Agenda for R&D Globalization of Japanese Firms: From an organizational and strategic perspective

We analyze a recent pattern of R&D globalization of Japanese firms based on the latest data collected in 2008. We show the current status of R&D globalization, with a particular focus on differences between the operations in the West and those in the emerging countries such as in Asia, at the levels of organizations and strategy. We also show the way overseas R&D operations have evolved over time, in terms of the overseas R&D laboratories’ external and internal connectedness. Furthermore, we present our analysis concerning local autonomy, determinants of R&D performance, and determinants of overseas R&D charters. Based on such analysis, theoretical and practical implications are drawn.