Resource allocation in applications research : challenges and strategies of small technology developing companies

Abstract

This is a study into the allocation of resources in the early stages of research in a small commercial entity that develops innovative technologies. The premise is that resource allocation must focus on the implementation of the technology from a broad, end-to-end, systems viewpoint rather than purely on the inventive or scientific research. Only by understanding and addressing issues early in a development process can technology be efficiently developed. This thesis examines in depth the approach to the development of technologies taken by eight small innovative research companies in the New England Area. These companies all received funding through the government's Small Business Innovative Research program. Half of the companies received additional funding from external entities and qualified for Fast Track funding from the Department of Defense. The study was conducted by means of a questionnaire and in person interviews to identify how companies identify, evaluate and allocate resources to challenges. The strategies that were followed, problems encountered, collaborations with other entities and the outcomes of their programs were examined. This process set up a natural experiment between companies that received Fast Track and thus external funding on the basis of augmented external communication. The main conclusions of the research are that the Fast Track program, for the small sample studied here, did not influence the processes followed by the companies. Rather the long-term strategies of the companies dictated how they dealt with adversity. Moreover, in contradiction to previous studies that examined these same companies immediately after the SBIR work was completed, the fast-track companies showed no greater commercialization

(cont.) success than the comparison companies. The diminished differentiator of the Fast Track program can be attributed to a) the great deal of uncertainty that is inherent with applications research and b) the short time and limited funding of the SBIR program, which in itself limits the probability of success independent of the Fast-Track mechanism.