Title: Internationalisation of R&D: trends, drivers and managerial challenges

Authors: Peter Gammeltoft

Addresses: Department of International Economics and Management, Copenhagen Business School, Porcelaenshaven 24, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark

Abstract: This paper reviews the literature on MNEs| international R&D activities with the purpose of assessing extent and trends, identifying central concepts, frameworks, typologies and debates, and assessing managerial implications. Reviewed statistics indicates that the fire growth in R&D internationalisation, well documented in the previous literature, may have come to an end. Furthermore, as a qualitative flip side to this apparent quantitative stagnation, managerial focus is shifting towards organisational consolidation of the existing complex international R&D structures. Based on discussions of prevailing motives for internationalising R&D, the paper further proposes that these motives can usefully be ascribed to six types: market-driven, production-driven, technology-driven, innovation-driven, cost-driven and policy-driven.

Keywords: international R&D; R&D internationalisation; global R&D; R&D management; technology management; innovation management; globalisation; investment motives; research and development; multinational corporations.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTG.2006.009133

International Journal of Technology and Globalisation, 2006 Vol.2 No.1/2, pp.177 - 199

Published online: 03 Mar 2006 *

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