Leadership, Management, and Innovation in R&D Project Teams [Hardcover]

Leon Mann (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1567203981 | ISBN-13: 978-1567203981 | Publication Date: March 30, 2005

In today's knowledge-driven business environment, research and development teams face particular challenges as their purpose is to discover and/or develop new concepts, products, or processes; the pressure to perform is intense. A year-long study of 58 R&D project teams set out to identify the factors that distinguish the successful teams from the under-performers. The resulting book argues that a substantial part of a team's success is not dependent on the type of work (fundamental research vs. product development), the institutional environment (corporate vs. public), or even provision of resources but leadership. Successful team leaders employ a "transformational" style that inspires and motivates team members to perform at their best; they set clear goals and tasks; they establish an environment of mutual trust and respect; and they are skilled politicians who liaise with external "stakeholders"--including customers, senior managers, service providers, and regulators--to gain essential support. Integrating insights from the fields of technology management, social psychology, and organizational behavior, Leon Mann and his colleagues present recommendations to assist organizations and management in developing strong team leaders and building innovative teams.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The study underlying this collection goes a long way to correct previous neglect of this field by comparing over two years new, young project leaders to more experienced, older leaders at the same company.”–Reference & Research Book News

About the Author

LEON MANN is Professorial Fellow, University of Melbourne, where he is the Director of the Centre for R&D Leadership. Past President of the Australian Psychological Society and of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, he has taught at Harvard University, the University of Sydney, and Flinders University. The author of more than 30 book chapters and 80 articles, he has written five books, including Decision Making and Developing Leaders in R&D.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 350 pages
• Publisher: Praeger Publishers (March 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567203981
• ISBN-13: 978-1567203981
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,412,727 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars RESEARCH-BASED FINDINGS ABOUT R&D TEAM LEADERSHIP & DYNAMICS., July 5, 2005

By 

Gerry Stern "Stern's Management Review Online" (Culver City, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Leadership, Management, and Innovation in R&D Project Teams (Hardcover)

Based on long-term, in-depth research, this book offers a collection of fourteen outstanding research-based papers. The chapter titles give a thumbnail profile of the book's contents. These are:
* R&D Teams-The Quest for Innovation;
* The ARC Study: Design and Method for Studying R&D Teams and Their Leaders;
* R&D Project Leaders: Roles and Responsibilities;
* Transformational Leaders of Project Teams;
* How Trustworthy is Your Leader? Implications for Leadership, Team Climate, and Outcomes in R&D Teams;
* Leaders Who Learn;
* The Impact of Team Climate on Innovation in R&D Teams;
* Communicating Effectively: Five Factors That Promote Project Team Performance;
* The Effects of Team Size, Tenure, and Turnover on Communication Safety and Team Performance;
* Organizational Supports for Innovative R&D;
* Managing in Tough Times;
* The R&D Customer;
* Terrific Teams and Troubled Teams;
* Organizations, Managers, Customers, Leaders, and Teams.

Throughout the volume there are numerous statistical tables showing key research findings. This is a highly informative collection of well-written contributions, communicating a broad range of research findings and insights.