A learning organization for R&D management

Today, only if an enterprise has a command of technologies, will it be able to develop new products in time and thereby expand its competitive advantages. Consequently, the main task of research and development (R&D) management is the creation and improvement of technological potentials which are preserved in the aggregated knowledge of the company. In this contribution an organizational framework will be considered that creates the setting for an efficient R&D management in enterprises. Firstly, future challenges and their impacts on R&D are considered as a background. Secondly, two general models will be presented that describe how R&D management reacted to past challenges and how it is going to develop in the future. Finally, based on these general insights and a short description of the main characteristics of learning organizations, a model of a learning organization for R&D management will be created that encompasses both the organizational structure as well as its culture.