Management levels involvement in strategic R&D decisions in firms

Abstract

Long-term R&D activities and especially Collaborative Research (CR) with other firms and with the academy are considered by nature as strategic. Such decisions not only commit resources like other decisions but also set a focus for the R&D units in the firm for the future. A recent research found that firms dealing with CR make decisions regarding participation with a limited number of management levels involved. This finding supports the claim that the CR participation decision is a strategic one and that the upper management should be aware of opportunities if they are to approve participation. This observation is important when dealing with the dissemination of such CR supporting programs, as is discussed in the last section of the article below.

Keywords

• research and development
• management involvement
• strategic decisions