Quality Management (QM) principles have left their marks on business practice for more than a decade. Amongst the many business functions that have faced the widespread introduction of QM standards and methodologies, the R&D function has been amongst the last to undergo their pervasive influence. The uncertain and ambiguous nature of the technical innovation process, most present during the conceptual and problem‐solving (often R&D intensive) stages, has provided many arguments not to introduce ‘traditional’ QM approaches in R&D settings. These arguments are often based on a rather rigid and mechanistic view on QM. As recent insights show, this need not be the case. QM can offer an avenue to fundamentally scrutinize and re‐think cross‐functional integration strategies in innovative contexts. Therefore, the process of introducing QM principles in an R&D environment deserves close attention. This paper offers a field‐based insight into these fundamental organizational and managerial issues.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Debackere et al. (1997) studied this question.