ResearchinMotion:ManagingExplosiveGrowth

JansenShrubbandFrancoisMonette
1) Dowhatwedonowbutmoreofit
a. IncreaseCoopagreementstootherUniversities
i. Harder?Willthebondbeasstrong?
b. GlobalScoutingPlatform(Microsoft)
c. HiringinWaves
ThisisthemostWaterloocentricapproachtomanagingR&Dgrowth.Creatingaloyalbondbetween
otherUniversitiesandRIMcouldproveproblematic.Employeeincentivescouldprovecostly.
2) Growandexpandexistinggeographies
a. CurrentR&DoperationsinWaterloo,Ottawa,Mississauga,Dallas,Chicago
i. RIMscriteriaforlocatingR&D
1. Existingtalentpool
2. Citymusthaveabaseofsoftware/hardwarecompanies
3. Universitieswithstrongtechnicalprograms
ThisoptionislessWaterloocentric,butremainsfocusedonamanageablenumberofR&Depicentres.It
providesagoodlaunchpadtoexpandcurrentcoopprogram.Doesntaccountforglobalinnovationhot
spots.
3) IncreaseAcquisitions
a. Industrystandardintermsofacquiringtalent
b. MoreapplicabletomarketaccessthantomanagingR&Dgrowth
Manyfirmsacquiresmallercompaniestotapintotheirintellectualpropertyandcapital,notnecessarily
asaprimarymeansformanagingR&Dgrowth.
4) GoGlobal
a. ChinaPropertyrights(veryimportantforRIM)lawsofthelandnotprotective
b. NokiaSRCmodel(Coopmodelbutindifferentcities)
c. MotorolaGSGmodel(heavilydecentralized)
Othercompanieshavehadvaryingdegreesofsuccessusingthismodel,howeverthereisaconsiderable
amountofinternalresistanceatRIMforthisoption.Thisoptionpresentslotsofvariabilityinintellectual
propertyprotectioncrucialtoRIMscompetitiveadvantage.

ThinkingPoints
1) WhatarethemostimportantcriteriaindecidingwheretolocateandexpandR&DforRIM?
2) Givenyourcriteria,whichofthefouroptionsismostappealingtoyou?Why?
3) Doyoubelievethatthereisathresholdthatexistsforoptimaldecentralization?

ResearchinMotion:ManagingExplosiveGrowth
JansenShrubbandFrancoisMonette