## 2 Background
### Technology Roadmap  
Initiation of an R&D project does not always possess the ability to come to fruition and to promote an innovative product or technology. As R&D organizations have limited resources, a project in an R&D organization has to repeatedly justify its reasons to exist alongside other projects [14]. Since TRMs first appeared at Motorola in the 1980s, they have been used as a tool in strategic integrated product and technology planning for R&D and they have been developed to a wider use in most industries [15]. The concept of a roadmap is combined with technology to assist project managers and technical analysts in aiming for a certain destination by choosing an ideal route among different alternatives and identifying the expected implementation time [5]. Figure 1 demonstrates the generic structure of a TRM as a time-based chart with several layers. In the Collins Dictionary, the description of technology refers to methods, systems, and devices as the result of scientific knowledge that used for practical purposes. [PERSON] et al. [16] proposed that some researchers used the term \"technology\" to refer to technologies that defined products and establish the rules for an entire industry, such as digital camera technology. The word \"roadmap\" shows a summary of scientific and technological plans in a way of maps, and the process of roadmapping is the evolvement of this roadmap [17; 18]. [PERSON] [19] and [PERSON] [20] depicted a TRM as an agreement on the perspective of the future science and technology landscape available to people who make decisions. It provides a way to discover, assess and decide strategic alternatives to achieve a technological or scientific objective. [PERSON] et al. [21] focused on the internal factors (e.g., technology development, R&D programs) and external factors (e.g., business drivers, market opportunities) in TRM to assess the status of a TRM. The use of technology roadmaps depicted in Figure 1 accelerated innovation in emerging technologies and product technologvision of the technical department to promote this strategic tool, which then was introduced by lots of organizations in different sectors in the world [8]. The generic and time-based structure of a technology roadmap consists of layers, nodes and linkages between elements. These are the indispensable parts for fulfilling its basic aim [5]. The technology roadmapping approach has been combined with many qualitative methods like Delphi, brainstorming, scenario, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and MA for strategic planning because it produces plans of action for achieving goals [2]. The development of Delphi in TRMs is flexible in terms of the application process and the result of the application. [PERSON] et al. [22] proposed a multi-analysis process by using patent analysis, Delphi and AHP analysis to make a TRM for the industry of eco-friendly building materials, and quality function deployment (QFD) was also tested to verify the study results. [PERSON] et al. [23] established an eight-step model integrated with a Delphi process with experts' help to find the common denominator for future technology directions. Brainstorming is always conducted to ensure the creativity and improve the quality of decision-making. [PERSON] [24] organized a brainstorming session involving 10 representatives from 10 different companies to identify the most important influencing variables in inventory holding costs measurement, the result of which could be utilized as the basis of establishing a TRM for the company. Scenario planning has been employed as an effective tool with TRMs in many attempts in conducting one's decisions on alternative future environments. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [25] utilized scenarios to set the context for an exercise to inform the design of technology roadmaps and influence the wider policy context.