Roles Relative to Technology

In this course we mostly take the perspective of the producer of the technology -- the organization that supplies the technology to the marketplace. This is usually the firm that brands the component, product, or service that comprises the technology. For instance, A123 Systems LLC is a firm that produces a battery comprising their proprietary lithium ion technology.

However, many other roles co-exist in the technological and economic system that delivers products and services that contain technologies. For instance, Shanghai Automotive integrates a battery produced by A123 Systems into some of its vehicles.

This illustration shows some of the other roles, only one of which is the "producer." Of course in some settings the same firm plays multiple roles.

Even if you never work for a classic producer of technology, you'll almost certainly play, or work for an organization that plays one of the other roles.