Proton transitioning to Malaysian engine Available to Purchase

Can instances of empirical success/failure yield an established sequence of ordered procedures (Protocol): management of technology protocol (MOTEP) to improve the probability of corporate/country survival/success?Design/methodology/approach – The long established technology of Japanese Mitsubishi engines used by Proton, Malaysia’s national car‐maker, since September 1985, is due to be supplanted at the beginning of February, 2004 by the emerging technology of the all‐Malaysian Gen2 engine. Can Chacko’s MOTEP suggest how Proton should pro‐actively target Gen2 sales?Findings – MOTEP determined first year sales of Gen2 cars formally using the form of the sales curve of the established technology. It was projected substantively based on the system performance characteristics (SPC) which attracted customers to Gen2. The theory of concomitant coalitions (CONCOL) shows us how Proton can cooperate with their competitor, Perodua, on R&D for system performance characteristics‐improving technology while competing with Perodua in the market. How much R&D is justified? How should it be allocated? How can Proton and Perodua both enjoy R&D breakthroughs in the immediate instead of in the distant future?Originality/value – The paper selects from among the 12 MOTEP steps those which develop for Proton a systematic approach to anticipate, acquire and adopt high technology on a sustained basis to increase the probability of corporate/country survival/success, and illustrates it with respect to pro‐actively promoting the sales of emerging technology‐based Gen2 car sales.