The R&D Workers: Managing Innovation in Britain, Germany, Japan, and the United States

The scientists, engineers and technologists who develop new products and apply new technologies - collectively, the R&D workers - are vital in today’s competitive and technologically demanding business environment. Of critical importance is how these R&D workers are selected, trained and managed, and how their activities are linked to other aspects of production. Using a variety of methods, eight analysts from the International Research Group on R&D Management, a unique interdisciplinary group of researchers from universities and research colleges in four major industrialised nations, examine the organisation and management of R&D workers in and between their respective countries. Drawing on data provided by more than 1,800 engineers and scientists in 23 companies, the authors find that while companies maintain distinctive approaches to managing their R&D workers, the pressures of technological change and global competition are forcing them to rethink their R&D methods. To be taken into consideration now are such factors as the underlying technical skills of the workers, group dynamics, intra- and inter-company linkages, research authority and flexibility, research resources, career paths, reward systems and personal and team development - all of which are covered here, succinctly and readably. The result is a useful comparative study for top management and their human resource and planning staffs, R&D policymakers, and those concerned with all aspects of organisational behaviour, training and development.