Putting the Marketing into R&D

Examines how R&D can learn to market itself. Draws on four intensive case studies of in-house and independent laboratories to argue that developing this capability requires pervasive organizational change, which goes beyond the introduction of marketing specialists and the creation of marketing departments. At least as important are: the development of the managerial process at all levels of the organization; the evolution of new organizational structures; more sophisticated financial management systems; and a decentralized approach to marketing, within which professional technologists act as “part-time marketers”. Problems can arise owing to: personal conflicts which some technologists experience, whilst simultaneously attempting to satisfy client demands and their own professional standards and values; internal competition, which may adversely affect the activities of market intelligence generation, dissemination and responsiveness; and poor relationships between marketing specialists and professional technologists.