Extended implementation of a highly autonomous R&D management model in a Japanese electronics company

In this paper, we broadly apply a highly autonomous R&D management model, which we presented in PICMET'07, to an R&D center of a Japanese electronics company and statistically analyze the effect of this model. We applied the model to as many as five groups from two divisions of this R&D center, where exploratory research is being conducted. We set up two types of teams: teams with the highly autonomous management model and those as controls, which were under the usual management. After several months of the experiment, we analyzed the effects, using questionnaires, on the researchers' intention and tendency from diversified points of view including which management they were applied to, and which division they belonged to. As a result, it was confirmed that there were significant differences in the answers regarding the effects on the researchers' intention and tendency between the two types of teams above. It was also confirmed that this was not contingent on their attributes such as their divisions. Additionally, interviews of the group leaders were also conducted and it was suggested from the results that our model was successfully applied as a management model to promote exploratory research in a company.