Comparison of Intelligent Classification Techniques by Practicing a Specific Technology Audit

Abstract

Technology audit activities arc carried out for assessment of firms' technological requirements, capacity or management capability. The aim of these assessments is to define the weaknesses of firms and develop actions in order to improve firms' technological capacity and/or technology management capability. Generally these activities are implemented with survey questionnaires. These questionnaires can be filled by managers of firms or can be implemented as an interview by independent experts. However, evaluating surveys and preparing useful comments related to results can consume lots of time and also contain lots of biases/subjectivity. In accordance to ease the decision making process and provide more verified/accurate results, we develop a methodology based on an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) algorithm which is aimed to behave like a decision maker. And in this study, we use a synthetic data set which is prepared for assessment of technology management capability of selected 70 Turkish firms.