An analytical review of strategic technology management in the public sector in the GCC: The case of kuwait

Abstract

Strategic technology management (STM) is a both a concept, and indeed a practice, that is well-known within international organisations. However, in national organisations within the GCC, an understanding of both the concept and practice remain somewhat lacking. In this conceptual study, we shed light on the importance of adopting effective strategic technology management practices within public sector organisations. Our study is intended to address this gap in the currently rather under-developed literature in this regard, and further the dearth of relevant information on strategic technology management. We argue that while GCC countries can acquire the necessarily capacity and resources to develop the strategic technology, it is still way beyond the means of developing countries to adopt appropriate strategic technology management and the relevant practices within their organizations. Using data from multiple case studies that included 27 interviews with members of management teams, results showed that raising strategic awareness among organizational members and aligning both individual-and group-level cognition are key drivers in the successful implementation of strategic technology management within public sector organizations. Furthermore, managers at different levels need to be equipped with the correct tools and required training to aid them in this process. Moreover, a major reason for the lack of implementation of strategic technology management was found to be related to the absence of strategic joining and alignment between various managerial teams. Our exploration demonstrates a vital contribution to the under-researched area of strategic technology management and the cognitive understanding of this concept and its relevant practices. © 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.