Managing Global Innovation

Prof. Dr. Oliver Gassmann | Prof. Dr. Marco Zeschky

Our goal is to combine real-life phenomena and state-of-the-art research in the management and organization of global R&D

Importance of effective global R&D management
Making the right decisions about where to locate research, development, and engineering activities is an important decision. Yet, in the light of changing markets, customers, an increasingly disintegrated value chain, newly developing innovation and technology clusters, and the specific challenges that different cultures and languages entail, this decision is not a simple one. Firms which find effective answers to managing their globally dispersed R&D units, projects, and activities will profit in the long run.
Organizing and operating globally dispersed research, development, or engineering activities between different sites is no longer only a phenomenon seen at large, established enterprises. Due to the liberalization of markets and increased global competition, also small and medium-sized enterprises increasingly are forced to reorganize or even relocate specific parts of their R&D and engineering activities.

Practice-oriented and relevant research
In the Competence Center Global Innovation, we closely collaborate with small, medium-sized, and large companies to investigate relevant phenomena and together develop new approaches and processes in the management of global R&D. Our research focuses on global R&D strategies, global R&D structures, processes and tools within global R&D projects as well as the human and intercultural aspects of global R&D. Building on our extensive experience in the management of global R&D, we offer consulting services and expert circles on the topic.

Upcoming Projects

For further information, please click the link in the context menu on the right.

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Previous Projects

Advanced publications
As one of the few research institutions internationally to focus on the management of global R&D, our research has been published in renowned journals such as e.g. R&D Management, International Journal of Technology Management, Research Policy, Long Range Planning.