The impact of generic competitive strategies on corporate R&D: An empirical study in Japan

This project sought to explore the impact of generic competitive strategies on corporate research and development (R&D) in Japanese technology-based companies through an extensive survey. It results in the generation of information on how Japanese firms approach the integration of R&D and corporate strategic management. Research hypotheses are empirically tested on the basis of the feedback provided by R&D managers from eighty-five leading companies in Japan. The results suggest that both cost leadership and differentiation have considerable impact on corporate R&D. However, Japanese managers particularly place great emphasis on the overall differentiation, because the strategy enables companies to satisfy the increasing demand of customers from a broad range of market segments, We also find out that Japanese managers in different types of industries and different sizes of firms tend to perceive each generic strategic alternative similarly important. Finally, we conclude that consistency with a firm's competitive strategy is considered essential for strategic R&D management.