Group Assignment - Technology Management

MN 4042 - Technology Management








Group Assignment
(Assignment - 02)















Field
Date of Submission
: Electrical Engineering
: 2014/09/02
Group Members:

090362P P.M.P.A. Pathiraja
100093K U.L.D.V. Deshapriya
100096X W.A.K. Dhananjaya
100255K W.M.C.N.S. Kirinde
100473C S.C.J. Samarathunga
100491E C.I. Senanayake
100578D S.D.K.H.Y.A. Weerasinghe
I. Describe the technology strategies that are in use and how they are aligned with
organizational strategy.
[15 marks]


South Asia Gateway Terminals (PVT) Ltd is the leading, private owned container-handling
terminal in the Port of Colombo. SAGT locates on the main East-West shipping route in the
Port of Colombo, known as the “Queen Elizabeth Quay”, which is providing fast, reliable and
efficient shipping services including export, Import and transshipments to the South Asia
Region with the vast resources of ultra-modern terminal equipment and facilities together with
international terminal management proficiency.
SAGT uses various strategies to improve the productivity of the company. Before find the
suitable strategies, they had to identify the environment of the company. Hence, SAGT had
identified that what business are they doing, and what objectives and performances are they
perusing. This step can be passed by analyzing the vision and the mission of the company.
Their vision is to be the best marine container terminal in the South Asia region and to be
rated among the best container terminals in the world.
In addition, the mission is to build and operate an excellent facility at the Port of Colombo
providing superior container terminal services to customers in a safe and consistent manner,
ensuring highest level of productivity, efficiency and value for money. To set new standards and
implement best practices for the benefit of the Port & Shipping industry, thereby meeting
expectations of our shareholders and providing exemplary workplace environment to our
employees.
To achieve those long-term objectives, SAGT have identified four key factors, which they
have to pay their attention and improve. Those are,
1. Optimizing the timing and speed of operation
2. Improving the handling safety of the containers
3. Improving the availability of the service
4. Providing friendly service to customers
SAGT have used different technological strategies to maximize the above four factors and
hence they have gain a better demand for their services by this.

Optimizing the timing and speed of operation
They always try to reduce the time taken to loading and unloading activities by hiring the
top skilled crane operators and other technicians. When new employees are hired, first they
are given an induction program and then basic training program about the company and the
culture of the company. Then the new employee will allocate to an expert is his own field.
Under the guidance of the expert, the new employee will learn from the expert and he will
absorb the tacit knowledge from the expert. This will end up by creating a clever worker,
operator or technician in a short time. Then this supports to time reduction in any of the
operation in practice. In addition, they offer continuous training programs in local and
international stages for the employees to improve their abilities and skills.
In addition, they use a special strategy that allowing operators, technicians and engineers
to use the company resources like materials, machineries and vehicles without any limitations.
By this strategy, they could able to speed up the day-to-day operations, routing maintenances
and forced maintenances as well.
They always not hesitate to provide the latest technologies to the employees. As
examples the other day SAGT is accouter by an portable inverter welding machine which can
use for the mobile welding purposes and an ultra sound detector which can use to identify the
internal cracks of the materials.
By substantiating the success of the above strategies, they have reached the 11
th
place
in world in speed of operation and 1
st
in south Asia.

Improving the handling safety of the containers
A well-trained staff and latest technological usage, which discussed above are also
relevant to here as well. Furthermore, using safety tags and other relevant notifications are
used to prevent the mistakes. There is a safety officer in SAGT and he checks the workers every
now and then. Moreover, for an each group of five members, there is a person who has trained
especially as safety expert to keep the safety in operations.
There are simulators for crane operation and for crane PLC system. Therefore, the crane
operators can train on the operation simulator by simulating various difficult conditions and
changing weather conditions. In addition, electrical engineers can perform simulations using
PLC simulator environments and make themselves ready to face to trouble shooting. This helps
to perform safe operation in critical situations.

Improving the availability of the service
SAGT have signed the contracts with some superb shipping lines to provide the service
on time they wanted. As an example, the world largest shipping line xxx also have signed some
agreements with SAGT. Therefore, the service availability is very important hare.
Therefore reduce the breakdowns is very important. This can be achieved by keeping the
continuous maintenance for all machines. They usually do the services for the machines what
they have in every time when machine is free. In addition, these regular maintenances are
outsourced. For the forced maintenances, they pay high over time payments to their workers
and hence they try to recover the breakdowns as soon as possible.
Providing friendly secured service to customers
Using the highest technology for providing the better service to their customers is a major
strength of them. SAGT provide an online tracking system for the containers which they
handling. Hence, the container owners can receive their containers on time immediately. There
is an IT department with four software engineers here to maintain the computerized fully
automated container handling system. The NAVIS Express software plans the loading and
unloading orders and procedures.
Another problem in this field is hacking the container handling system and stealing the
worthy containers. To prevent this issue SAGT use the high security schemes for all points of
attacks to ensure the maximum protection of the items what they handles.

Other technological strategies
SAGT follows another technological strategy to improve the innovativeness of the
organization. That is the General Manger of SAGT assigns a project to solve the existing
problem in the company to each engineers additionally to their day-to-day tasks. By the very
strategy the company is always stepped out from the competitors due to the technological
innovations arises inside the company. Hence, they enjoy the competitive advantage over their
rival firms.
Moreover, they accept the undergraduate trainees and that trainees are assigned
projects to complete in their levels. Hence, SAGT try to extract the independent technological
ideas from the trainees to improve their company strength.

II. Analyze,
i. Knowledge management
ii. Innovation management initiatives in place and explain the suitability of them with
reasons. Suggest potential improvements applicable to them.
[20 marks]


A good balance of knowledge
Knowledge Management is a newly emerged concept, nearly two decades ago, about
collecting, distributing and effectively using the knowledge in an organization. It’s all about
managing the intangible and very sophisticated insights, understandings, expertise, explicit and
tacit information stored in persons’ minds gained through interactions, experiences and many
other means. As the leading, private owned container handling terminal in the port of
Colombo, SAGT operates maximizing the profits driven through knowledge and innovations
management. They don’t consider much about cost cutting techniques for competitive
advantage, but strengthening the employees to make the work efficient in order to gain an
effectively optimized output. Investing for knowledge and innovations is something SAGT does
willingly, with the intentions of future benefits in turn. That they always consider as a sound
investment.
A good balance in both the knowledge components tacit and explicit is significantly
beneficial for an organization. A perfectly crafted firm specific tacit knowledge is an effective
weapon for competent operations for the organization’s development. It is one of the main
considerations of the management in SAGT to maintain a good balance in explicit and tacit
knowledge. Efforts done in order to provide a firm specific tacit knowledge for the employees
is admirable. All the recruits and the trainees are subjected to a 4-days full induction program.
There, managers from each section conduct presentations distributing the knowledge of an
overview of each section.

They don’t mess with SAFETY
The safety training is a must according to the organizational policies. No one is allowed
to enter the terminal without going through the safety training. An interesting and very
important feature of the company is that they have built a knowledge sharing culture there.
Every month a “monthly safety evaluation” is held in order to evaluate the knowledge about
the safety in the organization. There they present an evaluation of the covenant with the safety
procedures under the patronage of the safety officer. Misdoings of each employee are shown
with the photographs to diffuse the knowledge over the staff to minimize accidents. They really
do not try to trifle with the safety aspect. Knowledge enhancement is done through safety
quizzes too.
Every now and then SAGT organizes outbound trainings for the staff members to enhance
their tacit knowledge as well as sharpen up the tacit knowledge. Outbound training programs
are well invested and organized to aggravate the soft skills, analytical skills, general knowledge
and day-to-day skills, as well as leadership capabilities, teamwork, commitment etc. Trainees
are awarded with soft skills development programs once in a fortnight.

Intangible treasures
Knowledge plays a very important role in transforming the major business assets from a
tangible capital to an intellectual capital. With the ultimate goal of gaining a competitive
advantage and maximizing profits with knowledge and innovations management, building and
maintaining a sagacious human capital, relational capital, and strong organizational capital is
essential for the company. The culture of the working community has been developed in such
a way that they always try to seek for something they don’t know. Knowledge sharing is an
involuntary part of their day-to-day lifestyle. Employees are used to discuss and share about
the things they learn individually; and during observing equipment and maintenance work,
everyone nearby gather and tend to learn about that.
Unlike many other companies in Sri Lanka, SAGT focuses about the knowledge from the
recruitment. They recruit people with good English speaking abilities. Thus, the knowledge
enhancing is not that difficult even through the manuals and other modern technology. A good
practice among the workers is that they always try to share and improve the knowledge even
through digital media, e.g. Facebook, internet. Management never allows the tacit knowledge
to be centralized, and for that always they have made assistants involved with the senior staff.
That is every senior engineer works with a junior engineer, and every senior technician works
with a junior technician. This has been beneficial for the company because even if the worker
leaves the workplace, some or most part of the tacit knowledge of the work stream does not
leave the bounds. Individual knowledge stock of all the staff members enhances through
continuous training programs investing loads. Work relevant trainings are provided in
collaboration with foreign institutions, and some leading local technical knowledge sharing
institutes such as Nikini Automation for PLC and other training, C-Tek Technology Corporation.
Organization lavishly invest for knowledge enhancing with the eye of gaining profits from an
effective and efficient workforce.
Having customers like Maersk Line, one of the biggest shipping companies around the
world, SAGT have a good relational capital to work with. They have built very good and strong
relationships with many of the related leading companies both locally and internationally. For
the management staff in the organization a special continuous management work sharing
program has been organized in collaboration with John Keels Holdings.
Developing a good organizational capital, the company enhances their superiority in their
line of work and retain the workforce. Good innovative motivational strategies as well as
traditional motivational strategies are used to improve the attitudes of the staff members and
that gets the ducks in a row. Knowledge in the organization, they do not let diminish, and try
to keep it inbounds using various techniques. Using expert knowledge from the local and
international institutes SAGT tries to enhance the quality of the work. Recently, they even
invested to purchase a fully-registered versions with all the tools and extensions of SolidWorks
software for the related staff members.
To drive towards the competitive advantage in the area of work, related knowledge must
be embraced. Thus managing knowledge is vital. SAGT has gained the competitive advantage
in the container handling sector with a good knowledge management system. Innovation can
be done through knowledge gathering. With a good knowledge base in the organization, many
innovative outcomes have resulted. It’s a significant fact from the workforce that they have a
free flow of ideas and creation of new knowledge due to the various types of knowledge they
have embraced. With a knowledgeable workforce, the process of work has been efficient and
company has been able to increase the profits over the years through improved customer
service.

Knowledge Management is the key
SAGT utilizes a strong process for knowledge management. They always keep the
knowledge and the skill put forward to gain competitive advantage. Knowledge creation is
done using diverse techniques. Every senior worker is paired with a junior worker in almost all
the fields for the tacit knowledge to be shared. Thus no centralization of tacit knowledge would
occur and the tacit knowledge is created in junior workers through direct experience. There’s
no big difference in the levels of knowledge of the employment. A technician can ask anything
and widen the knowledge by asking from any engineer, as well as engineers are humble enough
to ask things from the technicians. Organizational culture has been developed to do so as the
knowledge diffusion throughout the workforce is significant.
Workers are involved in group activities in knowledge creation a lot and presentations
also helps them to create an explicit knowledge though dialogue and reflection. They have
special presentations when a worker or a group is exposed to something new. Enthusiastic staff
members are gathered and the knowledge sharing is done. Workers learn things in groups as
well. When some equipment is observed, many of the nearby enthusiastic workers gather
around and tend to create knowledge. All the trainees are also asked to conduct presentations
as they learn new things. That makes the other workers to enhance the knowledge as well as
create new knowledge.
Knowledge storage is also a good practice the SAGT involved in throughout their
processes. Organization maintains a set of operation procedures named “Standard Operations
Procedure”. All the operations specific work procedures are codified for later use and as
standards. They update it every now and then and always try to keep it relevant to maximize
the efficiency of the output. They codify the procedures into manuals, reports, and documents.
Management discuss and prepare planning reports to have optimized outputs. Every day, a
“Daily Planning Report” is prepared for day’s work to be carried out effectively.

Behind the curtains
Identifying the correct scope for knowledge management is always challenging, however
SAGT overcome the barrier successfully as it leads to the success. Organization’s management
has been introduced very productive ways to make sure the employees engage and effectively
participate according to the company’s agenda. From the recruitment, all over the career, the
employees are well directed and made ready for a knowledge based environment. Attitude of
the staff is continuously evaluated and forced to the desirable path. Employees are rewarded
with high, risk reflective salaries and encouraged to seek for knowledge.
As a leader in the line of work, SAGT have reached a safe and sound position in business.
However, the knowledge management can be further improved for them to enhance or
maintain their competitive advantage through core competences. Company takes expert
knowledge for machinery from Professor J.A.K.S. Jayasinghe of University of Moratuwa; though
they have not tend to take much benefits from the university. As one of the leading centers of
knowledge in Sri Lanka, University of Moratuwa comprises with wide storages of knowledge.
They can involve university for knowledge enhancement more. Although it is said that
knowledge management is widely considered in SAGT, they have mainly focused on technical
knowledge and other general knowledge. With the scale of revenues, they do not identify the
increasing losses of the company. Thus, creating and sharing knowledge on resource
management should also be set in motion.

Everything begins with an idea
Building a good pre-requisite, a good system for knowledge management, the wetground
for innovations in SAGT is created involuntarily. With the line of work, company is not much
considered about applied researches in specified fields. On the contrary, many basic
researches is under processing. Functional improvements in the terminal takes place every
now and then.
SAGT has good systematic ways of idea generation which the staff members are further
encouraged. By giving a strong technological knowledge, all the employees are set to launch.
All the engineers are provided with innovative projects required to find creative solutions by
the GM. So, with the expert knowledge in specialized areas are used to generate ideas in
finding solutions. Most of the engineers involve trainees for these sorts of projects where new
fresh ideas are arisen. Apart from that, when there are problematic situations in the area, the
staff members are called for solution provision where many creative ideas are generated.
Discussions for finding solutions are done in many levels. Then an evaluation is done for
filtering out proper, practical and feasible solutions. Continuous researches undergo based on
various ideas. Then some of the better solutions are implemented. “Risga” project for usage of
main generator for auxiliary with a driver, and “Tagger” project to increase efficiency are two
such recent successful ones. By recruiting only local university graduates and maintaining a
close relationship with big local and international companies has opened many doors for
innovations for the organization. Improvements for the processes and equipment are always
encouraged to maximize the efficiency.
However, the company is not doing much of the applied researches, which can be a
problem to gain a competitive advantage with technologically evolving rivals. Thus, it should
involve more local universities for R&D and projects. Innovative ideas come from the
knowledge. Organization should conduct more inspirational presentations about creativity,
free thinking, and innovations to set the workers’ attitude relevant to the ultimate goal.

III. Identify technology transfer mechanism/s the organization has implemented and
discuss the suitability of each.
[2*10 marks]


Technology Transfer Mechanisms That SAGT Has Implemented
Technology transfer has become an essential requirement in this fast moving world in
order to co-op up with the problems arising in the present industry in many ways. No one can
neglect ever-evolving technological development, which is interacted and interrelated with
lives. Therefore, organizations tend to pay their keen attention on technology transferring
activities to cater these growing needs of their clients. On the other hand, with the technology
transferring organizations can reduce their effort on their own technological development,
which results in high profits, less losses and good competitive advantages as well. As a
developing country, Sri Lanka should have strong media of technological transferring, in order
to strengthen the development process by improving living standards of local community.
Therefore, government has taken immediate steps to provide technological transferring
opportunities, which are of easy access. Under this circumstance, South Asia Gateway
Terminals has a major role to implement technology transfer mechanisms for the well-being
of them as an organization and as a country as well.
As far as technology-transferring mechanisms that have been implemented by SAGT are
concerned, they can be mentioned as follows.
 Recruitment of undergraduate trainees
 Arranging special training programs
 Maintaining a strong relationship with international community
 Act as a link between different organizations in the industry
 Recruitment of foreign consultancy and labor
 Keeping attention on latest technologies
 Performing auditing and statistical analysis
 Getting assistance from local and foreign agencies, directories and technology brokers
 Participation for Exhibitions
 Use of strong communication links
 Sub-Contracting
 Keeping a database of all activities
 Provision of FDI opportunities
 Turnkey contracts

SAGT recruits undergraduate trainees mainly from engineering universities and technical
institutes every year for industrial training, which gives an exposure to technology and
management learning with better standards. This helps to cover the gap between newcomers
and industry in many levels. This training offer prepares a trainee who is up to the expected
industrial expertise level who can carry out a similar industrial work in his own. This process is
through which the technology of SAGT transfers to the Sri Lankan university academia. The
inherent skills of workforce of SAGT are absorbed by the trainees and in return, it will be helpful
in country’s development process in many ways. On the other hand, analytical skills and
technical knowledge of undergraduate trainees can be employed to the well-being of SAGT
operations. Such a way we can see that the technology transfer happens in both directions.
As far as suitability of training opportunities are concerned, it can be considered as proper
initiative to technology transferring activities.
A very common scenario, which is apparent in most of the organizations, is arranging
training programs for workforce including managers, engineers, and technical staff and so on.
This has become a vital requirement to overcome the obstacle of technological lag of
workforce. In SAGT what takes place is that when new machinery or equipment is installed or
brought followed by a training program for introduction and transferring the knowledge of
operation and maintenance activities. This is a very important medium, through which a good
exposure to the technology can be obtained. Therefore, according to our opinion we can
conclude that arrangement of training programs yields better results. Turnkey contract is a
great facility, which provides the whole package of equipment with necessary technology
transfer that can consist of training sessions and distribution of related knowledge to
consumers like SAGT.
Most of the deals, which are handled by SAGT, are international. Because of that, the
relationship with the international community has a big impact on the technology transfer
process as well as in all other organizational operations and activities. For an instance, they
have to explore and exploit latest technologies for their operations in order to cater
international deals, which need up to date conditions. Use of up to date technologies is a real
and essential requirement of modern international trade to avoid delays, improve productivity
and boost efficient workflows and so on. Under keeping of good alert on related latest
technologies, SAGT can assess and employ most suitable techno solution, which can improve
overall reliability and other performance parameters. So, SAGT tend to maintain strong
international relationships to enhance their service providing capabilities. In fact, we cannot
neglect, what world expects and therefore, the technology push and market pull should be
followed by the organizations like SAGT for the sustenance.
Logistics related service-providing organizations are always dealing with different parties
in the industry. Therefore, SAGT naturally becomes a link between various industrial
communities by which it can get the opportunity of natural technology transfer. It has become
a tradition to adopt new technologies when organizations are dealing and competing with
similar nature organizations to obtain competitive advantages in the market, which reflects the
importance of networking. As an example if an organization utilizes a certain technology, which
is being used successfully showing good results, the same technology can be adopted easily
without hesitation or reluctance when our links are strong and reliable.
When a large-scale service is provided or obtained which is not familiar due to
technological lag, SAGT always remembers to consult necessary knowledge of correct
operation and maintenance. Foreign labor is also brought to carry out tasks in harmony with
local labor. It ensures a good absorption of technology into different hierarchical levels of
workforce starting from minor staff member to managerial level. This can be seen as one of
the most productive method of technology transfer what is exactly happening in SAGT.
Therefore, this can be named a suitable method of technology transfer.
Performing periodic auditing and statistical analysis is helpful to identify the current
position of the organization and by means of using new tools and methods for statistical
analysis and auditing expertise SAGT can see the possible alternatives in a different angle by
means the whole organization can be elevated to a different dimension.
Getting assistance from local and foreign agencies, directories and technology brokers
has become a new trend in almost all industries to overcome technological barriers and lags.
For an instance, technology brokers can provide their service to SAGT to try new technologies
for their new equipment purchasing. Since the expenditure on technology brokers is high, this
might be debatable to mention as a suitable mean of techno transfer. However, for most
technological intensive occasions the role of technological brokers and the given support is
immense of importance. Knowledge banks like directories are readily available sources of
technology, which might be handy and easy to use. Nevertheless, the content of such
directories might be not sufficient for highly sensitive tasks.
Sub-contracting is one of the most popular method of technology transferring which is
also used by SAGT to carry out their tasks by transferring a distinct section of technology to
sub-contractors by which sub-contractors are given technology. This scenario might show both
pros and cons. as far as disadvantageous side is discussed there is a risk of flowing technology
to other parties like rivals, competitors and newcomers, which can induce ill effects on the
profitability and sustenance in long term. Advantages are obvious.
Impact, which has been caused by information technology on modern industrial world,
is tremendous and unavoidable. Therefore, almost all organizations show a tendency to be
more informational oriented rather than just service providers. So as SAGT. SAGT keeps records
in a database, some information is available on web, some are accessible for managers, and
some are available for other sort of employees. With the vast improvement of information
technology in recent decades, we witness that the reliability and security features have been
enriched and has become more usable. SAGT has taken this very advantage. SAGT owns a
website, which contains a good collection of information that indicates the degree to which
how much they are technology intensive is.

Partners of SAGT
 John Keels Holdings Ltd
 A.P. Moller Group
 Evergreen International SA
 Peony Investments SA
 Sri Lanka Ports Authority
Previously mentioned list of partners explains the FDI opportunities given by SAGT.
Provisions for FDI are a good initiative to bring Sri Lankan identity to next level in international
trade. Government always tries to promote foreign investments. Investment is not solely
money; it can be technology as well. We can see multinational companies in the list and such
companies can access new technologies in no time due to their strong relationships with
related countries of origin.
Movement of technology is a vital requirement for the evolvement of a country. Well-
established organizations have a national responsibility to promote technology transfer. As a
developing country, transferring technology has a significant influence on development
process as well. As a whole, we can perceive that SAGT has implemented various means for
proper technology transfer, which are expected by their vision and mission statements in order
to achieve competitive advantages in the industry while serving the national development.
Finally, it is important to identify the most suitable methods of technology transfer by SAGT
and more attention should be paid on such areas to promote proper technology transfer
mechanisms like regional technology transfer, cross industry technology transfer, inter firm
technology transfer etc. which are fruitful both in the long run and the short run.

IV. Critically evaluate the contribution of human resource in the organization on
maintaining and improving technology aspect.
[22 marks]


The profitability of SAGT is depend on quality of the service and according to the main
strategy other than cost cutting they tends to capture more market by improving the
productivity. As the nature of the business of container handling, productivity depends on high
skills and knowledge of the workers, in order to maintain skill full workforce HR department of
SAGT follows strategically process of HR management.
When it comes to the motivation, payment based motivation is highly applicable in the
company. Compares with other companies in the same business SAGT provide most attractive
payments packages to their workers and it lead to high degree of motivation. Therefore SAGT
ensures the continues operation thought the year alone 24 hours especially during the New
Year festival season and other cultural holyday periods. The salary of a particular employee is
contains of intensive based of productivity and a reduction on total damages. Therefore, the
employees tens to improve the productivity of the company while reducing the damages. That
procedure is valid for all the workers including top management levels. Avoiding of the Hygiene
factors also can be seen in the company. It provides comfortable working conditions including
air conduit rest rooms, free meals and even comfortable accommodation for the night shift
workers. HR team is clearly pointed that Crain operators are the key factor in speed loading
and unloading. Therefore, they undergo with special shifts including 3 hours of working and 3
hours of rest during their shift.
Training and development is also a key factor to maintain high productivity by skilled
workers. Both on the job and off job trainings are present at SAGT. Crain operators will undergo
with series of training after they recruited as trainees. Training in a simulator and step-by-step
trainings at various cranes and they ultimately became high skilled operators in the sector.
Same way engineers and technicians are awarded with frequent local and foreign trainings to
improve their skills. Internal training programs and motivation to the self-learning is also
present in the training process. Any worker who recruited to the company is also undergoes
with safety training program. Whenever there is a new technology comes to the company,
engineers will conduct training programs to make aware the technicians. Apprenticeship
training is a driving factor of the company to develop the skills of the workers; new technician
is always groped with a senior technician to achieve Apprenticeship training.
Performance appraisal is also a highlighting HR activity, which is present in SAGT,
between the operators’ most productive operator and most productive operating shift, most
efficient technician shift are selected in every month and they will be awarded a preference
base incentive. The compaction among the operators can be Cleary seen during the loading
and unloading and therefore high speed loading operation is guaranteed. In the shipping
business, time is a most valuable factor and therefore high-speed operation became a core
competency of the SAGT.
In nonfinancial reword management shame, there are some significant factors with in
SAGT. For an example, they offer high-class party to the wives of workers who did not take any
leave during the period, by that the HR department focused into a most sensitive personal
motivation factor of a worker. Most of family members of the workers consider this as an
experience that they have to have at least once in a lifetime. Other than that, they have a
special care about workers children’s education too.
For both rewards and incentives, evaluation must do on relevant basis. There are specific
evaluation basis for each level of employees. As an example for a Crain operator no of container
operations per hour is the evaluation factor. However, for engineers are evaluate by their
individual successful projects done in favor of the company. For the operation planers
successful vessel planning will be an evaluation factor. Those evaluations are taken into
account when it comes to salary increments and promotions.
There are high degree of well fair activities can be seen in the company such as full
insurance coverage to each worker including medical coverage. By a well fair society, the lead
money for employees critical needs such as a funeral of a family member. Most importantly,
the HR department acts a communication link between trade unions and the administration.
They having meeting once a month between two parties and the dissections were published
in notice boards. Most of the times they try to avoid matters generated by trade unions by
providing a great support the trade union to carry on their workers. As an example, company
provides a comfortable office facility for the trade unions, which is usually not in the common
practice.
Most importantly, use of modern technology for HR management present in the SAGT.
Through online leave, management system employee can apply for leaves online without any
paper workers and the leave will sent to the supervisor of the employee for the approval
automatically. Other than that, they will inform about available leaves. Over time done,
opportunities of overtime with special rate such as at New Year holidays through the software
interface. Employees are provided PCs at their rest rooms to do so.
Finally, considering all the facts we can extract the HR support the company’s main goal
of profit maximization by providing skillful and highly motivated workforce. An employee may
feel that “this is the best place in the port sector and I got a rare chance to work here”. With
that, workers are embedded with the behavior of driving company to a greater success.

V. Discuss the role of components in Innovative triangle (i.e. Government,
Industry/businesses, Universities and R&D institutes) in technology management in the
organization.
[18 marks]


Universities and R&D institutes
In the technology management of SAGT, innovative triangle plays important role. They
pay more attention about universities and R&D institutes. They provide training opportunities
for university students and try to extract new ideas from them. Engineering trainees are mostly
selected from university of Moratuwa and management trainees are selected from local
universities. They provide projects to trainees to find solution for an existing problem or find
innovative ways of doing things instead of existing method. One of their important activity to
extract skills from trainees is he/she should do a presentation about software used when trainee
doing a project. If they seem it is useful their company, then they buy the software and install
their computers. This activity is useful to develop their employees’ skills. Other most important
concept they are continuing to develop their innovations is innovative project is assigned to
each engineer in the company and he/she should submit the report on that project including
testing, evaluation etc. Some projects have really succeeded and implemented by the company.
e.g.:
 RISGA Project
This is fuel saving project. Originally rubber tired gantry cranes consists of small
auxiliary generator used to power the auxiliary system when the main generator is idle.
But it is not economical to run separate generator while main generator is also run in
low RPM. However the frequency and voltage is dropped at the main generator and
there for the generated power can’t use for auxiliary system. As a solution of this
wastage, RISGA system implemented to RTGs.
 Tager project

Industries
They also get help from foreign companies in their research and development process.
SAGT has better IT unit and they maintain a good web site as any person can access it and get
to know about their services, facilities etc. So, it is also helpful to connect with foreign
companies easily. In addition, they join with experts, consulting companies to make their R&D
process success. They are conducting researches on human resource field as well. Company
always tries to develop their human resources and increase productivity. Because of their
researches, following concept has been introduced. If any damage happens inside the company,
it will share among all the employees as well as profits. When we consider about partners of
SAGT, John Keells Holdings Ltd, A.P. Moller Group, Evergreen International SA, Peony
Investments SA, Sri Lanka Ports Authority are there. So there are industries and government
organization as well. So, their partnerships are also very important in developing the company.
Their port operation scheduling is done by their IT system. A shipping line sends a
detailed email about the ship (container arrangement) before the ship arrives. The email loaded
to “Navis Sparcs” package and it provide the planning interface to planers. Ship planners plan
the loading and un loading pattern on above interface depend on factors such as ship stability,
easy access to containers at next port etc... They do this in innovative way. Every worker get
the message about his job and the time it should do. That kind of software packages are
developed to their organization with the help of software firms.

Government
To develop this kind of companies foreign investments are very important. So the
government attitude on that really affects to this. Government promotes foreign investments
and it also helpful to develop this kind of companies.
When we discuss about the role of government, they maintain contacts with leading
persons in the government authorities. When they have a problem with any system and if they
want a help from outside, they contact person of relevant government organization and get the
help to solve the problem. For example, when they having a problem with electrical system
they contact with top-level person of CEB and get the help.

References
[1] http://www.sagt.com.lk
[2] Lecture materials on “Knowledge Management”
[3] Lecture materials on “Innovations Management - Part I”
[4] Lecture materials on “Innovations Management - Part II”
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_management
[6] http://www.kmworld.com/Articles/Editorial/What-Is-.../What-is-KM-Knowledge-
Management-Explained-82405.aspx
[7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innovation_management