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Professional Competences beyond Technical Know-How : A
Perspective
from a Technology Company
Professional Competences beyond Technical Know-How : A
Perspective
from a Technology Company
Should Innovation Trainning at The University Should Innovation
Trainning at The University be Oriented to Teach Students About
Market be Oriented to Teach Students About Market
Competences or They Just Train Entrepreneurs ?Competences or
They Just Train Entrepreneurs ?
Copyright 2007 Fractus S.A.
Dr. Carles Puente (FRACTUS S.A.)
REE’07 Europe Congress19th September, 2007
2005 Tech Pioneer
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2Copyright 2007 Fractus S.A.
Fractus – A High-Tech Company
FracWaveFracWaveTMTMon IPADon IPADTMTM
Fractus was founded in Barcelona in 1999 to develop and market
Fractal Antenna technology.
2005 Tech Pioneer
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3Copyright 2007 Fractus S.A.
Fractus Vision
“To become a global reference antenna partnerin selected markets
by supplying our technologyand IP through an excellent
organization.”
Antenna-in-Package
Base Stations
Mobile Handsets
Wireless Applications
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4Copyright 2007 Fractus S.A.
Product & License Business Flowgraph
IP Product License
PATENT APPLICATION
LicensingPatent Preparation
Provisional Patent Application
Innovation Conception (IDEA)
FeasibilityAnalysis
PROTOTYPE
PRODUCT DESIGN
DFM & Qualification
PRODUCT SALES
€€€€
Pate
nt P
rose
cutio
nProduct Marketing
Technology & Patent Engineering Know-How
Proof of Concept & Conceptualization (Invention
Report)(Experiment)
Tech
nolo
gy T
rend
s
& M
arke
t N
eeds
Prio
r-Ar
t Su
rvei
llanc
eMAR
KET DEM
AND
Market Surveillance
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5Copyright 2007 Fractus S.A.
Career Profiles at Fractus
• Fractus team is 36 people.
• > 50% are in R&D.
• > 70% have an Engineering/Technical Background
• 4 Ph.D. in R&D and IP
• 5 Professional Levels have been established.
• 3 Different Carreer Paths:• Expertise
• Management
• Sales
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6Copyright 2007 Fractus S.A.
Professional CompetencesFractus has identified 12 essential
competences for its team members:
• Only 1 is directly related to the technical background
(Know-How)• At least 2 are related to market skills (Business
Awareness and Customer
Focus)
• Only 4 have relation to traditional engineering curricula:
• Know-How• Problem Solving• Innovation• Achievement –
Results Orientation
Who is to provide trainning on the other 8?
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7Copyright 2007 Fractus S.A.
Career Profiles and Promotion
SALES
EXPERTISE
MANAGEMENT
• Professiograms look similar at the top (level 5).
• A balance in all skills are essential to progress in the
career path.
• Excellence in a wide range of competences are crucial for a
healthy growth of the company and its professionals.
• An Engineering curricula should facilitate the future
development of all essential skills.
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8Copyright 2007 Fractus S.A.
Innovation: Bridging the Gap
Bridging the gap between knowledge areas generates new exciting
opportunities.
Diversified and ‘cross-discipline’ curricula stimulate
creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.
A spark is created when two isolated and charged poles are put
close together
PASIEKA / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
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9Copyright 2007 Fractus S.A.
Innovation: Bridging the Gap
Steve Jobs dropped1 a traiditional univeristy program and
started to attend any lectures that were of his interest. During
his ‘self-made’ curriculum he took a TYPOGRAPHY course and became
fascinated by fonts. He ‘embedded’ that know-how in first Apple
Macintosh computers, which have been a key driving factor for the
success of Apple among, for instance, editors and graphic
designers.
(1) Steve Jobs, Stanford Commencement Speech 2005
http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA
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10Copyright 2007 Fractus S.A.
Professional Competences
Market awareness is essential to guide innovation and
entrepreneurship.
Without market feedback, creativity alonecan take you
anywhere.
Innovation should be sean as a means to improve, not an
objective by itself,
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11Copyright 2007 Fractus S.A.
About Engineering Education ...
SOME ‘OVERTRAINNED’ TOPICS IN ENGINEERING SCHOOLS:
• Math Theory• Scientific Method• Mathematical Demonstrations•
Problem Analysis (as opposed
to problem solving).• ...
SOME ‘OVERTRAINNED’ TOPICS IN ENGINEERING SCHOOLS:
• Math Theory• Scientific Method• Mathematical Demonstrations•
Problem Analysis (as opposed
to problem solving).• ...
SOME ‘UNDERTRAINNED’ TOPICS IN ENGINEERING SCHOOLS:
• Marketing and Sales• Customer Focus / Relationship•
Communication Skills• Teamwork • Business Awareness• Project/Team
Management• Leadership• Conflict Management• Negotiation•
Psychology / Sociology• ...
SOME ‘UNDERTRAINNED’ TOPICS IN ENGINEERING SCHOOLS:
• Marketing and Sales• Customer Focus / Relationship•
Communication Skills• Teamwork • Business Awareness• Project/Team
Management• Leadership• Conflict Management• Negotiation•
Psychology / Sociology• ...
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12Copyright 2007 Fractus S.A.
Fractus, S.A.
Alcalde Barnils 64-68Edificio Testa, Módulo C08174 Sant Cugat
del VallesBarcelona, Spain
Tel: 34.93.544.26.90Fax: 34.93.544.26.91
[email protected]
Copyright 2007 Fractus S.A.
© Fractus, S.A. All rights reserved worldwide, Sant Cugat del
Vallès (Barcelona) Spain, February 2007.
