A framework to integrate technological considerations into the strategic decision-making process at the corporate level

Technological innovation is widely recognized as critical to corporate success. However, despite its undeniable role in successful enterprises, technological innovation is only occasionally considered in corporate strategy reviews, and rarely used as an integral parameter in corporate planning and development. Academics and practitioners have devoted much effort in attempting to align technology and business strategies, and yet, no comprehensive model has emerged. The dissertation attempts to address this dichotomy by providing corporate executives with a practical framework to integrate technological considerations into their corporate strategic decision-making process. The framework is grounded in a theoretical understanding of the impact of technology on corporate competitiveness---efficiency and effectiveness---and provides a holistic systems view that integrates business and technology strategies. At the heart of the framework is a technological investment decision-making process based upon measurement that uses a multicriteria method to benchmark and assess a corporation's levels of technological sophistication. Using an iterative qualitative action research methodology, the framework is tested and refined through inputs and feedback from corporate executives representing major North American telecommunication organizations and through consultation with practitioner experts in multicriteria measurement and strategy formulation. The framework is further tested through a case study that illustrates the operationality of the conceptual framework in the telecommunication industry.