Industry Support Mechanisms for Aerospace: The Roadmapping Approach

摘要

The Aerospace Industry Support Initiative (AISI) is an initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), hosted and managed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The AISI takes its strategic direction from government's objectives with emphasis for the aeronautic-, space- and defence industry, on: Industrialisation of Technology; Industry Transformation; and Job Creation. For the past five years the AISI has supported the South African Aerospace industry to improve competitiveness by funding various projects and well as supplier optimisation interventions. The evolution of the industry and the growing industry in South Africa as well as the risk associated with technology development has prompted the AISI to explore several mechanisms to ensure that quality proposals are selected for AISI support. Therefore in 2017 the AISI started using Technology roadmapping as tool for choosing high impact projects for funding. Technology roadmapping is a needs driven technology planning approach that helps to identify, select and develop technology alternatives in order to satisfy a market need through enhanced products or capabilities. It ensures the alignment of technology investments and development of new capabilities in order to meet future market needs. The methodology takes into account the relationship between technologies, their products and services and the target markets. Several case studies will be used to outline the benefits associated with the roadmapping exercise that benefit both the AISI (funding high impact projects) and industry (ensuring sustainability in technology development and company strategies). This paper will assess how the new approach has contributed to the type of projects that the AISI funds and the outcomes associated with this tool at various companies. Additionally this paper should outline how the tool has enhanced the type of project proposal that the AISI is receiving for funding.