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     

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     

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.     

A practical R&D project-selection scoring tool

An improved scoring tool for research and development (R&D) project evaluation and selection is presented that ranks project alternatives based on the criteria of relevance, risk, reasonableness, and return. The scoring algorithm explicitly incorporates tradeoffs among the evaluation criteria and calculates a relative measure of project value by taking into account the fact that value is a function of both merit and cost. Implementation of the selection method in a federal research laboratory is discussed. A comprehensive overview of the R&D project selection literature is included     

Daily scheduling for R&D semiconductor fabrication

This paper presents the development of a daily scheduling tool, Electronic Research and Service Organization Fab Scheduler (ERSOFS), for a research and development (R&D) pilot line of semiconductor wafer fabrication. An integer programming problem formulation is first given, which captures the salient features such as high variety and very low volume, cyclic process flows, batching at diffusion machines, single mask for each photolithography operation, loop test and engineering splitting and merging of wafer lots. A solution methodology based on Chang and Liao's approach [1994] for scheduling flexible flow shops is then extended to this class of problems. The solution methodology is implemented and validated in an R&D fab. Results indicate that ERSOFS efficiently generates schedules of high quality. The rescheduling function of ERSOFS provides fast and smooth adjustments of schedules to cope with the. high production uncertainties in an R&D fab. Analysis of the algorithmic properties demonstrates the potential of ERSOFS for application to larger fabs     

Four awards for hydrogen energy R&D

The Global Climate & Energy Project (GCEP) at Stanford University in Califorrnia has awarded four projects a total of $5.1 million to research the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier. Stanford faculty members from a range of disciplines will lead the individual research efforts, and the projects will be funded over a three-year period from January.     

Telecom R&D focuses on immediate needs

The ongoing transformation of Brazil's telecommunications market is pushing R&D to the fore. Its new prominence is due to the economy's liberalization, with a gradual reduction in import tariffs, growing competition at home, and a move toward the international marketplace, not to mention the desire to privatize telephone operating companies. These companies are supported by CPqD (for Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento), the R&D vehicle of the Federally held Telebras. CPqD zeroes in on such areas as digital switching, operations support, service development, intelligent networks, and more. Among the noteworthy accomplishments are the Tropico R and Tropico RA digital switches, designed to withstand sweltering conditions at 80 percent humidity and temperatures up to 40°C (without special air conditioning), a debit-card pay phone system, optical communications devices, and operations support software     

The new joint R&D

During the 1980s, a new form of collaborative research and development emerged in Europe, the US, and Japan. In this new form of joint R&D, companies that compete against one another join together for the purpose of creating new process technology in specified domains. This collaboration among competitors is justified for the development of technologies that many companies will ultimately use in a common manner. Such leaky technology typically cannot be effectively protected by patent or other means, and thus will not be developed except through collaborative means, in which those who benefit jointly incur the R&D expense. In Europe and Japan, governments typically provide 50-70% of the cost of such a joint project, while in the United States, government support for joint R&D is just now beginning to become available. The R&D collaboratives are described as being of two types: the secretariat, which is a coordinative body, and the operating entity, which operates its own R&D laboratory facilities. The conditions under which each organizational form appears, as well as the kinds of effort each form typically undertakes, are described     

R&D manager's performance expectations

Managers of professional employees from 18 companies were assessed to determine attributes associated with their most-preferred and least-preferred technical professional. It was found that managers of technical professionals have a clear cognitive set regarding behavior and characteristics associated with the most-preferred and least-preferred technical professional. A basic cognitive model for professional attributes emerges from the consistency of managerial perspective. This cognitive model encompasses technical expertise, ability to get along with coworkers and boss, a responsible attitude, ability to supervise their own work, self-motivation, and loyalty to the company as behavior associated with the most-preferred technical professional     

The R&D cycle: the influence of product and process R&D onshort-term ROI

The purposes of this paper are first to explore the relationship between the total R&D budget and two major components, product and process R&D, and second, to examine the relationship between these two types of R&D and the profitability of the business. The paper explores a cyclical pattern in the relationship between product and process R&D on the one hand and the short-term return on investment (ROI) of the business on the other hand. The total level of R&D investment plays a key role in this relationship. The foundation of this paper is based on prior work about the changing role of R&D over the life cycle of a new product or a new technology. It is also based on the notions of the S-curve response function and the limited compatibility between product and process R&D. The empirical part of the paper is derived from the PIMS database where the sampling units are strategic business units (SBUs). It is, therefore, different from studies where the focus of analysis is a single product or technology. Two forms of analysis are presented: correlation analysis of the hypothesized relationship and nonparametric tests of the stability of findings. The analysis assumes a lagged relationship between the investment in R&D and performance in terms of ROI. The primary conclusion is that product and process R&D modestly affect ROI two years later. The relationship appears to be different depending on the level of total R&D spending     

Australia to focus on four R&D topics

In Australia, the Federal Education Minister Brendan Nelson dropped a bombshell on the research community by directing the nation's leading research body on how it is to spend a third of its 2003 budget.     

SDIO pulsed power R&D requirements

The Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) performs pulse power research and technology base development to satisfy the requirements of six major systems. These systems-neutral particle beams (NPBs), space-based free electron lasers (SBFELs), ground-based lasers (GBLs), electromagnetic launchers (EMLs), laser radars (LRs), and high-power microwaves (HPMs)-are described. The research is focused on component development with mass, volume, and efficiency being the key technology drivers. Order-of-magnitude improvements are in many cases required. These development efforts include those power conditioning devices and components needed to match the electrical characteristics of the power source with those required by the load. Technology areas include energy storage, switching, and power conversion. The specific component requirements and two space experiments integrating developmental components are described     

Microelectronics R&D blossoms in Taiwan

Microelectronics development has progressed rapidly during the past 30 years. Unlike several leading Western countries, with long standing microelectronics facilities, Taiwan's microelectronics industry has grown in a very short time. In 1994, Taiwan's IC production was 3.5 percent of the world's semiconductor market. Based on the current growth rate, Taiwan will account for about 8 percent of the world's semiconductor market in 2000. Taiwan's rapidly growing microelectronics industry is the result of the unprecedented progress in microelectronics education in academic institutions, the strong infrastructure which has been designed for the country's semiconductor industry, and its strong ties to both Japanese as well as western cultures. In order to compete in the IC industry, three basic elements are required-capital, manpower, and determination. Unlike other major industries, the microelectronics industry relies heavily on research and development (R&D). Thus, for an advanced IC company, high quality manpower is the key to success. Microelectronics education, therefore, is ultimately one of the most important factors for determining that success     

R&D activities on wireless systems in China

Various wireless systems and the research preceding their practical use in China are described. The topics discussed include research establishments, research and development projects underway, challenges inherent to digital radio, and expansion opportunities afforded by satellite communications