Strategic Capabilities for Public Sector-led Innovation: Managing Knowledge Worker Deployment at and Quality Performance of Public R&D Laboratories in India

Abstract

We investigate critically the relationship between the knowledge, capabilities of research and development (R&D) personnel, the structure and functions of public R&D laboratories in India and their quality performance record. Our objective is to assess whether this relationship create conditions that are conducive to innovation in developing economy contexts. We draw on theories of R&D management, organisation learning, knowledge management and strategic capability to reflect on contextual complexities that arise as a result of the nature of knowledge-based resources of research organisations. We deploy correspondence analysis and use this method to explore the structure of multivariate relationships among the different laboratories in the analysis, showing how various functions impact on effective R&D management and quality performance measured in terms of patents, publications and citations. We find that strategic innovation practices are essential for supporting pilot plants, experimental field stations and in the engineering and design units. We generate a map of laboratories capturing the innovation continuum as distinguished by their in-built strength in basic research, engineering and design services or the working of pilot plants. The article has particular implications for public R&D management for innovation in a developing economy context where the public sector continues to play a significant role in economic development. It should assist with organising public R&D management for innovation in an emerging economy, a relatively under-researched area. It should also help R&D management practitioners to navigate their way effectively in delivering effective performance outcomes at a time of rapid economic change.