BEHAVIORAL SPECIFICATIONS OF THE R&D MANAGEMENT ROLE

A STUDY BASED ON INTERVIEWS AND COMPANY DATA FOUND THAT THE BEHAVIOR NEEDED BY R&D MANAGERS COULD BE VIEWED IN THREE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES - MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS, MANAGEMENT RELATIONAL FACTORS, AND TARGET SCOPE. DISCRIMINATE ANALYSIS WAS USED TO IDENTIFY THE MOST VALUABLE QUALITIES TO R&D MANAGERS WHICH WERE FOUND TO BE THE RELATIONAL FACTORS - NAMELY, THE ABILITY TO MOTIVATE, DIRECT, AND EVALUATE. THESE WERE CAPABILITIES THAT THE R&D MANAGER HAD EITHER ACQUIRED OR FAILED TO ACQUIRE, AND WHICH COULD NOT BE DEVELOPED ON THE JOB. HOWEVER, THE MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS COULD BE DEVELOPED, THEY INCLUDE SALESMANSHIP, ADMINISTRATIVE ABILITIES, TECHNICAL PROFESSIONALISM, INFLUENCE AND CONTROL, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, AND FORECASTING AND PLANNING. THE TARGET SCOPE INCLUDED THOSE THE MANAGER INFLUENCED - SUBORDINATES AS WELL AS SUPERVISORS. IT WAS NOT ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT AREAS OF CONSIDERATION. TABLE.