Title: Internationalisation of research and development: the case of Taiwanese firms

Authors: Feng-Shang Wu

Addresses: Graduate Institute of Technology and Innovation Management, National Chengchi University, 64, Sec.2, Tze-Nan Road, Taipei, Taiwan

Abstract: Most of the previous studies in global R&D were focused on developed economies, meaning the situation of developing countries has been neglected. Consequently, this work conducts a deep case study of eight Taiwanese companies with overseas R&D units. The sample companies came mainly from two industrial sectors: computer hardware and software. Preliminary research findings include the following: (1) firms in developing countries seem all to follow a similar path in internationalising their R&D activities, (2) companies from developed and developing countries appear to have the same motivations and use the similar methods in globalising their R&D, (3) communication and managerial process of global innovation differ for hardware and software product developments and (4) problems of communication, language and cultural difference critically affect the performance of global R&D and can be reduced by employing standard manuals, a unified language and international liaisons.

Keywords: internationalisation; R&D; product innovation; technology transfer; Taiwan; research and development; computer hardware; software development; product development; communication; language; cultural differences.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2007.013497

International Journal of Technology Management, 2007 Vol.39 No.3/4, pp.297 - 310

Published online: 02 May 2007 *

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