Zettelmeyer, Florian and John R. Hauser (1995), "Metrics to Evaluate R&D Groups: Phase I, Qualitative Interviews," Working Paper, International Center for Research on the Management of Technology, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02142, (March).

We describe the results of in-depth qualitative interviews with Chief Executive Officers, Chief Technical Officers, and researchers at ten large research-intensive organizations. In these interviews we explored how these organizations measure success in the R&D mission and how they provide incentives to managers and researchers in R&D. We gained insight into the three tiers of the R&D mission: exploring the tools of the future, creating the tools, and pioneering the use of the tools. We learned how these tiers relate to the university and the business units. Metrics of success vary by tier, in part, because the role of corporate investment, the role of managers, and the role of internal customers vary by tier.

This report provides an initial perspective on R&D metrics from the viewpoint of practicing managers and researchers. This perspective, which is Phase I of our research project, suggests research topics which we will explore in greater depth in subsequent Phase II. We summarize these research directions at the end of this report.

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