Alcoa's technology change process

Alcoa's evolving business strategy has transformed its technology organizat ion to better meet the needs of the company's growing global reach. Technol ogy strategies and program sponsorship are now led by Technology Management Review Boards (TMRBs), composed of business and technology leaders from bu siness units with "like-kind" technologies. Technology strategies for these TMRBs, aligned with business units' needs, have been developed and reviewe d with the Alcoa Technology Board. A new operational mode is now underway i n which technology is managed globally as a "virtual," enterprise-wide, org anization. Engineering-oriented activities have been moved into business un its and/or to "development factories," closer to operations. The former cen tral laboratory role of the Alcoa Technical Center has been changed. Techno logy teams, housed at ATC and led by TMRBs, are driving technology transfer globally, as well as pushing the envelope with breakthrough technologies t o close those critical gaps identified during strategic technology planning . Other capabilities have been reorganized to better provide enterprise-wid e shared services. Alignment of technology objectives with the Alcoa Produc tion System and with increased customer and market focus is continuing. The change process has also brought new, extended responsibilities to the role of Alcoa's chief technology review.