How R&D management practice affects innovation performance: An investigation of the high-tech industry in Taiwan

Purpose – This paper seeks to identify the variables that affect the innovation performance of R&D teams, and to investigate the interactions between these variables.Design/methodology/approach – A research framework is first established through a literature review, and is then adjusted according to case studies of five high‐tech companies in Taiwan. The adjusted model is then tested through a survey of high‐tech companies in Taiwan.Findings – It is concluded that the style of the upper management team and the leadership of the R&D manager are the main forces that determine R&D management practice, but that the educational background, work experience, and expertise of R&D managers do not distinguish the level of discipline or the sophistication of R&D management practice. Some aspects of R&D management practice, for example, the generation and utilization of technical reports and the cultivation of professional knowledge, can be reinforced by office support and alliance. With adequate resource support, mo...

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