How do you go from an idea that germinated in the R&D process to managing a mega-project in terms of policy, strategy, personnel, technology and market needs? And how can the characteristics of Israeli industry help or hinder? A senior workshop of the Technion Continuing Studies will try to answer these and other important questions, through lectures Fascinating about theoretical models, alongside practical and real learning from the experience of senior managers. 3 meetings at the Technion campus in Sharon, Tel Aviv.
In light of the high demand, another mega project workshop will be opened
Advanced research and development management and the transition from R&D to mega-project management is one of the most fascinating fields in the world of management today. But it raises many questions, complexities, concerns and challenges. Every manager knows and learns new theories and methodologies that are being built, but sometimes what managers lack is learning while Standing “on the shoulders of giants” – hearing the experience of the key people who lead, shape and influence the success or failure of a mega-project.
A unique workshop of the Technion Continuing Studies on the transition from R&D to managing mega-projects, tries to answer this gap and give its participants professional knowledge about theoretical models, alongside learning from the experience of senior managers, trial and error and learning from life. The first cycle of the workshop took place during the month of November 2021 At Sharona campus in Tel Aviv. In light of its success and high demand, we decided to open another workshop in May 2022.
“The mega-projects workshop was born out of the need to look at the project or system broadly on the one hand, and on the other hand to examine them narrowly,” says Prof. Yaakov Nagel, the academic director of the workshop and who was previously the actual head of the national security staff. “Managers want to understand how to integrate technologies and take advantage of the size advantage and market forces, how to draw lessons quickly, identify changes in the market and especially examine connections with different factors, helping and hindering. In addition, to be constantly prepared for failures, handle conditions of uncertainty and prepare a Plan B” .
“Strategy and policy are very important for any process, but don’t forget common sense and simple logic. Every now and then you have to stop and check if the strategy is working”
Prof. Jacob Nagel
Brigadier General (Res.) Prof. Nagel, who currently heads the Defense Science and Technology Center (CSST) at the Technion, built the workshop out of his many conversations with people at various managerial levels in the industry. “From my experience and familiarity with the experience of others, strategy and policy are important Very much for every process but don’t forget the common and simple logic. Every now and then you have to stop and check if the strategy is working. In this workshop we will learn theoretical and practical algorithms and models alongside trial and error and learning from life. We will know projects that take over a decade alongside projects that need to be solved within days, otherwise it already becomes irrelevant. And all these by the same type of people”
How does the Israeli economy affect the form of management?
“The relationship between the academy and R&D bodies and industry in Israel is essentially different from what is accepted in the world, especially in light of our Israeli nature, our relatively small size, the almost family-like closeness and the common service in the IDF. These factors enable a deeper understanding of the needs, a quick link between technological breakthroughs and requirements The market and the education to dare, and there is no precedent for this in the world. In the workshop we will talk about the abilities to take advantage of opportunities and the advantages of the working method in the Israeli economy – the short lines, the dating, with the need to work in an orderly manner.”
“The relationship between the academy and R&D bodies and industry in Israel is essentially different from what is accepted in the world, mainly in light of its relatively small size, the almost familial closeness, the shared service in the IDF. These factors enable a deeper understanding of the needs, a quick link between technological breakthroughs and market demands and the ability to be bold ”
“In light of the success of the first cycle, we decided to open another workshop in May. We also learned from the feedback of the previous workshop, we added additional content. In the workshop we will understand how to work with matrix management and brainstorming that leads to the identification of technological opportunities, alongside an orderly response in a world of lack of resources. What comes first, the egg Or the chicken? Did the technological ability come before the need or did the need lead to the ability, I will go ahead and reveal that there is no “school” answer to this question.
During the 3 meetings we will examine the important role of the organizational structure, the identification of weak points and the things that, if we do not pay attention to them, will fail us. And of course how to identify advantages in the organization and people, in order to reach the defined goals”
Prof. Nagel says that it was especially important to him that the learning be done while “standing on the shoulders of giants”. He gathered in the workshop guest lecturers, each of whom is a technological leader in his field and makes decisions in the past, present and future. “We are bringing to one arena and on one stage a unique wealth of knowledge, which has not yet gathered under one roof. This is an unmediated meeting with senior executives from industry, government and academia who decided to share the knowledge and experience they have with the workshop participants directly. They grew there from the middle level and reached the manager level and the decision maker.
“We are bringing to one arena and on one stage a unique treasure of knowledge, which has not yet gathered under one roof. This is an unmediated meeting with senior executives from industry, government and academia who have decided to share the knowledge and experience they have with the workshop participants directly”
The guest lecturers at the workshop are: Brigadier General (Ret.) Pini Jungman, Senior Vice President and Head of the Air Defense Systems Division at Rafael, Dr. Eyal Hulta, former senior official in the government technological system and current head of the National Defense Council, Prof. Oren Kurland, Prof. Technion , the well-known and leading data researchers in the world, Israel Grimberg, co-founder of the Team8 company, Yair Ramati, a former executive in the aerospace industry, and currently an entrepreneur and senior manager in the military and civilian market, the upcoming workshop will also be joined by Dr. Erna Berry, Doctor of Computer Science, entrepreneur, scientist First and senior manager in the technology industry.
“The core lectures and the guest lectures are a combination of theory with knowledge for making more correct decisions. The guest lecturers will pass on to the participants from the treasure trove of experience and knowledge they have acquired themselves.