Concurrent Collaboration in Research and Development

Ale Ebrahim, Nader and Ahmed, Shamsuddin and Taha, Zahari (2008): Concurrent Collaboration in Research and Development. Published in: proceeding of National Conference on Design and Concurrent Engineering (DECON) 2008, Melaka, Malaysia. (28 October 2008): pp. 1-4.

Abstract

Integration is the essence of current research and development (R&D) activity in many organizations. Integration can be established in various ways depending on the type, size and intricacy in organizational functions and products. Nevertheless, research and development (R&D) has become an inevitable function in most manufacturing companies in order to develop their own product niches for their survival in the prevailing highly completive market environment. Research and development functions are fundamental drivers of value creation in technologybased enterprises. Of creating and maintaining a vibrant R&D environment, organizations individually or collectively need to incorporate virtual R&D team. A virtual R&D team can introduce new product in less lead time than by conventional R&D working. Therefore, how to increase the possibility of having more successful R&D is a critical issue for enterprises. This paper examines the current approach of collaboration in R&D issues from the perspective of their impact on virtual R&D team in enterprises and compares the findings with the other concepts of concurrent collaboration. By reviewing literature and theories, the paper firstly presents the definition and characteristics of virtual R&D teams. A comparison of different types of virtual R&D teams along with the strengths and limitations of the preceding studies in this area are also presented. It is observed that most of the research activities encourage and support virtual R&D teams applicable to enterprises. Distinctive benefits of establishing virtual R&D team have been enumerated and demand future attention has been indicated in the paper.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Research and Development; Virtual team; Concurrent Collaboration
• Subjects: L - Industrial Organization > L6 - Industry Studies: Manufacturing; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O3 - Innovation ; Research and Development ; Technological Change ; Intellectual Property Rights > O32 - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D; L - Industrial Organization > L1 - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development; M - Business Administration and Business Economics ; Marketing ; Accounting ; Personnel Economics > M1 - Business Administration > M11 - Production Management; M - Business Administration and Business Economics ; Marketing ; Accounting ; Personnel Economics > M1 - Business Administration; P - Economic Systems > P2 - Socialist Systems and Transitional Economies > P23 - Factor and Product Markets ; Industry Studies ; Population; P - Economic Systems > P4 - Other Economic Systems; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O3 - Innovation ; Research and Development ; Technological Change ; Intellectual Property Rights

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