Organizational behavior in the R&D process based on patent analysis: stratgegic R&D management in a Japanese electronics firm

摘要

In the previous study [Tsuji, Org. Sci. 33 (2000) 62], the author showed that Canon's patent acquisition strategy effectively promotes their research and development (R&D). In the present study, the author investigated Canon's R&D process from the viewpoint of organizational behavior, paying particular attention to researchers' behavioral patterns, the significance of their patent acquisition strategy, and the role of the Patent Section. Patent application data reflecting performance of researchers in R&D activity relating to inkjet printers were analyzed. The results show that: first, Canon's R&D practice is mainly carried out by teams of researchers; second, each team usually focuses its research effort on a single specified element of technology or device; finally, at times, several teams combine to form larger groups, corresponding to certain stages of product development. Such flexible team behavior exemplifies a new type of unification-regulation system that effectively promotes the R&D process. The author also discusses the useful method of selecting key patents from medley patent gathering for organizational studies.