Improving the R&D-production interface in industrial companies

Abstract

Today, technological innovation is considered an essential component of corporate success. However, investment in R&D will result in innovative products only if research findings are transferred to production. This paper presents the results of a study on the barriers to and facilitators of this transfer process. Data were collected from 60 R&D division managers and 58 production managers from 61 companies in Brazil. Size of the R&D unit and the nature of the technology were considered in the analysis. Recommendations to improve the links between R&D and production are presented.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>