Coping with Their Jobs - What First-Level R&D Managers Tell

The organizational trends of the 1980s and 1990s have increased the demands on first-level research and development (R&D) managers. Flatter organizations demand more of the individual in terms of direct managerial responsibility and of participation in the management of the business. The impact of these demands on the business was seen in recent discussions at study groups held by the Industrial Research Institute. Topics discussed by the groups involved: 1. communicaion, 2. networking, 3. motivating staff, and 4. project management. A recent group developed a list of traits of good managers, including: 1. excellent communication skills, 2. good common sense, 3. excellent interpersonal skills, and 4. high integrity.