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Exploration and Exploitation Strategies in Industrial R&D.
- Source :
- Creativity & Innovation Management; Sep2005, Vol. 14 Issue 3, p222-232, 11p
- Publication Year :
- 2005
-
Abstract
- This paper discusses four types of strategic decisions in technology management in established firms. We argue that more attention, both from a theoretical and an empirical perspective, should be paid to the strategic solutions which are implemented as a consequence of such decisions, as well as to the various types of interactions between strategic decisions and organizational solutions in industrial R&D. Here we apply management concepts derived from the industrial dynamics literature to R&D, and use a theoretical framework to describe and analyse four case studies concerning the largest R&D centres of Italian firms operating in different industrial sectors (telecommunications, automotive, communication and cables, and semiconductors). The different approaches that those private R&D centres have chosen in their recent past are compared and discussed. We analyse the patterns of exploration, technology transfer and commercialization that industrial R&D labs have adopted in order to combine short-term objectives of exploitation of research results and competencies, and long-term goals of exploration of new technological trajectories, based upon the use of two dimensions: first, the type of technological change, and second the control of complementary assets and the existence of a dominant design. We argue that the interpretation of the four case studies can represent a useful basis for discussion among R&D managers as well as innovation and technology management scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 09631690
- Volume :
- 14
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Creativity & Innovation Management
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 18096738
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8691.2005.00342.x