Abstract
We know a lot about how much firms invest in R&D, but less about the critical first step which is a potential R&D opportunity. We use a large UK survey and detailed case study evidence to establish the chain of events from opportunity to the investment choice. Our results show that 34% of firms had identified an R&D investment opportunity. Realised R&D investment projects were typically between £100,000 and £1/2 m over a 5-year window. The dominant factors were firm size, industry, equity investment, knowledge and absorptive capacity. The process of R&D management also had an outward, market facing aspect, and an inward, engineering and financial aspect that were often conducted in parallel.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 326-340 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | R and D Management |
| Volume | 55 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 24 Jun 2024 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 31 Mar 2025 |
Funding
This research was supported by the UK Economic and Social Research Council under grant award ES/W010259/1 and the UK Department for Business and Trade under Project Eden Phase I.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Economic and Social Research Council | ES/W010259/1 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Business and International Management
- General Business,Management and Accounting
- Strategy and Management
- Management of Technology and Innovation
