The methodological fundaments of development state analysis of surface engineering technologies

Purpose: The goal of this paper is to present the authority methodological fundaments of development state analysis of surface engineering technologies against a background of macro- and microenvironment. That analysis is carried out as a part of the project entitled “The foresight of surface properties formation leading technologies of engineering materials and biomaterials”. The research project called FORSURF is co-founded by European Regional Development Fund. Design/methodology/approach: The foresight is the whole activity focused on choosing the best future vision and showing ways of that vision realisation using the right methods. However, the approach called technology foresight is the process concentrating scientists, engineers, industrialists, Government officials and others in order to identify areas of strategic research and the leading technologies, which in long term will contribute to the greatest economic and social benefits and sustain industrial competitiveness. The considered FORSURF project belongs to the set of technology foresights. Findings: The set of the crucial technologies in each considered research scope is an expected result of the carried out development state analysis of surface engineering technology against a background of macro- and microenvironment. There are fourteen research scopes in the FORSURF project. Research limitations/implications: The results of the development state analysis of surface engineering technologies are the basis conditioning subject matter of the first research iteration of Delphi method carried out within the framework of the FORSURF project. The main research implication of the whole FORSURF project is an identification of strategic research directions crucial in the next 20 years in the field of surface engineering. Practical implications: The practical implication of the definition of the methodological fundaments of development state analysis of surface engineering technology is to show the way of the crucial technologies selection. The consequence of that is a creation of the basic conditioning subject matter of the first research iteration of Delphi method. Originality/value: That paper is the publication concerning the authority methodological fundaments of development state analysis of surface engineering technology against a background of macro- and microenvironment within the framework of the FORSURF project. Particularly, the way of the selection of crucial technologies being the basis conditioning a subject matter of the first research iteration of Delphi method is presented.