for on-line monitoring of material properties or processes in a number of areas of human activity (environment protection, food industry, medicine etc.) Their technology can be considered an integral part of the team-work on optical fibre sensors development. Despite special optical fibres represent a unique and often indispensable tool for a variety of sensor applications, special fibre production still represents only a small fraction of the market. Probably it is because of their low consumption (in comparison with standard telecommunication fibres), the need for much more advanced know-how and lower reproducibility. 

The negotiating team will most often include US representatives who act on the US client company s behalf. It is clear, however, that the Chinese are reluctant to have American sellers or buyers represented by third-country parties. The Chinese prefer to deal with Americans representing American products and American companies. They are interested in learning about our thought processes, our marketing practices, our corporate management skills, as well as about our products, services and technology. Yet they have a sense of humor not unlike ours. 

During the early dust bowl years (1935) they established the oil industry s first research team in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. George Oberfell, hired by Phillips to fight the lawsuit, planned the initial research efforts that involved three main initiatives first, to develop technology to use light hydrocarbons in new ways as motor fuels second, to develop markets for butane and propane and third, to find new uses for the light hydrocarbons outside the fuel market. All three objectives were achieved. 

The TOA process may reveal commercial possibilities that the assessment team is not interested in pursuing themselves. In cases such as this, it may make sense to explore the possibility of licensing the technology to others. The TOA has probably identified key players in existing and related markets, and that list may be a good list of licensing prospects. 

Data should also be available to all team members of the new technologies on the market and in development. This overview should be available before the start of the actual idea generation ... 

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