On the Design of Process-Oriented Knowledge Management System for Fourth Generation R&D

It is difficult to measure innovation and to define close coordination of adequate technical knowledge and excellent market judgments to satisfy economic and technological constraints simultaneously. However, research on technological innovation models has gradually and continuously evolved over time. Innovation models and R&D systems do not match exactly, but have similar evolutionary trajectories in view of market and managing knowledge. Knowledge management system (KMS) potentially supports successful innovation and R&D systems in response to evolutionary changes at the same time that it minimizes changes in both information systems and organizational structure. First, the evolutionary classification of R&D generations and the corresponding characteristics of respective generations are defined, and KMS and its role in the R&D process are reviewed. We delineate the fourth generation R&D structure and its activities using IDEF0. Finally, the overall framework and detailed sub-modules are described. The system outline and some sub-modules are employed for illustration purposes. Copyright (C) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.