Abstract
It is apparent that understanding the link between the role of innovation in competitiveness and economic development is essential. This is because innovation ultimately holds the key to addressing the most pressing a nation’s social and human challenges. In the past, some organizations viewed research and development (R&D) as an intangible, difficult to manage and measure process and do their best to stay away from it. On the other hand, organizations that have a clear understanding and mastery of R&D management seem to have great success in exploiting R&D in commercializing new technologies with speed and precision that enabled them to achieve numerous competitive edge, such as first-to-market advantages, greater market shares for their innovations, premium prices and dominant designs relative to their counterparts). However, the upsurge in enabling technologies such as the internet is changing the perceptions on managing R&D processes, moving from technology-oriented model to a more interactive and collaborative model. While it is evident that there is increased focus on fine-tuning R&D management processes the majority of these efforts were confined to the USA, Europe, Asia and other developed economies, with limited focus on R&D management on the African continent.
This paper evaluates and discusses relevant aspects of the five generations of R&D management practices using an exploratory research approach and attempts to predict some of the most appropriate practices R&D managers may adopt in the R&D sixth generation. The findings suggest that the sixth generation of R&D management will be characterized by greater multi-disciplinary approach emphasizing cross-functional communication, collaboration, greater inclusion of stakeholders, such as suppliers, customers and partners in the full life cycle of the R&D management process. That is, from conception to market development, evaluation, reporting and re-conceptualization. This research provides further insight into the next generation of R&D.