Alignment of people to business goals in the INSITE™ technology development process

Over the past several years, Dow's Polyolefin R&D department has used a philosophy called Speed Based R&D to launch several products such as ELITE (TM) enhanced polyethylene resins, AFFINITY (TM) polyolefin plastomers. ENGAGE* polyolefin elastomers, NORDEL IP* elastomers, and recently INDEX (TM) interpolymers in best-in-class development time. One of the important aspects of this development philosophy is the close alignment of people's goals and development to business strategy and research goals. Unlike many other aspects of "Speed", this alignment is very regimented, monitored and enforced. It involves employees, supervisors and management, links pay to performance of goals, helps set development objectives and links people's goals to visible department goals.