The Impact of Informal Knowledge on R&D Project Performance: The Opinion of R&D Managers

This study examines the practices of informal exchanges of R&D managers and how they view the impact of informal knowledge on R&D project performance. Ten managers in charge of R&D at their company were interviewed on two subjects. The first concerns the types of knowledge that are available on an informal basis, and the second on the perception of R&D managers about the impact of informal knowledge on the projects they manage. The results highlight (1) that all knowledge is available to the R&D manager directly or indirectly, (2) informal knowledge positively impacts the performance of R&D projects regarding deadlines, cost and quality of projects, (3) this knowledge cannot be fully exploited for ethical reasons, for fear of a leakage of proprietary information, NIH syndrome, and the absence of a dedicated internal process.