Different Factors Considered in Project Selection at Public and Private R&D Institutes

Abstract

With respect to the factors considered in the selection process of an R&D project from multiple proposals, are the factors that are considered important at public R&D institutes significantly different from those at private ones? To answer this question, we tried a questionnaire survey approach. This paper is written to report the results. It is found that, in selecting a development project, the key factors considered important at public R&D institutes differ from those at private ones. That is, the marker characteristics factor is considered more important at private R&D institutes, while the diffusion effect factor is considered more important at public institutes. In selecting a research project, and also with respect to other factors in selecting a development project, no significant difference is found. Though the generalizability of the findings is evidently limited we believe that the results are meaningful to the students of R&D management. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd