CHAPTER 2

COMPONENT OF TECHNOLOGY
By
Department of Management and Technology
Faculty of Technology Management and Business
University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
 Objective of the chapter
• Understand and able to identify the component of
technology:
1. Technoware
2. Humanware
3. Orgaware
4. Infoware
 Introduction
• A company may use technology for a wide range of functions:
 Transformation (production, conversion);
 Transmission/transference (distribution, collection);
 Transaction/trade (exchange, service);
 Treatment (care, service)
 Introduction
• It is difficult to reach a clear understanding of what is technology. To
some:
– Technology is simply hardware;
– Critical information which can improve a product or process; or
– Efficient organizational practices.
 Process Technology
• Refers to the technology needed to make a
product/service.
• Four distinctive embodiment forms namely:
 Technoware
 Humanware
 Orgaware
 Inforware
 Process Technology
Technoware
– Object-embodied (physical) technology.
– Can enhance human physical powers and controls in transformation activities,
such as:
 Tools
 Devices
 Equipment
 Machinery
 Structures
 Process Technology
• What are the components of technoware?
 Machines that are needed for a process.
 Software that are needed to operationalize the machines.
 Tools that re needed to maintain the machines.
 Spare parts that are needed to repair the machines
 Process Technology
• Technoware comprises of:
1. Material transformation subsystem - performs desired
mechanical operations that the technoware has been
designed for;
2. Information processing subsystem - carried out a three stage
control sequence, i.e. sensing-analysis-actuation; can be
fully- or partially-built into a technoware.

• In a company, technoware changes through a process

of periodic substitution.
 Process Technology
Humanware
– Person-embodied technology, or human abilities.
– Needed to realize the potential of technoware, such as:
 Skills to operate machines
 Craftsmanship
 Knowledge/ expertise
 Creativity
 Process Technology
• Humanware consists of:
– Contact humanware – operators of technoware.
– Support humanware – maintenance crew, software
specialists and production management personnel.

• Humanware changes through progressive learning

process of new things.
 Process Technology
Orgaware
• Organization-embodied technology – organizational frameworks or
operational technologies.
• Coordinate a company’s activities to achieve its objectives, such as:
 Methods
 Techniques
 Linkages
 Practices
 Process Technology
• Orgaware may be viewed in terms of work:
 Conventions
 Organization
 Facilitation
 Evaluation
 Modification

• Orgaware changes through a process of evolving arrangements and

practices.
 Process Technology
• Work conventions
– Beliefs and principles that can set the tone for introduction of
management practices.

• Work organizations
– Management techniques that can be used to plan production based
on demand forecasts.
 Process Technology
• Work facilitation
– Management techniques used in, for example, quality assurance and inventory
planning and control.

• Work evaluation
• Management techniques used to monitor performance.

• Work modification
– Management techniques to facilitate worker participation for performance
improvement, e.g. 0 defect programs
 Process Technology
Inforware
– Record-embodied technology, or documented facts.
– Enables quicker learning processes and savings in terms of time and
resources.
– Represents accumulated knowledge, such as:
 Facts and formulae
 Design parameters
 Specifications
 Manuals
 Theories
 Process Technology
• Three categories of inforware :
– Technoware-specific inforware (TSI)
– Humanware-specific inforware (HIS
– Orgaware-specific inforware (OSI)
 Process Technology
• Technoware-specific inforware (TSI)
– Needed to operate, maintain and improve technoware
– For example:
 Machine specifications and list of spare parts
 Operating manuals
 Trouble-shooting checklists
 Tacit knowledge gained by experience on how to get the best out of a
machine
 Process Technology
• Humanware-specific inforware (HSI)
– Needed to obtain a good understanding of manufacturing process
and the technoware being used.
– For example:
• Theories on the way the machines operate and their limitation.
• Tables of engineering data
• International, national performance standards and calibration schemes.
 Process Technology
• Orgaware-specific inforware (OSI)
– Needed to ensure effective use of, and timely interactions between,
available technoware and humanware.
– For example:
 Demand forecasts
 Customer specifications
 Machines capacity details
 Lists of material and components suppliers
 Process Technology

• All four components of technology are required

simultaneously by all business units to perform specific
value addition functions.

• Different components of
technology are usually
available at different levels
of sophistication.
 Product Technology
• Consists of two major components:

1. Product design inforware –

technology associated with
the design of a product;

1. Product usage inforware –

technology associated with
the use and maintenance of a
product
 Product Technology
Categories of product design inforware:
1. Design foundation inforware (DFI)
• E.g. Customer requirements, design concepts, techniques for impact/performance
analysis, design software.
2. Design backup inforware (DBI)
• E.g. Tables of engineering data & functions, calibration scheme, international/national
performance standards.

3. Design specifications inforware (DSI)

• E.g. engineering drawing, blueprints, product design specification.
 Product Technology
Categories of product usage inforware:
1. Product operating inforware (POI)
• E.g. product installation information (including computer-based training tools),
standard operating procedures, and software.
2. Product maintenance inforware (PMI)
• Manuals/drawings/checklist needed to maintain, repair and service a product, parts
listing, and software.
3. Product performance-enhancing inforware (PPI)
• E.g. tacit knowledge gained based on experience related to the use of a product.
Degrees of sophistication of technology components and their
implications

Technoware
• Sophistication represents increasing integration of
additional functions in physical facilities.
• Degree of sophistication corresponds to increasing
complexity of the physical facility for transformation
of operations.
Degrees of sophistication of technology components and their
implications

• Major factors/criteria that determine transformation

complexity of technoware include:
» Scale of operation
– Type of operation
– Scope of outputs
– Quality of outputs, and
– Safety or environmental soundness of operation.
Degrees of sophistication of technology components and their
implications

Humanware
• Sophistication implies amplification of human ability
and creativity by continuous education and training
that results in increasing efficiency.
• Degree of sophistication indicates increasing level of
competency of all individuals engaged by a
company.
Degrees of sophistication of technology components and their
implications

• Factors that determine individual competency

include:
 Level of general education
 Appropriateness of training
 Relevant experience
 Motivation of personnel.
Degrees of sophistication of technology components and their
implications

Inforware
• Sophistication results from accumulation of
knowledge through collection, processing and use of
information that increase the value of documented
facts.
• Degree of sophistication represents increasing utility
of recorded facts.
Degrees of sophistication of technology components and their
implications

• Factors that determine utility of inforware are:

 Relevance
 Timeliness and
 Reliability of acquired facts.
Degrees of sophistication of technology components and their
implications

Orgaware
– Sophistication represents increasing use of management
technique to improve competitive performance.
– Expansion of transactions and competitiveness for growth
of market share and diversification of organizational
frameworks based on increasing effectiveness of
management practices.
• Degree of sophistication results in improved overall
performance in the marketplace.
Degrees of sophistication of technology components and their
implications

– Factors that determine competitiveness of a

company include:
 Market performance: cost, quality & time
 Organizational effectiveness
 Technology capability
Degrees of sophistication of technology components and their
implications

– Improvement in the degree of sophistication of the

four components of technology can gradually
enhance the technology content addition potential of
a company.

• Higher degree of sophistication can

induce higher potential for technology
content addition that can lead to high
value-added outputs.
Degrees of sophistication of technology components and their
implications
• The four components of technology are complementary to one
another.
• No transformation can take place in the complete absence of
any of the components, for example:
 Attempting any kind of transformation without technoware is
impractical;
 Without humanware, physical facilities remain idle;
 Without any inforware, human abilities take a long time to learn and
hence inefficient;
 Without orgaware, management of a company is ineffective.
Degrees of sophistication of technology components and their
implications

The simultaneity requirement can be explained as follows:

• Technoware is the core of any transformation. It is
developed, installed and operated by humanware.
• Humanware is the key element of any transformation
operation and it is in turn guided by inforware.
• Inforware is generated and also utilized by humanware for
decision-making and operation of technoware.
• Orgaware acquires and controls technoware, humanware
and inforware that affect transformation operation.
The end.
 CONTACT ME

+60-0127421076

hadilah@uthm.edu.my

Fb:

Department of Management and Technology,

Faculty of Technology Management and Business
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
THANK YOU
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