Research Profiles

Abstract

Despite the increasing importance of the management of research for innovation, the range of differences among types of research, as well as projects and programs, is not adequately captured in current theories of either project or organizational innovation. This chapter offers preliminary discussions for a new perspective about alternative styles of management for different types of research, whether basic, applied, product development, manufacturing, quality control or marketing. Based on these discussions, the chapter proposes a framework for a new perspective of innovation management, called Research Profiles, which is derived from a literature review and extensive field research. This new perspective delineates four research profiles on the basis of two dimensions of research objectives and two dimensions of research tasks. In matching the research objectives and tasks, we identify inherent dilemmas that managers must address and this developing perspective suggests some appropriate research management approaches.