Title: International comparison of R&D investment by European, US and Japanese companies

Authors: M.R. Martinez-Torres, S.L. Toral

Addresses: Escuela Universitaria de Estudios Empresariales, University of Seville, Avda. San Francisco Javier s/n, 41018 Seville, Spain. ' E. S. Ingenieros, University of Seville, C/Enriquez de Ribera, 1, 41092, Seville, Spain

Abstract: Looking across the rapidly developing world, it is even more crucial for companies to benchmark their R&D investment against best international practice in their sector and to understand the ways in which their R&D investment will affect future business performance. The globalisation of technology requires a global analysis involving companies all over the world. In this study, top R&D European, US and Japanese companies are analysed and compared using R&D investment scoreboard reports. The main objective consists of extracting clusters of companies with similar R&D policies and comparing the obtained clusters with the major developed economic areas. Results will characterise companies in accordance with different R&D profiles, highlighting some asymmetries in the three major economic areas analysed.

Keywords: clustering; factor analysis; R&D investment; R&D policy; research and development; strategic groups; technology policy; USA; United States; Japan; Europe; benchmarking; best practice; globalisation; R&D profiles.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2010.029413

International Journal of Technology Management, 2010 Vol.49 No.1/2/3, pp.107 - 122

Published online: 06 Apr 2013 *

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