Title: Trial implementation of a highly autonomous small-team-type R&D management model in a Japanese electronics company

Authors: Kazuhiko Itaya, Kiyoshi Niwa

Addresses: Department of General System Studies, University of Tokyo, 3-8-1, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan. ' Department of General System Studies, University of Tokyo, 3-8-1, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan

Abstract: This article presents the effects of a highly autonomous small-team-type R&D management model. The key points are to make the team small and to transfer nearly all the power and authority for research activities to the team. We compared teams to which this model was applied with other teams under conventional management at an R&D centre of a Japanese electronics company. We found that the activities of researchers on teams to which this model was applied tended to be more autonomous and to achieve deep insight. We also extended this highly autonomous management model with the two teams in this study for a total of 12 months. We confirmed that the autonomous actions of the researchers in these teams resulted in some outstanding R&D performances through participant observation.

Keywords: R&D management; technology management; autonomy; leadership; implementation; Japan; research and development; small teams; management modelling; electronics industry; autonomous management; R&D performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2011.038594

International Journal of Technology Management, 2011 Vol.53 No.2/3/4, pp.273 - 288

Published online: 06 Apr 2013 *

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