R&D project selection versus R&D project generation

Much of the technical literature emphasizes R&D project selection. This paper reviews the author's experience with R&D project selection. In his view, this experience suggests that the emphasis should be on the generation of high-quality R&D projects through effective communication of corporate priorities, implementation issues, and related technical efforts     

The linear multi-objective R&D project selection problem

A multi-objective model of the project-selection problem is described. The model departs from an earlier goal-programming formulation of the problem, which suggested Delphic methods for selection of priorities and aspiration levels. It is shown that the multiobjective formulation yields multiple nondominated solutions for the same problem solved by goal programming, whereas the goal-programming formulation revealed only one solution, and that the goal-programming solution is sensitive to choice of aspiration levels. The multiobjective model is recommended as a more general approach to the research and development project-selection problem, since it will develop a set of all nondominated solution. Subjective methods (such as the Delphic technique) can then be called for at a later point in the analysis to choose among alternative nondominated solutions     

R&D project selection using the analytic network process

The analytic network process (ANP) is presented as a potentially valuable method to support the selection of projects in a research and development (R&D) environment. This paper first discusses the requirements of the R&D project selection problem, which requires the allocation of resources to a set of competing and often disparate project proposals. Among the factors complicating this task is the need to make the decision within the framework of an enterprise's strategic objectives and organizational structure while considering and integrating financial and strategic benefits of each project. The paper discusses the use of the ANP, a general form of Saaty's analytic hierarchy process, as a model to evaluate the value of competing R&D project proposals. A generic ANP model developed by the authors, which includes in its decision levels the actors involved in the decision, the stages of research, categories of metrics, and individual metrics, is presented. The paper concludes with a case study describing the implementation of this model at a small high-tech company, including data based on the actual use of the decision making model     

The linear R&D project selection problem: an alternative to netpresent value

An alternative to the net present value (NPV) formulation of the objective in problems involving choice between cash flows over time is presented. This approach is illustrated in an R&D project selection problem. It is shown that the NPV formulation is a special case of optimizing a multiattribute value function. This special case requires restrictive assumptions about the decision-maker's preferences over time. The authors suggest instead that multiobjective linear programming methods be used to produce a set of nondominated solutions. This methodology is analytically tractable and requires no assumptions about the decision-maker's time preferences     

An interactive approach for selecting IR&D projects

The authors present a strategy for systematically allocating resources to competing independent research and development (IR&D) projects in a company building systems for the US Department of Defense. The approach is less mathematically complex than many techniques reported in the literature, utilizing the judgement of key business and technical elements in the organization. The authors first give a taxonomy characterizing various approaches and briefly review R&D selection methods reported in literature. Then they describe an interactive process that they have developed for selecting IR&D projects which, rather than substituting complex calculations for good technical and material judgement, facilitates better utilization of the expertise of various organizational elements within the context of corporate strategic planning. Procedures are included for idea submittal and evaluation. Experiences are discussed obtained during the application of the process to a corporation with multiple business units     

An integrated approach to project evaluation and selection

Effective project evaluation necessitates incorporating the many conflicting objectives of decision maker(s) into decision models. Among the many proposed methodologies of multicriteria decision making, goal programming is perhaps the most popular and widely used. Although it incorporates multiple objectives and arrives at an optimal solution, its major drawback is that the decision maker(s) must specify goals and priorities a priori. To overcome this problem the Delphi method is suggested to be applied prior to goal programming formulation so that the objectives and their corresponding aspiration levels can be identified. Another drawback of goal programming is that it does not provide a systematic approach to set priorities and trade-offs among objectives. For this purpose an analytical hierarchy process is used. The application of the proposed methodology is then discussed and illustrated through an example     

A model for R&D project selection with combined benefit,outcome and resource interactions

Capital budgeting of R&D projects is complicated by several types of interactions. Three types of interactions are generally recognized to occur within a set of projects: benefit interactions, resource interactions, and outcome interactions. The author presents a model that accounts for the combined effect of benefit, outcome, and resource interactions within a single set of projects. The model also allows for the allocation of several different resources. A branch and bound algorithm is presented to solve the resulting nonlinear integer program with multiple quadratic constraints     

Upward influence styles of R&D project leaders

Innovation is not only a technological but also a sociopolitical process of contested change, which implies that the fate and the result of an R&D project are shaped by how influence is exercised. As a means of encouraging internal entrepreneurial efforts, the capacity of project leaders to successfully influence others has been widely discussed. Nevertheless, only a few studies have systematically investigated the influence behaviors of project leaders. Due to the lack of previous empirical research, we do not know much about the influence behaviors of project leaders, nor about how to manage this phenomenon, if it can be done at all. To address this gap, this study draws on a social influence framework for understanding the upward influence behaviors of the R&D project leaders. The authors propose and test a model that the influence styles used by project leaders are affected by personal, task, and relational factors and in turn affect the project performance. The empirical data of 83 ongoing projects collected from 22 Korean public and private R&D institutes in the electronics/telecommunication, machinery, and chemical industries are analyzed. The results reveal that: (1) project leaders differ not only in the general level of influence but also in how to mix various influence tactics; (2) personal characteristics (need for achievement and self-monitoring) affect the selection of influence styles (that is, tacticians, shotguns, and bystanders) of project leaders; and (3) the influence styles used by project leaders, in turn, have an effect on team performance through the influence that project leaders have on other people. Based on these findings, several theoretical and practical implications related to upward influence behaviors of project leaders and some areas for future research are discussed     

Conditional stochastic dominance in R&D portfolio selection

This paper describes a methodology for the selection of research and development (R&D) projects to add to or remove from an existing R&D portfolio. The analysis uses the criterion of conditional stochastic dominance to make selection recommendations. This criterion takes into account the effect of a given project on the risk and return of the existing portfolio. The authors use a methodology previously employed to analyze stock portfolios; however, they apply it using simulation in an R&D portfolio context. They apply the methodology to the portfolios of two actual companies and find that it generates priorities very close to those developed by internal company heuristics. They conclude that this methodology can be applied appropriately in these circumstances and that its recommendations are consistent with observed decision maker behavior. Their results suggest that an R&D manager should not consider project selection decisions in isolation, but, following this methodology, should take into account the context of the existing portfolio     

R&D project selection

The research and development project selection decision is concerned with the allocation of resources to a set of proposals for scientific and engineering activities. The project selection process can be viewed as a multiple-criteria decision-making problem, within the context of the long-range and strategic planning process of the firm. The purpose of this paper is explore the applicability of several approaches, including the Analytic Hierarchy Process, for priority setting and resource allocation in the industrial R&D environment. The incorporation of these models into expert support systems for R&D project selection is discussed.     

A fuzzy-logic-based approach to project selection

When making decisions we need to consider the possible alternatives and then choose the optimal alternative. The uncertainty of subjective judgment is present during this selection process. Also, decision making becomes difficult when the available information is incomplete or imprecise. This kind of problem exists while selecting a project. There are also several critical factors that are involved in the selection process, including market conditions, availability of raw materials, etc. The decision mechanism is constrained by the uncertainty inherent in the determination of the relative importance of each attribute element. In this paper, me develop a system for the project selection using fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic enables us to emulate the human reasoning process and make decisions based on vague or imprecise data. Our approach is based on uncertainty reduction. The optimal alternative is formed by the relative weights of each attribute's elements combined over all the attribute membership functions. We also do a case study for the selection of software packages. Our system could be easily applied to other project selection problems under uncertainty     

R&D project termination decisions by discriminant analysis-aninternational comparison

Substantial efforts have been made to improve R&D project termination decisions. One major stream of research has demonstrated that discriminant functions can distinguish between successful and unsuccessful projects. It is of considerable importance to test the validity of discriminant functions. In the present study the authors show the applicability of a discriminant function that was originally developed by Balachandra for US R&D projects to data from British and German R&D projects. The results are mixed. It is encouraging that a very high percentage of projects can be correctly classified as successes or failures. But the discriminant functions vary between countries. Thus, the results reveal different management perceptions of project success factors in these countries     

A comparison of R&D project termination factors in fourindustrial nations

With firms establishing R&D facilities abroad, it is important for R&D managers to understand how decisions are made and the factors that affect them in different countries. The decision to terminate an ongoing R&D project is made based on a number of factors. Some of these are objective and based on actual data, while others are mostly qualitative and subjective. Previous studies have identified a number of factors found to be important in the context of firms in the United States. Some recent studies have identified such factors in Germany and in the United Kingdom. This study examines the factors in the Japanese context in addition to the three countries. It further compares these factors from the four countries and provides some explanations for the similarities and the differences between the factors. Based on the results of this comparative study it suggests the implications for R&D management     

Harris R&D

Harris Corp in communications technology has approved a R&D agreement with the University of Florida's College of Engineering, facilitating collaboration between Harris and the university in a variety of engineering fields. Kwame Boakye, Harris VP of technology says “We have synergy in a number of research areas, including advanced communications, nanotechnology, mechanical systems, power systems, database and information processing.”This is a short news story only. Visit www.three-fives.com for the latest advanced semiconductor industry news.     

To terminate or not an ongoing R&D project: a managerialdilemma

This empirical study attempts to develop a framework to assist managers in deciding whether to abandon an ongoing research and development (R&D)/innovation project at various stages of R&D. The monitoring framework is based upon the models developed through multiple logistic regression analysis on a data set of 60 successful and unsuccessful projects. The technique determines those factors which discriminate between success and failure of a project. The major advantage of the proposed framework is that it provides a single indicator which can be used to monitor the success of an ongoing project at various stages over its life span. The indicator incorporates the combined effect of all the factors and avoids the problem of setting thresholds for individual factors or success indicators     

Auditing R&D planning

A five-step procedure for auditing R&D planning and budgeting processes is presented. A major difference between this and standard approaches is the use of a follow-up mail questionnaire to validate the findings and identify major differences of opinion which can be addressed during implementation. The method itself was developed during the completion of nine case studies and nearly 100 personal interviews of R&D and business executives. A series of R&D planning norms is used to direct attention toward issues which should be addressed during the audit. An example of a successful audit which used this five-step procedure is also presented. The method and ideas presented have and can be successfully applied to a wide range of industrial research and engineering organizations     

Instrumental and supportive use of formal selection methods inR&D project selection

Although a large body of literature exists about the use of formal selection techniques (FST) in the selection of research and development (R&D) projects, most of it has focused on the instrumental use of the techniques and much scepticism exists about their value. Very little attention has been paid to the political or supportive use of the techniques, though project selection is often a political process. This study uses a two by two analytical framework combining these two forms of use. An empirical analysis of 149 individuals in 149 different companies describing 258 R&D selection decisions uses discriminant analysis to identify the determinants of the four different kinds of use at three levels of analysis: the individual, the project, and the organization. Considerable consistency is shown across levels and the importance of the supportive/political use of FST is emphasized     

An interactive and team approach to multimedia design curriculum

Over the past decade, increasingly powerful technologies have made it easier to compress, distribute, and store multimedia content. The merger of computing and communications has created a ubiquitous infrastructure that brings digital multimedia closer to the users and opens up tremendous educational and commercial opportunities in multimedia content creation, delivery, rendering, and archiving for millions of users worldwide. Multimedia has become a basic skill demanded by an increasing number of potential jobs for electrical engineering/computer science graduates. In this article, the authors intend to share their experiences and new ways of thinking about curriculum development. It is beneficial for colleagues in the multimedia signal processing areas for use in developing or revising the curriculum to fit the needs and resources of their own programs.