A Standardized Framework for Managing R&D Knowledge

Knowledge is an intellectual resource that plays a key role in creating organizational performance and its importance is increasingly recognized. The purpose of this study is to present a standardized framework for managing R&D knowledge. Specifically this study explores which attributes of knowledge required for R&D process should be managed and deriving several research propositions by presenting a framework for managing R&D knowledge. To this end, the study is conducted using an exploratory research approach based on an analysis of the knowledge acquisition and knowledge exploitation in R&D process. The results of this study are as follows. First, the three types of R&D knowledge including creative, communicative, and coordinating knowledge are presented. Second, the three types of required attributes for managing knowledge in R&D process are also presented: required knowledge responsiveness, required knowledge variability and R&D knowledge quality type variability. Third, a standardized framework for managing R&D knowledge that includes several research propositions is presented.