Theories of technological innovation as useful tools for corporate strategy

Abstract Three theories of technology and innovation; the product‐process concept, the meta‐learning concept, and the concept of technological interdependence, are used to relate technology and innovation to strategic management. This paper attempts to identify complementary and unifying concepts in these theories, which are useful to strategic planners. Performance indicators, from the commercial airline industry, are used to illustrate how theoretical assumptions can be related to practical applications. Type of innovation, stage of development, learning at all levels, interdependence between technologies, and users' expectations all appear to play a role in the emergence of technologies and the rate of innovation.